The NEC Classic Motor Show Sale 2019 - 9th & 10th November 2019

The NEC Classic Motor Show Sale 2019 30 Cars Saturday 9th November 2019 Registration: 55AFR Chassis Number: 30867S108815 Engine Number: 308675108815 Estimate: £50,000 - £60,000 • Fabulous C2 Sting Ray supplied new to Sir Cliff Richard OBE • UK-supplied, left-hand drive, second-generation Corvette Sting Ray with 69,083 miles • Built in St Louis in early 1963 fitted with a 327ci, OHV V-8, manual gearbox, LSD, and factory Hardtop • Registered as 7 EXV on 28/03/1963 to Harry Rodger Webb (Cliff Richard) in Winchmore Hill, London • Both the buff and green logbooks remain with the car, the early one has been signed by Cliff (H R Webb) twice • Purchased by our vendor in 2012 from Claremont Corvette after they had fully refurbished the car • That work included a respray in Sterling Silver, new soft top, carpets, leather seats, clutch, flywheel and tyres • Great history file with Logbooks, old MOT’s, original stickers, radio manual, V5c and lots of invoices • A lovely example of “America’s Sports Car” with fabulous celebrity provenance Now in its seventh generation, the Corvette began life in 1953 with the C1 - a model that inspired a generation of young Americans and gave the Ford Empire a nine-year headache. However, it was the C2, the immortal Sting Ray produced between 1963 and 1967, that really set Chevrolet’s cash registers ringing and left us with the most desired and collectable Corvette to date. Designed by Larry Shinoda under the guidance of the legendary Bill Mitchell, influences on the Sting Ray’s unique and unforgettable form are said to include: the E-type Jaguar, a Mako Shark once caught by Mitchell, the ‘Q Corvette’ concept car of 1957 and the ‘Mitchell Sting Ray’ design exercise. By the autumn of 1959, elements of the two unique Corvettes had been blended into XP-720 - the design programme that led to the production of the Sting Ray (later changed to Stingray) as we know it. According to its chassis number, this lovely left-hand drive, Corvette convertible emerged from Chevrolet’s St Louis plant in early 1963 fitted with a 327ci, OHV V-8, a four-speed manual gearbox ($188), Positraction rear axle (LSD) $43.05, finished in Silver Blue (912) with a black vinyl interior and supplied with an optional hardtop in body colour ($236). It was immediately shipped to the UK by British and Colonial Motors of St. Martins Lane in London prior to being registered as 7 EXV on 28/03/1963 to a Mr Harry Rodger Webb, perhaps better known as Sir Cliff Richard OBE. Both the buff and green log books remain with the car and the early one has been signed by Cliff (H R Webb) twice, initially when he lived at Winchmore Hill and subsequently when he moved to Upper Nazeing in Essex. Naturally, such a flamboyant motor car has worn different number plates with later owners including AHK 514A, 5 SOO, 959 NOJ and currently 55AFR since 1974. Our vendor purchased the car in early November 2012 from Claremont Corvette - The Original Corvette Specialists for £47,995 and there is a Bill of Sale in the owner’s file. There is a further invoice in the file, dated 21/10/12 from Claremont indicating that the Corvette had been substantially refreshed prior to our vendor becoming the car’s proud owner. That work included a full respray in Sebring Silver by MechSpray with the hardtop painted to match, a new black convertible top, new period-correct carpets, the worn vinyl seat covers replaced with leather, four new black-wall radial tyres fitted and balanced on repainted wheels, hubcaps re-polished with new spinners, a new clutch and flywheel, the engine compartment valeted, the original air cleaner re-chromed, new electric window switches, gear knob and doorknob and finally, a full pre-sale service. Since purchasing this very special Chevrolet around seven years ago, Claremont Corvette have been tasked with sundry items of maintenance and enhancement and there are a couple of invoices in the file (23/07/2013 for £2,507.82 and 14/10/2014 for £2,528.72) in return for their care and attention. As you can see from the photographs, 55 AFR presents well in its coat of Sebring Silver and remains in remarkably fresh condition having been lightly used over the last seven years. The black interior is lightly patinated appearing essentially original apart from the recovered seats and you can’t help wonder how many legends of sixties rock and pop have travelled in these seats and fiddled with the original Delco radio during Cliff’s ownership. In addition to the early logbooks, the car is accompanied by a number of older MOT’s the oldest of which dates from 1969, Bills of Sale, the refurbishment and maintenance invoices from Claremont, a considerable number of older invoices, and some original stickers and decals. 1963 Chevrolet Corvette (C2) Stingray Convertible LOT 205 More Images Lot 205 Bid On Lot 205