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Thinking of getting a 64 Coupe. Prefer L76 with manual brakes / steering. Question is how hot does interior get. Note, I'm 73, old school, drag racer from the 60's. Heat does not really bother me. I would never have a a/c Vette.
Selling my 73 4 speed Top Flight convertible. Too nice to really drive hard IMHO.
I've had 66 327 vert, very comfortable. 69 427 Tri Power vert that was just too hot in interior. 70 LT-1 Coupe was fairly comfortable overall.
First, to me the 64 Coupe is the most beautiful Vette all time. Gauges / Interior is stunning. And the coupe is simply a work of art.
Only thing I would suggest would be to install a gate valve off the engine to the heater core during the summer months.......I own a BB 67 that can get hot in the summer. The on/off valve helps a bit. Plus I r/r all my vent/heater cables....
I have a 64 coupe and I agree with you that it is the best looking of the midyears both interior and exterior
and its a great driving car, and I do like the coupes more than the convertibles
Thinking of getting a 64 Coupe. Prefer L76 with manual brakes / steering. Question is how hot does interior get. Note, I'm 73, old school, drag racer from the 60's. Heat does not really bother me. I would never have a a/c Vette.
First, to me the 64 Coupe is the most beautiful Vette all time. Gauges / Interior is stunning. And the coupe is simply a work of art.
Opinions appreciated.
DRC
Pick a light colored one, preferably with one of the lighter Trim colors. Big bonus if you can acquire one of the two-tone trims. Avoid Black/Black. I love my White/Blue a lot.
Sort out the cabin ventilation system so it functions. You're absolutely right. The 64 Sting Ray Aero coupe is the very best Corvette body and interior of all. Bar none!
Pick a light colored one, preferably with one of the lighter Trim colors. Big bonus if you can acquire one of the two-tone trims. Avoid Black/Black. I love my White/Blue a lot.
Sort out the cabin ventilation system so it functions. You're absolutely right. The 64 Sting Ray Aero coupe is the very best Corvette body and interior of all. Bar none!
Good points. Shutting off heater hose as others suggested makes sense.
As a point of reference I've taken 4 day summer trips in a black 57 with black hardtop, 4:11's and to me that's 100% comfortable and pleasant cruising.
So I imagine something like a Silver Blue 64 Coupe with heater hose shutoff and all firewall seals etc. in place would be comfortable to me for summer time.
Make sure the heat shields on the exhaust head pipes are in place and the transmission tunnel insulator blanket on the underside is there. All fairly easy to replace if not there although the transmission tunnel piece would need to be cut lengthwise and worked into place from the sides of the transmission. Then roll down the windows, crank open the vent windows, and open up the floor vents and head for the highway. You’ll have flashbacks to the 60s in no time. My first car in 68 was a black on black, no AC, hardtop Mopar and that’s how I traveled back then.
Make sure the heat shields on the exhaust head pipes are in place and the transmission tunnel insulator blanket on the underside is there. All fairly easy to replace if not there although the transmission tunnel piece would need to be cut lengthwise and worked into place from the sides of the transmission. Then roll down the windows, crank open the vent windows, and open up the floor vents and head for the highway. You’ll have flashbacks to the 60s in no time. My first car in 68 was a black on black, no AC, hardtop Mopar and that’s how I traveled back then.
Exactly. Real Vettes should be loud, hot, and rough riding to the younger crowd. Those aspects are heaven to me
DRC
Pick a light colored one, preferably with one of the lighter Trim colors. Big bonus if you can acquire one of the two-tone trims. Avoid Black/Black. I love my White/Blue a lot.
Sort out the cabin ventilation system so it functions. You're absolutely right. The 64 Sting Ray Aero coupe is the very best Corvette body and interior of all. Bar none!
The 365 64 cars are great. The only thing better than a light color 365 coupe would be a nice 375 fuel coupe...
I have a 64 Coupe and drive it regularly in your area of NJ (Rt. 36 Scenic Drive ect), and except for a handful of summer days, I am quite comfortable with the vents open and side ventilator windows cracked as needed the rest of the year. Of course you can always install A/C but in these parts, and being old school, I doubt you would want to. I am sure you know where this is.
Suggestion... wrap your exhaust header pipes. I did this on my recently completed 62 restoration. I did this because the floors are so damn hot in my 62 and my 67. Not that I cared for me... I cared because I am thinking all those heat cycles on the floor pans.. I mean really hot.. can't be good for the glass. Putting the usual heat foils on the inside (under the carpet) does nothing to keep the heat off the floors... which was my objective. And keeping the heat off the floors also keeps it out of the interior. I did some testing of temps of outside of pipes with and without the wraps. Huge diff via temp gun. Installed, I can almost continually hold the header pipes with a bare hands under the floors where before I obviously would have been leaving my flesh on the header pipe As the 62 was already apart, it was a good test bed. After the winter I plan to do the same to the 67.
Below is the temp diff at that hottest part of the pipe. About a 200 degree diff... and notice those temps are in C, not F... so that is about a 230 F temp diff. Pretty big. A about 1.5 feet down the pipe (which would be under the floors) one could hold the pipe with a bare hand. Installed in the car, because heat was applied for much longer periods to the pipe (driving the car) one could still grab the pipe by bare hands for 5 seconds or so.
You live up north-why would you need A/C? Here in Florida is a much different proposition A/C is needed. Have a 64 coupe that came with A/C manual steering manual brakes.
R66 has black leather interior and we have a 68RS with bright blue vinyl interior. I would much rather have the black leather than blue vinyl in the hottest days of summer. The leather seems to breath where the vinyl holds the heat on your back. I think material is more important than color.
11-17-2023, 09:24 AM
64 Coupe opinions
As the 62 was already apart, it was a good test bed. After the winter I plan to do the same to the 67.
63/64 are my favorites . 
DRC
