Our feature 1965 Chevy Corvette coupe was special ordered with Sports Car Club of America competition in mind. The Silver Pearl Corvette is equipped with the N03 36-gallon Fuel Tank (one of just 41 in 1965), L84 327 cubic-inch, 375-horsepower Rochester Mechanical Fuel Injection (one of just 771 produced for ’65), M20 four-speed transmission, G81 3.70 Positraction rear end, and F40 Special Front and Rear Suspension, Kelsey Hayes knock-off wheels. This Corvette had a few creature comforts, including black leather interior, telescopic steering wheel, tinted glass, AM/FM radio, and the Z01 Comfort and Convenience Group with back-up lights and a day/night mirror. This coupe is one of only six Big Tank Fuelie Corvettes built in 1965.
This Chevy Corvette is a remarkable example of the vintage. Dave Parsons ordered the coupe from Van Chevrolet in Shawnee Mission, Kansas on August 20th, 1964. It took several months for the car to come in. Parsons took delivery in mid-January, 1965. He competed successfully in SCCA B-Production in the late 1960s and 1970s. Parsons sold the Corvette to Kipp Anderson of Olathe, Kansas in 1980. In 1984, Joe Malicke of Nortonville, Kansas bought the Corvette, even though it was completely disassembled, and subsequently sold it to Ed Mueller, a New Jersey Corvette collector.
Jay Stahl would acquire the Chevy Corvette after it had been traded to another collector. Stahl, a Bloomington Gold Benchmark and N.C.R.S. Master Judge who specializes in 1965 Corvettes, began an intensive investigation into the car’s past. Stahl had an intimate knowledge of factory production methods and original components. Along with fellow Corvette expert Gary Bosselman, Stahl undertook an extraordinary, twenty-year-long restoration with the express goal of returning the car to showroom condition.
Only properly configured NOS and original components were used in the restoration, to dramatic result. The original carpet, door panels, and black leather seats are intact, and the console, seat belts, clutch, brake and accelerator pedals, are rare NOS parts. The coupe wears the only known set of Non-DOT U.S. Royal Super Safety 800 tires extant on its original Kelsey Hayes wheels. It retains its numbers-matching 327 with Rochester mechanical fuel injection. Extreme care was given to the exterior lacquer paint, engine compartment, undercarriage and interior finishes, ensuring they were correctly applied for an appearance exactly as it was when the Corvette rolled off the assembly line. Even the nose emblem (‘65 only) and the fuel-injection fender emblems are original, unrestored parts with correct colors.
The Chevy Corvette Big Tank Fuelie has subsequently received numerous awards. In 2010, it was Bloomington Gold Certified, scoring 99.3 points, and won National Corvette Restorers Society Chapert and Regional Top Flight Awards. It was part of the Bloomington Gold 2015/1965 Gold Collection, and won Concours Gold, Triple Diamond and Platinum Pick at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals that same year. In 2018, the Corvette earned its third NCRS Top Flight award at the Meadowdale Raceway judging event. Jim Gessner inducted the Tanker into the Registry of Corvette Race Cars by Jim Gessner.
This Chevy Corvette is the only known Big Tank Fuelie known to have its original paperwork including two hand-written order forms, original window sticker, new car invoice, all glovebox paperwork (including the radio tag, instruction sheet and AM/FM booklet), warranty book with Protect-O-Plate, owner’s manual, survey with letter and return envelope, Corvette Owner’s Kit with Corvette owner card, lapel pin, wallet card, jacket patch, documented ownership history, a letter from Bunkie Knudsen. Furthermore, there is the correspondence between previous owners, extensive research and restoration photos, racing documentation with vintage racing photographs, programs and papers compiled by Dave Parsons from SCCA events, Parsons’ racing suit, helmet and fire extinguisher, dash plaques and trophies won by Dave Parsons during his racing career. Ownership history is documented with copies of all previous titles back to the original MSO, correspondence between Stahl and previous owners, extensive research documentation, and two binders filled with restoration photos.
This remarkably restored and significant 1965 Chevy Corvette Big Tank Fuelie will cross the auction block at the Mecum Auctions Indy sale taking place at the Indiana State Fairgrounds May 13th through the 21st.
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Comments
… Lovely GM Authentic Car … Lovely Wheels, Lovely Colour Combination … All Lovely…
Just the Blinker Orange Lens could have been White with Bulb inside Orange, but
Thanks GM A for bringing some Beauty Fascinating Cars to us among all the newbies …
My 1965 (ordered new) had Uniroyal safety 800 tires on it when I took delivery.
Odd, we were very active in the Midwest Region SCCA ( St. Louis Region ) in the mid-60’s and early 70’s and crewed, sometimes, on Marv Schoenfeld’s BP fueiie Vette and I cannot recall seeing anyone race a C2 Vette’ Coupe during that time period. There was no need of the 36 gal. tank option in SCCA Nationals since they would never require more than the 20 gal. OEM tank that the Vette. normally came with. Maybe Parsons only competed in Regionals or wasn’t a serious competitor because no one raced a Coupe, everyone raced the roadster and many cut the windshield on them down to save more weight. Don’t understand why the KH knock-off wheels were ordered either since they were too narrow to mount the usual mid-60’s Firestone Sports Car 200 race tires on them that Lampert Firestone would peddle at Midwest races. Everyone went to an aftermarket wheel, usually an American Racing product.
I purchased my ‘66 Corvette in 1968. It was a beauty, red and a four speed standard. I truly loved that car. Seeing this ‘Vette made me think how much I missed it.
Awesome car. Designed by Larry Shinoda.
My first car when I started Design job at Ford.
I took some Political heat from fellow designers and eventually got a 71 Mach 1
However the 66 corvette was my dream whip.
Mine was stock, and heavy in the front. Rear
Would break loose if not careful. I did not have
It set up for racing. Just my daily driver.
I miss it dearly
Gosh, this will go for big bucks…
A GM product that doesn’t intentionally Kill you; no Killer Ignition, no Self-destructing Engine, no Disintegrating Wheels, no Peeling Paint…
An actual car.
Nice good color and look better with out the side pipes
Will go well up in six figures at auction.
I bought a 1967 Corvette convertible 427-390 hp in 1970. It was in the middle of the 10 week strike at GM where I worked in Lansing, Michigan at Fisher Body. What a car! What a time in the life of a young single guy!
My Dad had a1965 Zora Duntof special when I was little. It had sort of a plaque behind the shifter, that read 327 ci ,400 hp. In 1972 we towed it behind my Mom’s station wagon to Bonniville. Dad crossed the flats at 205 mph. Only modification was wider rear wheels and tires. Which required fender flares. Still in glass and matching the white paint. Wish I had that car. Because I know I can’t afford this one.