63 - 67 Sting Ray Registry
My name is Jim Karam and, along with my wife Mary, we are the proud owners of a ’65 Milano Maroon ‘Vert. The vanity tag reads 6T5RUSH…and she is!!
As you can see, she started out life with us “a little rough” back in July, 1981.
Found by my brother Mike (THANK YOU MIKE). Purchased sight unseen in July, 1981 in Athens, Tennessee. Had the presence of mind to do a title search and discovered this '5 started out life in Detroit, Michigan and was traded in for a Pontiac at Jim Causley Pontiac, Inc. in Detroit, Michigan in October, 1970. Since it was just a car back then and the convertible season had just ended, this '5 sat on the dealer's lot for three months. In December '70 she was wholesaled to Newman's Used Cars in Englewood, Tennessee. That dealer apparently kept this '5 for five months, selling it to the second owner in May of '71. The second owner kept this '5 for the next ten years until I came along in July '81. Brought the car back from the dead as the second owner had hit a pole on the right side and she sat in his backyard for a year. Did body-off shortly after purchase. Was a protracted, long, drawn-out total restoration. Was too busy raising a family (roof over your head, food on the table and being involved with our three sons) to get this '5 on the road. Was a great shelf for my wife's baking the 1st fifteen years of ownership. Finally started coming together in 1999 when she was painted and then began the final reassembly.
Originally a 327/300 horse, converted to a 327/365 horse, using Dart Iron Eagle, 180cc runner, ported/polished heads w/1.6 Crane Gold Roller Rockers. 2818-1 List Holley, but used the '70 LT1 cam, lifters and factory intake. The factory 1 7/8" ID side exhaust pipes were replaced with Sweet Thunder 3" OD/ 2 1/2" ID side pipes. Added MSD6AL box along with a Blaster coil and Pertronix Lobe sensor pointless ignition.
She's been a joy ever since hitting the road. Many great memories of my sons helping me take her all apart, cataloguing and reassembling. This '5 has been a blast to work on and drive. I wouldn't hesitate driving her anywhere. Have participated in the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag event in Alma, Michigan for the past five years. My wife and I enjoy taking trips in her (except for the side pipes blarin...music to my ears--not my wife's). I keep a set of ear plugs in the glove box...HA!
She was born as a base type Corvette in ’65, coming with music, heat and lights, manual steering and manual brakes AND an open, 3.36:1 rear end. The list below is those items we’ve added for our own enjoyment of the car since. I really like that '70's nostalgic hot rod look. Here's what I've added:
Here’s a few snaps of her more recently:
At the time, Noland Adams was surveying Midyears owners for his VOLUME 2 book, I responded to his survey and parts of my car under VIN 111693 are listed there.
ENJOY!
Regards,
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Jim & Mary Karam's '65 Stingray Convertible
Hi,
The last snap above was taken on the road to St. Ignace, Michigan. This is a huge show with an ideal venue/setting right at the lake with Mackinac Island in the background.