This notable 1966 Corvette Sting Ray coupe is an A.O. Smith-bodied example assembled on December 2, 1965. Equipped with the desirable 427/425 V-8 and originally delivered to Sherwood Chevrolet of Montrose, Pennsylvania., it spent the majority of its life in the collections of one of the Keystone State’s most notable Corvette enthusiasts: Chip Miller. The founder and organizer of Corvettes at Carlisle, one of the nation’s largest Corvette-only shows, Miller also maintained an exceptional personal collection of Corvettes. His trove was considered by many to be one of the finest in the world, which on its own speaks volumes about the quality of this car.

Finished in attractive Milano Maroon over a Saddle interior, this 1966 Sting Ray was equipped for performance from the factory with a 427-cubic-inch engine (the first year for this desirable big-block option), four-speed Muncie manual transmission, backup lights, cast-aluminum knock-off wheels, and a teakwood steering wheel.

Having entered Miller’s esteemed ownership in 1974, the car accrued numerous awards, including being named part of the Bloomington Gold Special Collection VI in 1989. Held annually between 1984 and 2009, the Special Collection was a series of exhibitions celebrating “America’s rarest, most unusual Corvettes of special interest, historic significance, or ultra-quality of preservation and restoration”.

This Sting Ray further benefitted from a body-off mechanical restoration in 1999 courtesy of noted specialist Kevin Mackay of Corvette Repair Inc. in Valley Stream, New York; the body, with its mostly original paint, as well as the original interior, were reportedly not touched during this process, but instead carefully reinstalled. Said to be one of his favorites, Miller kept the car for 30 years until his passing in 2004.

Stirred by this Sting Ray’s exceptional provenance and condition, long-time collector Terry Johnson acquired this lot in 2018 and has added over 500 miles to the odometer under his ownership. During this time, Mr. Johnson installed power brakes and power steering; mindful of the car’s originality, he retained all the original steering parts that were removed in the process. They are included with the sale.

This lot is now offered with an extensive file of documentation, including previous judging sheets, receipts from the work done by Kevin Mackay, and articles written about the car during Miller’s ownership. The current mileage indicated on the odometer, under 16,550 miles, is believed to be original. Benefitting from three decades in the ownership of one of the Corvette world’s most beloved enthusiasts, as well as further stewardship by a preservation-minded connoisseur, this is one of the most compelling 427/425 Sting Rays offered in recent memory.