When a person retires after years of faithful employment, it is common for their employer to provide a retirement gift. Tradition dictates that it could be a gold watch, although some companies will allow their departing employee to select the object of their choice within a given price range. However, there can be exceptions to the rule, and this 1965 Corvette Sting Ray Convertible may be one of them. The seller states that its original owner was a retiring General Motors executive, and the car was the company’s retirement gift to him. It has since passed through the hands of two further owners, but the time has come for it to find its fourth. Located in Milford, Connecticut, you will find the Corvette listed for sale here on eBay. The bidding has reached $65,100, although this is short of the reserve.

Some classic cars can be automotive chameleons that blend successfully into their surroundings, while others can be bold and brash things of beauty. This Corvette falls into the second category, thanks to its paint color and some of the factory options. The original owner retained the car for an unspecified period before handing the keys to his son. He eventually parted with this classic, and its third owner treated it to a refresh. They had the Corvette professionally repainted in its original Rally Red, with this treatment extending to the factory hardtop. The car presents superbly, with no glaring faults in the paint or fiberglass. The Black soft-top is wrinkled, but I suspect that a few hours sitting in the sun would see it looking as tight as a drum. The underside is as clean as you could hope to find, with a consistent undercoat and no evidence of rust. The Sting Ray rolls on a desirable set of original aluminum knock-off wheels wrapped in narrow whitewall tires. The side exhaust is also a factory item, although it was dealer-installed after the original owner took delivery. So far, the story of this Corvette has been positive, but its presentation and condition serve merely as the entree in this fabulous three-course feast. It’s time that we moved on to what many would consider the main course.

When you wrap your head around this Corvette’s drivetrain combination, it suggests that General Motors must have held the departing executive in high regard. They could have handed him a Corvette with a 327ci V8 under the hood, and no one would have batted an eyelid. However, this car rolled off the line with the firebreathing L78 version of the company’s iconic 396ci V8. That big-block churns out 425hp that feeds to the road via a four-speed manual transmission and a 3.70 Posi rear end. For buyers, this was as good as it got in 1965, and this classic’s performance figures would continue to command respect today. It should be capable of scorching through the ¼ mile in 13.8 seconds before winding its way to 132mph. I look at cars like this, and the performance figures leave me contemplating what they might achieve today. When the ’65 Corvette produced those numbers, it did so on tires of the period. Rubber development means that new tires offer greater grip, opening the possibility that this classic could launch harder now and shave something off the original ¼ mile ET. The seller indicates that this ‘Vette is numbers-matching, although the rebuilt original carburetor is in a box to be included in the sale. The car is in excellent mechanical health and is ready to be enjoyed by a lucky new owner.

The final course in this automotive banquet is the Corvette’s interior. Once again, we confront another aspect of the car making a positive first impression. That doesn’t mean it is flawless because there are a few minor imperfections a meticulous buyer may wish to address. The beautiful teakwood wheel has a crack near the bottom spoke, and I’m unsure whether it is repairable. The speaker grille has lifted in one corner, but addressing this may not prove difficult. Otherwise, the Black leather upholstery is free from wear, the carpet looks excellent, and there is no evidence of crumbling or broken plastic. The factory radio has made way for an aftermarket stereo, although the seller includes the original in the sale.

Regardless of whether the backstory of this Corvette proves to be fact or fiction, it remains a highly desirable classic. Its presentation is difficult to fault, and when combined with its drivetrain combination, it leaves me slightly surprised that it has only attracted nineteen bids. Since there is plenty of time remaining on the listing, I would expect that situation to change dramatically. If it follows current market trends, I would expect the price to easily head into six-figure territory. Even if this gem is beyond your financial means, the auction should be worth watching. I suspect that the action could be frantic as it reaches its conclusion.