This Ultimately Preserved 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Coupe from the collection of Dr. Mark Davis is one of the most well-preserved, original, unrestored, matching-numbers 1967 Corvettes in existence. With a mere 32,219 miles on the odometer, it remains in remarkably original condition, excepting such typical maintenance items as the battery, the tires and one radiator hose. Because of its highly original condition, it has received more than a dozen of the most coveted awards in the Corvette hobby, including Bloomington Gold, Survivor and Benchmark Certification, two NCRS Top Flight honors scoring 98.3%, and the coveted NCRS 5-Star Bowtie Preservation Award, the latter making it one of only 21 1967 Corvettes so honored. It is also the only 1967 Corvette ever awarded the All Time Preservation award by the Historical Vehicle Association of America and the only ever awarded Best in Preservation Class at both the Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance and the Greenbrier Concours d’Elegance. It has additionally served as a benchmark reference car at two NCRS annual judging retreats in Dallas, Texas, to train top Corvette judges from the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia, and has been photographed numerous times by the NCRS for its 1967 Corvette Judging Manual. At the 2019 Corvette Expo in Galveston, Texas, it swept the field, winning the Tri-Power Award, Best Survivor Corvette, Best Overall Corvette, Best Overall Car of the event, and the President’s choice award. The awards this Corvette has received more than verify the ultimate preservation of this 1967 Corvette 427 coupe. Built on Wednesday, April 26, 1967 at the St. Louis, Missouri, assembly plant, the Corvette was delivered new to Hauser Chevrolet in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where the dealer principal purportedly used it as a demonstrator and promo car. On September 21, 1967 it was sold to its first owner, William C. Zemen of Portland, Pennsylvania, who lavished meticulous care on it in a climate-controlled space for the next 38 years until it passed to John Ballard of Dundee, Illinois, in 2005. Ballard served as a longtime judge and regional director for the NCRS, and is still active in the NCRS. Retired from 40 years in the automotive paint industry, he is considered one of the leading automotive paint experts in the world. In July 2017, Ballard sold the Corvette to its third owner, noted collector Dr. Mark Davis of South Carolina, with the odometer reading just 32,141 miles. Finished in the original Silver Pearl paint over the original fiberglass body, this reference-quality Corvette retains virtually every factory-original component from the black vinyl interior to the drivetrain, which combines the original, matching-numbers L36 427/390 HP big-block V-8 engine, original Muncie M21 close- ratio 4-speed manual transmission and a 3.70:1 Positraction rear end. The car is accompanied by a comprehensive breakdown of all important part numbers and codes, all standard and optional equipment and detailed descriptions of factory chalk marks, frame stenciling, shim masking tape, paper labels, inspection markings and ink-stamped part numbers, all intact and documented. It further includes practically all dealer and factory paperwork and ancillaries including the window sticker, tank sticker, owner’s manual and Protect-O-Plate, brochures and instructions, historical photographs, an original color chart and all four original keys. As expected of a Corvette of such distinction, the car comes with all judging event applications, judging sheets, all awards, license plates, ribbons, plaques, trophies, judging pictures, judging correspondence, letters from NCRS, event programs and magazine pictures, an NCRS Shipping Data Report, letters from the previous owners, engine run and maintenance logs and much more. Exceptional, untouched and astonishingly original, this 1967 Corvette occupies a rare place of honor in the world of reference-grade, benchmark, collector Corvettes.
