We are looking at the 1964 Corvette Options and History in this post: The cosmetic changes, performance changes, as well as colors, option numbers, descriptions, quantity, and costs.
When you think of one of the most iconic all-American classic sports cars in history, one of the first images that may pop into your mind is the 1964 Chevrolet Corvette. The 1964 Corvette is a C2, although some refer to it as the Mid-Year Corvette, and is the second Corvette in the second generation Corvette.
Nearly 60 years later, car enthusiasts still appreciate the beauty and precision of the ’64 Corvette as it remains a prized possession in modern-day.
If you’re in the market for a classic Corvette, read on as we tell you everything you need to know about the 1964 Corvette options to make an educated purchase and end up with your dream car.
1964 Chevrolet Corvette History
The Chevrolet Corvette was already an incredibly popular car by 1963. With the introduction of the Corvette Sting Ray, the company experienced huge levels of success and popularity.
When it came to designing its next model, GM executives knew that they would need to change little from its previous popular model but continue to refine the previous model to maintain success. There were quite a few functional changes as well as minor cosmetic upgrades, but it was mostly kept the same to keep the success of the 1963 model going.
One interesting fact is that starting with the 1964 model year through 1967, Dow-Smith in Iona, Michigan supplied some of the bodies of the Corvettes. This was a division of the A.0. Smith Company.
Cosmetic Changes
The most notable styling change to 1964, as opposed to the 63 split rear window model, was the removal and replacement of the split window. It was instead replaced by a single pane of glass for the rear window.
Another change was that the 1964 models removed the faux hood vent that was on the 1963 model. An interesting choice for this was although they removed the vents, the recessed areas where they previously were remained on the 1964 model. This gave the 1964 model’s hood a very distinct and unique look.
Also, the coupe’s rear pillar panels were functional on the driver’s side. Previously, they were just cosmetic. This allowed the venting of the interior in the coupe models.
Another cosmetic refinement is the car’s rocker panel trim. In the previous model, a collection of ribs ran along the sides of the panel. In the 1964 model, a black divider that ran down the panel replaced this. Wheel covers were also made in a more simple design.
The fuel filler deck emblem was also redesigned to feature circles around its crossed-flags symbol.
Lastly, Corvette replaced the 1963’s steering wheel with a faux wood-grain one that looked like walnut. They chromed the inside door knobs, as well.
Performance Changes
Critics often noted that the 1963 model of the Corvette had high interior noise levels, so Corvette added insulation to the interior. The body and transmission mounts were also changed to lower the amount of noise generated. Extra bushings were installed to lower noise from shift linkage as well as a new boot around the shift lever mechanism.
The drivetrain remained the same as in 1963. The four 327 cubic inch diameter V-8 engine is connected to either a 3-speed or 4-speed transmission, or the Powerglide automatic transmission.
Between all of the engine variations, the two less-powerful engines had 250 and 300hp at a 10:5:1 compression ratio.
However, the higher-power engines did receive some upgrades. The carbureted engine included a Holley carburetor instead of the Carter unit that the 1963 model featured. This allowed the engine to produce up to 365 horsepower.
The fuel-injected version also gained another 15 horsepower compared to the 1963 model. This 375 horsepower engine had a longer dwell and greater life and included better valve gear and ports.
The transmission didn’t change much in 1964, but the older Borg-Warner T-190 four-speed transmissions were replaced with “Muncie” gearboxes, which were named for the place they were built (General Motors Muncie, Indiana).
These Muncie transmissions were already being used in several other GM models. The Corvette utilized these same transmissions to reduce costs for Corvette. They had wider gear ratios and stronger synchronization, which made them more durable.
When it comes to brakes, the “Special Sintered Brake Package” was offered. It was aimed at performance-based drivers. It included a few more expensive options, like the Positraction rear axles that were added before the brakes were even installed. Because of its price, this option was only installed on 29 cars that year.
How Many 1964 Corvettes Were Made and How Much Did They Cost?
The 1964 Corvette was made in two different models: the Base Corvette Sport Coupe and the Base Corvette Convertible. That year, 8,404 cars were produced in the Corvette coupe model, while 13,925 were produced in the convertible version.
The prices were as follows:
Base Corvette Sport Coupe – $4,252.00
Base Corvette Convertible – $4,037.00
1964 Corvette Options
Here’s a list of all of the specifications and options that were available with the model in that year.
Starting from the left, you’ll see the RPO# followed by the description of the option. Next, you’ll see the number of cars produced with the option and finally the specification’s retail cost.
RPO# — DESCRIPTION — QUANTITY — RETAIL PRICE
837 — Base Corvette Sport Coupe — 8,304 — $4,252.00
867 — Base Corvette Convertible — 13,925 — $4,037.00
898/899 — Genuine Leather Seats — 1,334 — $80.70
A01 — Soft Ray Tinted Glass (All Windows) — 6,031 — $16.15
A02 — Soft Ray Tinted Glass (Windshield) — 6,387 — $10.80
A31 — Power Windows — 3,706 — $59.20
C07 — Auxillary Hardtop (for convertibles only) — 7,023 — $236.75
C48 — Heater and Defroster Deletion (credit) — 60 — -$100.00
C60 — Air Conditioning — 1,988 — $421.80
F40 — Special Front and Rear Suspension — 82 — $37.70
G81 — Positraction Rear Axle (all ratios) — 18,279 — $43.05
G91 — Special Highway Axle (3.08:1 ratio) — 2,310 — $2.20
J50 — Power Brakes — 2,270 — $43.05
J56 — Special Sintered Metallic Brakes Package — 29 — $629.50
J65 — Sintered Metallic Brakes (Power) — 4,780 — $53.80
K66 — Transistor Ignition System — 552 — $75.35
L75 — 327ci (300 horsepower Engine) — 10,471 — $53.80
L76 — 327ci (365 horsepower Engine) — 7,171 — $107.60
L84 — 327ci (375 horsepower Engine) (fuel injected) — 1,325 — $538.00
M20 — 4-Speed Manual Transmission — 19,034 — $188.30
M35 — Powerglide Automatic Transmissions — 2,480 — $199.10
N03 — 36 Gallon Fuel Tank (for coupe) — 38 — $202.30
N11 — Off-Road Exhaust System — 1,953 — $37.70
N40 — Power Steering — 3,126 — $75.35
P48 — Cast Aluminum Knock-Off Wheels (5) — 806 — $322.80
P91 — Blackwall Tires, 6.70×15 (nylon cord) — 372 — $15.70
P92 — Whitewall Tires, 6.70×15 (rayon cord) — 19,977 — $31.85
T86 — Back-up Lamps — 11,085 — $10.80
U69 — AM-FM Radio — 20,934 — $176.50
1964 Corvette Colors
The ’64 Corvette came in 7 different exterior color options. Those colors were:
- Tuxedo Black
- Silver Blue
- Daytona Blue
- Riverside Red
- Saddle Tan
- Ermine White
- Satin Silver
Below you’ll find the code followed by the exterior color, the quantity produced, and the color of the soft-top, wheels, and interior.
RPO# — EXTERIOR DESCRIPTION — QUANTITY — SOFT-TOP — WHEELS — RETAIL PRICE
900 — Tuxedo Black — 1,897 — Black, White — Black — Black, Red, Silver, White
912 — Silver Blue — 3,121 — Beige — Black — Black, Blue, White
916 — Daytona Blue — 3,454 — Black, White — Black — Black, Silver, White
923 — Riverside Red — 5,274 — Beige — Black — Black, Red, White
932 — Saddle Tan — 1,765 — Black, White — Black — Silver, White
936 — Ermine White — 3,909 — Beige — Black — Black, Blue, Red, Saddle, Silver
940 — Satin Silver — 2,785 — Black, White — Black — White, Black, Blue, Red, Silver
Next up are the interior colors. These came in two different materials: vinyl and leather. Both of those were also offered in two-tone colors as well. You’ll find the color followed by the coupe RPO# followed by the convertible RPO#.
Interior Colors (Vinyl) — Coupe — Convertible
Black (Vinyl) — STD— STD
Red (Vinyl) — 490AA — 490AB
Blue (Vinyl) — 490BA — 490BB
Saddle (Vinyl) — 490CA — 490CB
Interior Colors (Two-Tone Vinyl) — Coupe — Convertible
Silver/Black Trim (Vinyl) (Black Instrument Panel [Medium] Gray Carpet) — 491AA — 491AE
Silver/Blue Trim (Vinyl) (Dark Blue Instrument Panel [Medium] Gray Carpet) — 491BA — 491BE
White/Black Trim (Vinyl) (Black Instrument Panel, Black Carpet) — 491CA — 491CE
White/Blue Trim (Vinyl) (Dark Blue Instrument Panel, Dark Blue Carpet) — 491GA — 491GE
White/Red Trim (Vinyl) (Red Instrument Panel, Red Carpet) — 491DA — 491DE
White/Saddle Trim (Vinyl) (Saddle Tan Instrument Panel, Saddle Tan Carpet) — 491HA — 491HE
Interior Colors (Leather) — Coupe — Convertible
Black (Leather) — 898A — 898A
Red (Leather) — 898EA — 898FA
Blue (Leather) — 898JA — 898KA
Saddle (Leather) — 898CA — 898DA
Interior Colors (Two-Tone Leather) — Coupe — Convertible
Silver/Black Trim (Leather) (Black Instrument Panel, [Medium] Gray Carpet — 899AA — 899AE
Silver/Blue Trim (Leather) (Dark Blue Instrument Panel, [Medium] Gray Carpet — 899BA — 899BE
White/Black Trim (Leather) (Black Instrument Panel, Black Carpet) — 899CA — 899CE
White/Blue Trim (Leather) (Dark Blue Instrument Panel, Dark Blue Carpet) — 899GA — 899GE
White/Red Trim (Leather) (Red Instrument Panel, Red Carpet) — 899DA — 899DE
White/Saddle Trim (Leather) (Saddle Tan Instrument Panel, Saddle Tan Carpet) — 899HA — 899HE
A Legendary and Timeless Model
That’s everything you need to know about the 1964 C2 Corvette options and specifications.
The 1964 Corvette was completely loved by both drivers and critics. There were very few criticisms of the car, which has made it a model that has withstood the test of time and become one of the symbols of American automobile craftsmanship. At the time of production, it set a Corvette sales record for units sold, showing that it was a new favorite amongst Corvette drivers.
To this day, collectors all over the world still seek out the 1964 Corvette to relive some of the best days of America’s greatest sports car.
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