Time machines are all around us. No, they’re not watches, clocks, or even cell phones. They’re cars.
Edmunds’ purchase of a Nassau Blue 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray takes it back to the year the publication’s founder started producing a guide that told consumers how much they should pay for their next car. His modern-day staff members forked over $55,000 for its numbers-matching, 327-powered, 300-horsepower classic. Another $2,500 bought the review team a reproduction “Side Mount Exhaust System” and paid for its installation.
While the limited-slip rear end and power steering make the Sting Ray somewhat modern, the bias-ply tires and lack of power brakes, shoulder belts, power windows, and a hazard button should constantly remind the Edmunds writers lucky enough to row the gears of the legend’s four-speed manual gearbox how different cars were back in the LBJ era. However, if they haven’t already, they should also learn that their C2 looks as gorgeous today as it must have when it rolled off of the assembly line back in the ’60s.
Head on over to Edmunds to check out the full story and gallery of pics.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
