Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add value?

[Claus S.]

I have a 365 hp 4 speed manual coupe with factory AC. The car is original Daytona blue with blue vinyl interior(have black leather interior in the car now)

The outer AC box have been cut in half and one half have been missing but today i was so lucky that i recived the complete outer AC box i bought

I wonder if i added any value(if so how much value)to my car when putting back the new restored factory AC assembly?

Any want to take a guess in how much the factory AC adds value to my car? Note this is not a add on factory AC for my car. My car came from the factory with factory AC.

I am missing one part and that is the STV/POA valve for the AC so if any have one for sale please let me kow

Also how many 1964 coupes with special high performance, factory air condition and Daytona Blue was made?

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

It would add value to the car but if you don't have all the parts to put it back it would be expensive. The underdash AC ducts are hard to find.

[Clark K.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

Noland Adams' book states that you own one of 8,304 coupes built during the '64 model production run.

My copy of Sports Car Market Guide shows that factory A/C on any C2 ('63-'67 Sting Ray) adds $4k-$6k of value. If your car is, indeed, a factory L76 A/C coupe, according to Noland Adams, it is one of only 243 coupes made for the 1964 model year with the L76 SHP engine and A/C. This makes your car very rare and desireable based solely on these two options. Whether spending the money to restore your car's A/C system to its original configuration is worth the money, or not, is best left to your judgement.

Now, let's discuss the original exterior and interior colors. A blue car with blue interior would be most unusual but I could not find any documentation of how many coupes were built with that color combo. Be aware that you are not the first Corvette owner to have bought a car that has had the interior color changed to black. Apparently, some former owners of our cars could not stomach a Corvette with anything but a black interior.

The cost to do the interior restoration can be high, dependent upon what needs to be done. If you have already had the car Flight-judged, going by those judging sheets will give you what needs to be corrected. Only you can decide whether you feel that the change will be cost recoverable when you sell your car.

I have a similar car as yours: a '65 A/C coupe with L76 that is Rally Red with red vinyl interior. Terry Michaelis advertised this car as being possibly one of five built during the '65 production run. Then, after I bought it and had it Flight-judged, it recently cost me $3,200 to have the A/C system restored so that the car quit taking big hits on originality. I will see whether my expense will be worthwhile, at the NCRS National Convention in July.

Additionally, after buying the car, in talking with a former owner, I learned that my car's original red vinyl interior had been changed to black prior to 1978. The former owner told me how he had noticed the discrepancy between the trim tag and the interior color. He changed the interior back to red and had the car earn chapter and regional Top Flight awards in '89-'90. Luckily for me, he did a good job of the interior restoration back to red. I wish you the best of luck with your decision.

[Jack H.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

I'll offer my opinion based on some of my observations of cars/values over the years. This is also based on general resale value and not specifically targeted to NCRS or related in any way to judging. Again, this is my opinion, and not an expert opinion at that.

I think the majority of the resale value for an air car comes from it being a factory air car from GM, and having the major pieces still intact. The value is not necessarily in a completely restored and functional unit. Having it blow cold air is icing on the cake in terms of resale value in my opinion. You mention a major addition of a good outer AC box. I don't know how many other "major" factory parts are still intact or how many "major" parts are still missing or damaged beyond repair. Kenneth mentions the underdash ducts which I'll suggest is another example of "major" factory parts.

As a compromise to achieve the biggest resale value for your investment, I would suggest collecting any missing/damaged significant parts which may or may not actually work but are still worthy of repair/restoration, but not necessarily setting your sights on the unit being fully restored or actually blowing cold air. At least initially. Just my 2 cents.

[Paul J.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

One other thing that a functioning AC system would do is make the car more attractive to a broader audience when you decide to sell it. A lot of people in the southern U.S. (and probably in southern Europe also) prefer Air Conditioned cars.

[Clark K.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

While we are on the subject of air conditioned Sting Rays:

I read somewhere that '63-'67 Corvettes were the most powerful production cars in the world with factory A/C. Can anyone corroborate this?

In regard to 1964 and 1965 Sting Rays, the most horsepower you could get with A/C would be with the L76 (327/365hp) SHP engine option. During the '66 model year, A/C was available with the 427/390hp engine (a hydraulic lifter engine). The '64-'65 Sting Rays were unique in that you could order a factory racing engine (solid lifter) option with factory air. BTW, could you order factory A/C with the later LT-1 engines?

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

YES 1972 LT-1 with AC was a option

[Terry M.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

While we are on the subject of air conditioned Sting Rays:

I read somewhere that '63-'67 Corvettes were the most powerful production cars in the world with factory A/C. Can anyone corroborate this?

In regard to 1964 and 1965 Sting Rays, the most horsepower you could get with A/C would be with the L76 (327/365hp) SHP engine option. During the '66 model year, A/C was available with the 427/390hp engine (a hydraulic lifter engine). The '64-'65 Sting Rays were unique in that you could order a factory racing engine (solid lifter) option with factory air. BTW, could you order factory A/C with the later LT-1 engines?

That could be true if you restrict your judgement to the 1960s, but not now days. The C6 ZR1s come with 638hp and air conditioning -- and there is no need to discuss the size of either the horses in the 1960s or currently.

[Claus S.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

Anyway i am just happy that i got hold of the outer ac box since i have tried to get hold of one since 1994. What was left of the one in my car is just the part where the blower motor is attached. So the outer ac box had been cut in half

I have always been thinking of getting the the car back to factory air condition but it is not easy to get the outer ac box here in Norway

Here is the ac box that some owners before me cut in half


Here is my new factory ac box. I just miss the STV valve but i hope to get hold of the STV valve

[Claus S.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

Any here who knows wherei can get a STV valve for my 1964 coupe?

I hope that the outer box soon will be looking like this one for a 1964 Corvette

[Jim S.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

I have a 365 hp 4 speed manual coupe with factory AC. The car is original Daytona blue with blue vinyl interior(have black leather interior in the car now)

The outer AC box have been cut in half and one half have been missing but today i was so lucky that i recived the complete outer AC box i bought

I wonder if i added any value(if so how much value)to my car when putting back the new restored factory AC assembly?

Any want to take a guess in how much the factory AC adds value to my car? Note this is not a add on factory AC for my car. My car came from the factory with factory AC.

I am missing one part and that is the STV/POA valve for the AC so if any have one for sale please let me kow

Also how many 1964 coupes with special high performance, factory air condition and Daytona Blue was made?

Try Classic Air out of Florida , for your STV valve. It won't be cheap as those things are rare. POA valves are easier to come by ,and will work, but it won't be correct for your car . I think they started in 67.

Welcome back to the A/C club !

Jim

[Bob H.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

Hi Claus:

I owned a Blue/Blue 64 365 with air. It was built on the last day of production.It was both Gold Certified and Duntov'd. Also, owned a Saddle/Saddle 365 air car that a friend on mine still has. As I recall the engine suffix is RR

[Scott S.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

Anyway i am just happy that i got hold of the outer ac box since i have tried to get hold of one since 1994. What was left of the one in my car is just the part where the blower motor is attached. So the outer ac box had been cut in half

I have always been thinking of getting the the car back to factory air condition but it is not easy to get the outer ac box here in Norway

Claus,

Congratulations on a great score, those outer A/C boxes aren't easy to find in the U.S., it must be ridiculously hard to find one in Norway!

Even if you had it shipped from the U.S., still a great find...

[Claus S.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

Well i did not get hold of the outer AC box here in Norway. I got it from Michigan.
I suppose you all here knows how it feels when finally getting the parts you have been looking for during several years. I really am pleased with having this outer ac boxSPL FITTING ELIMINATES STV VALVE 64 Corvette. Long Island.jpeg
I have checked with Classic Air and they only have a SPL fitting that eliminates the STV valve

I really can not see that this valve fit the evaporator tubes? The STV valve bracket will not be used either if i try a fitting like this one
The valve for the 1967 StingRay is bigger and looks better so perhaps that one is better? It looks better for sure but it is not the original STV valve

[Claus S.]

Re: Putting back factory AC on my 1964 Corvette coupe special high performance add va

So if any knows of a stv valve for a 1964 C2 please let me know
If it works or not does not matter at this point because i just want to get the ac assembly back on my car