Chevrolet 1964 Corvette Sting Ray Convertible User manual

CONTENTS
Page
Operating Instructions 5
Instruments and Controls 12
NIaintenance and Lubrication 26
: Mainte nance and Lubrication Schedule 35
Minor Troub le Shooting 40
Specifications 44
Index 48
AU information contained. in this booklet ill the lalest product
informalion available at the lime oj printing. The right
Is reserved to make changes ot any time without nalice.

STING RAY
CONVERTIBLE
CORVETTE
STING RAY
SPORT COUPE
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A WORD FROM CHEVROLET.
This Owners Guide co nt ains im portant information regarding the operation a nd
maintenance of your Corvette.
In order to obtain maximum enjoyment and usage from your ca r, we suggest that you
familiari
ze yourself with the conte nt s of this booklet a nd follow the recommendations
outlined .
Your
Chevrolet dealer has the trained personnel and specialized equipment to properl y
service yo
ur Corvette. Have him inspect your car and p erform any maintenanc e or
adjustment required,
We would like to take this opportuni ty to thank you for choosing a Chevrolet product
- and assure you of our co ntinuing interest in your motoring pleasure and satisfaction.
CHEVROLET MOTOR DIVISION
GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION DETROIT 2, MICHIGAN

The First
1000 Miles
During your first thousand miles of driving, you can, by
observing a few simple precautions. contribute greatly to a
longer life for your Corvette and add much to its future per-
formance and economy of operation.
It is recommended that your speed during these first one thousand miles be confined to a
maximum of 60 mph . However, do not drive for extended periods at anyone constant
speed,
either fast or slow. During this period, avoid full throttle starts and quick, abrupt
stops. The first few hundred miles of driving are especially important to proper brake
operation. Gentle braking during this period will allow proper conditioning of the brake
linings and result in longer brake life and better brake performance.
It is always best to drive at a reasonable speed until the engine has warmed up. Be par-
ticularly careful to maintain the proper oil level in the engine. Check the oil level
freq
uent ly and, if it becomes necessary to add oil, follow closely the recommendations as to
quality
and viscosity found in this booklet. Use of the proper engine oil is of great impor -
tance to insure maximum performance and economy.

Operating
Instructions

Starting the Engine
IGNITION
SWITCH •
The five-position ignition switch allows full control of
the ele ctrical systems of your Corvette. To sta rt eng in e
turn the switch to START and release as soon as the
engine starts. The swit ch will re turn to the ON position
and all electrical circuits will be ready for use. Use OFF,
LOCK a nd ACC positions to stop th e engin e. The ACC
position will anow you to use all accessories without
energizing the i gnition system.
NOTE, /(ey cannot be ,emoved from the ignition .....itch . ';f;;;.#fi';;'..;;a.;:" i;h~'i4i;C't:;o:N: '
accidentally leaving IWifeh OFF but IlOl ladeed. /(fl' 111(" b. nollllOVed 11
position and the switch may be moved between
STARTING
PROCEDURES
Place the transmi ss ion se lector lever in neutra l or park position and, on manual
transmission equipped models, push th e clut ch pedal down while s tarting engine.
Depress
the accelerator pedal to the floor a nd fully release. Turn th e ignition switch
to START and h old until the engine starts.
During temperatures of 0° F, and below, and when the engine is hot, the accel erator
pedal should be held part way down while starting .
Start a "flooded" engine by holding accelerator pedal to the floor w hil e o'ankin g engine.
CAUTION: Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas produced by the engi ne of any ca?'. It is odorless
so
you cannot detect its presence. Be safe. Never Sial "t or run YOW" C01"Velte in a closed garage or
park with the windows closed and engine operating.

Driving with the Powerg lide Transmission
The optional Powerglide is a completely automatic
transmission which replaces the standard clutch and
transmission. After starting the engine with the seIce-
P-PARK
R-REVERSE
N-NEUTRAL
D- DRIVE
L-LOW
tor !ever in "N" (Neutral) or "P" (Park) position,
merely select the range desi red and depress the accel-
erator. The transmission will do the rest.
Use only when car is stopped. Car parked
For backing car -from stop.
For
standing-brakes applied. Normal
For all forward driving -step hard
driving
on
accelerator for extra accelera-
range
lion below 45 mph.
For hard pulling at low speeds and
Sand, snow,
climbing or descending sleep
mud and
grades.
Shift to L only below steep
grades
40 mph.
~ I _,
~
POWERGLIDE DRIVING CAUTIONS
• Do not accelerate engine in L, D, or R with the
brakes engaged. This can cause damage by over-
heating transmission.
• Do not hold car on an upgrade by accelerating
engine. Use brakes.
• Do not use Low position except for hard pu ll s at
low speed or down-hill braking at speeds below
40 MPH.
• Do not shift inw Reverse or Park before coming
to a complete stop .
• Always engage park i ng brake when parked.
I
J

ID riving with the Manual Transmission -s
Both Corvette manual transmissions are controlled slowing down, shift into the next lower gear before
by the shift lever located on top of the Hoor tunnel. the engine "lugs"
or labors.
You will find
the shift pattern for your transmission Do not "ride" the dutch. Depress the pedal only
pictured on a plate just behind the shift lever. Dur- when actually shifting the transmission and then
ing acceleration, always shift into the next higher clear to the Hoar. Use your brakes rather than the
gear before the engine begins to oVeISeeed;
and ,;h _ e _ n ~ __ cl_u_tch_ pedal to hold your Corvette on a hill.
THREE-SPEED •
TRANSMISSION
The optional fouf4spe ed manual transmISSIOn pro-
vides four forward speeds. The closely spaced ratios
make it possible for you to accelerate with a mini-
mum loss of engine rp m at the shift points. You will
enjoy the performance and feel
of a direct connected
engin
e. Sin ce all forward speeds afe synchronized
the transmission can be used to assist in deceleration
by downshifting in the third-second-first sequence.
The Corvette three-speed manual transmission is de-
signed to provide high performance under ordinary
driving conditions
as well as during high speed op era-
tion. Gear ratios were selected to keep the engine
operating in its high output range as consistently as
possible and permit upshifting and downshifting
between second
and third speed at high speeds.
• FOUR-SPEED
TRANSMISSION

Downshifting with
Manual Transmission
If you wish to shift from one gear to the one imme-
diately lower in ratio, avoid dangerously overspeed-
ing the engine by downshifting as follows:
I. Watch the Tachometer-If yo ur tach is orange-
zoned at 5000 to 5300 rpm, you may downshift to
the
next lower gear when it indicates 4000 to 4100
rpm. If your tach is red-zoned at 6300 to 6500
rpm , you may downshift to the next lower gear at
4700 to 4900 rpm.
2. Double-clutching reduces strain on engines and
transmissions. The usual method of double-
clutching is:
Let up on the throttle, disengage the clutch, shift
into neutral,
and engage the clutch. Almost s i-
multaneously, sp ee d up the engine, disengage the
clutch, shift into the next lower gear and re-
engage the clutch while depressing the throttle.
With practice, this procedure becomes almost
second nature.
Driving with Positraction
The positraction rear axle will give you constant
driving force on both rear wheels, especially helpful
in the winter and during other slippery driving con-
ditions w hi ch might stop a conventionally equipped
vehicle. During turns, the positraction axle applies
the major dr iving force to the inside rear wheel thus
improving stability and cornering. Normal light
thrott le application will supp ly maximum traction.
When starting with one rear wheel on an excessively
slippery surface, slight application of the parking
brake may be necessary momentarily to gain maxi-
mum traction.
Driving with
Metallic Brake Linings
If your Corvette is equipped with optional metallic
brake
lining s, you will find that somewhat mo re than
normal pedal pressure will be required to stop the car
until you have made several stops to warm
up the
linings.

10
Pushing and Towing Tips
PUSHING CAR TO START
Should it ever become necessary to start the engine by
pushing the car (towing to st ar t is not recommended
as car being towed may accelerate into tow ca r), pro-
ceed as foll ows :
Turn off all electrical loads such as radio, heater
and, if possible, lights until the engine starts.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION - T urn ignition sw itch
to
"on ." Pla ce shift lever in high (3rd on 3-speed
transmissions,
4th on four-speed) and depress clutch.
When car reaches 25-30 miles per hour, slowly re-
lease clutch to start engine.
POWERGLlDE TRANSMISSION - Turn ignition
switch to "o n" and place selector lever in "N." When
car reaches a speed of 25-30 mph, place the se lector
lever in <fL." When engine starts, place selector
lever in uD."
TOWING A DISABLED CAR
If your Corvette must be towed, the following pre-
cautions must be observed:
MANUAL TRANSMISSION -R elease parking brake
and place shift lever in neutral.
POWERGLIDE TRANSMISSION -Release parking
brake an d place selec tor lever in "N." DO NOT
TOW IN EXCE SS OF 30 MPH. II the transmission
is inoperative, or not operating properly, the pro-
peller shaft must be di sco nn ect ed or car must be
towed wi
th rear wheels off the ground.
TOWING WITH REAR WHEELS RAISED-Wh en a
vehicle is being towed
on its fro nt wh ee ls, the steer-
ing wheel should be secured to maintain a straight
forward position.
Do not use tire chains on the rear wheels of your Corvette.Clearance between
USE OF TIRE CHAINS
AND SNOW TIRES
• tire and wheelhouse is insufficient to permit operation with chains insta!led.
Many [ire manufacturers market tires for
the Corvette which have specialized
tread designs for mud and snow use.

CLUTCH AND STEERING ADJUSTMENTS-Your Chevrolet deal!!! '?I.n make these 'adjustments for YQu:
• A linkage adjustment to reduce clutch pedal travel to permit .fast release and more rapid gear shifting;
• An adjustment to move the steering wheel forward or rearward; _ A linkage IIdjustment to permit
"faster" steering response.
TRAILERS and their EFFECT on CAR OPERATION
The Co r ve tte is designed prim arily (or pa sse nger
conve ya nce. However, it is well kn ow n that many
owners do pull tr ai lers and have exper ienced very
satisfa cLOry service.
When a trailer is attac hed to a car, the ca r b ec omes
n
ot onl y a load-ca rr yi ng vehicle, but a load-pulli ng
ve hicle. The demands of this type of operatio n ar e
very differe nt from those (or w hi ch the a ut omob ile
is primarily d es igned and may pre se nt problems, such
as s pring a nd tir e l oad in g, br ak in g, coolin g, li ght ing,
an d steering. However, careful driv in g practices wi ll
b et ter satisfy the requirement s of trailer hauling.
If in the opinion of th e manufacturer a part or co m-
ponent of a motor vehicle has been adverse ly affected
by misuse
of the vehicle with trailer loads, such part
or com
pon e nt will not be covered by the manufa c-
turers warranty.
Th e si ze of and e quipm e nt f or trailers, includin g
such
it ems as hit ch es and safety chain s, brak es, li glll s,
pO\v er-weig ht ratio s and over-all le ngth, are gene rall y
subj
ect to safety regulations in a ll stat es, and it is the
responsibility of the user to make ce rt ain that he is
in f ull compliance with the re g ulation s of the s tat es
in which he
plans to ope rate w ith a tr a il er a nd of
the Interstate Commerce Co mmi ss ion , if appli cable,
before
doin g so. Furth er, w hen ope rating a car w ith
a tr a il er attached, the dri ver must rea li ze th at the
perf ormance, stee ring ch ara ct eristics, and br aking
distance of his car have been alt ere d, a nd tha t he
mll st exerci se greater ca ution to sa fely handl e his
car a
nd trailer.

INSTRUMENTS
AND CONTROLS

SPEEDOMETER
AND
ODOMETER
..
TACHOMETER
The tachometer indicates
the speed of
the engine
in revolutions per minute.
Two different tachome-
ters are used in the Cor-
vette, depending upon the
engine option installed
in the vehicle.
The speedometer, indicating the forward speed of
your Corvette in miles per hour, is calibrated to a
maximum
of 160. The odometer registers total ac-
cum ul ated vehicle mileage and is useful in keeping
track of lubrication and maintenance intervals.
Corvette 250 hp and 300 hp engines are equipped
with a tachometer which has a orange zone from
5000 to 5300 rpm (indicating valve float area) , and
a red zone from 5300 to 5500 (indicating maximum
permitted rpm) .
The tachometer supplied with the Corvette 365 hp
engine has an orange zone at 6300 to 6500. Don't
permit the pointer to enter the red zone beyond
6500 rpm.
TRIP
ODOMETER
The trip odometer may be reset to zero by means of
the knurled knob extending beneath the instrument
cluster to the right of the steering column.
This in-
strument may be used to record trip mileages as well
as during sports car rallies.

The ammeter shows the rate at which the battery is
being charged or discharged. The Delcotron charg-
ing system is equipped 'with a regulator which con-
trols the charge according to battery requirements.
When the Delcotron generator is supplying more
than the current demand, the ammeter will show the
charging rate while a discharge will be shown if
th e
current demand is more than the Delcotron output.
With the battery fully charged, the charging rate will
be 1m-\', thus giving an indication of battery condition.
OIL PRESSURE
GAUGE
...
The oil pressure gauge indicates the pressure at which
oil is being delivered to the various parts
of the en·
gine requiring lubrication. Pressures registered by the
AMMETER
•
gauge may vary according to outside air temperatures
or weight of oil being used. Oil pressure of a cold en-
gine being operated at a given speed will be somewhat
higher than when the engine is at normal operating
temperature at the same speed. Prolonged high speed
operation on a hot day at the given speed will result
in somewhat lower oil pressure readings. Readings
of 30 to 40 psi may be considered normal during
moderate road speeds of 35 to 40 mph with the en-
gine at proper operating temperature. Gauge read-
ings which are consisten tl y high or low under these
con CIit ions may indicate lubrication system and/or
engine malfunctions.

FUEL
GAUGE
..
The electri ca lly operated fuel ga uge will indicate
the amount of fuel in the lank when the ignition
switch is turned on. When th e ignition sw itch is
turned off, the needle wi
ll not necessarily return to
th e empty mark.
TEMPERATURE
GAUGE
..
Showing engine coolant temperature, gauge rea din gs
will vary with air temperature and operating condi-
tions. Hard driv in g or prolonged idling in very hot
wea
th er may produce above normal readings. The
ignition switch must be on [or accurate readings.
CLOCK
..
Resetting the dock provides automatic regulation
providing there is an erro
r, either fast or slow, of at
least 3 minut es. No r eg ulation will be introduced if
the clock is reset for an error of l ess than 3 minut es .
When resett in g, pull o ut the small knob and turn
in the direction in which you wish to set the h ands-
clockwi se if the clock is slow, counterclockwise if
th e clock is fast. Do not move the hands past th e cor-
rect tim e. Your clock s houl d be cleaned and oiled
periodically.
The courtesy lights beneath the outer
ends of
the da sh panel, as well as the
Sport Coupe dome light and the Con-
COURTESY vertible rear co mpartm e nt light , will
LIGHTS come on when e ith er d oor is open ed.
They may also be li ghted by turning
the headlight sw it ch fully c ou nt e r-
clockwise past the slight res istance.

WINDSHIELD
WIPER
AND WASHER
..
The electric windshield wipers may be operated
anytime the ignition switch
is "on" by turning the
\-vindshield wiper knob clockwise; to the first detent
for slow speed and all the way for high speed opera-
tion. 'The button located in the center of the w ip er
control knob operates the wi
nd shield washer. Press-
ing this button will cause a quantity
of fluid to be
CIGARETTE
LIGHTER
•
squ irt ed on each side of the windshield a nd , at the
same time, will automati ca lly start the windshield
wiper
s. The wipers must be turned off manually.
Keep the water container, beneath the left front
fender, filled at all times. Add winds hield wash er
solvent or equi va l ent to the jar to aid in cutting
road film and grease.
Thi s solvent is re comme nd ed
fo r li se at a ll times except when the temperature falls
below freezing.
During periods when temperawres of
freezing or below can be expected, use wi ndshield
washer anti-
fr eeze in the washer ja r and prewarm the
windshield with the
heater defrosters before
using the washer. Fill
th e washer jar onl ), %
full in winter to a ll ow
fo r expansion if the tem-
perature should fall low
eno ugh to fr eeze the
solution.
The lighter. lo cated on th e instrument panel so as to
be accessible
to bot h dr iver and passenger, shou ld be
pushed "in" to operate . After it ha s become heated
and ready for use, it will snap out.

The retractable dual headlights contribute much to
the long, low appearance 01 your Corvette and also
serve
to protect th e headlights when not in use. Two
switches are necessary for headlight operation.
• Pull the light switch knob out to its first stop to
operate the parking lights, tail lights and instru ·
ment panel lights, fully "out" to substitute head·
lights lor parking lights. Regulate the intensity
01 the instrument panel lights by rotating the
knob; turn fully counterclockwise past the
"detent" position to turn on the interior lights.
• Move the headlight motor switch toward you to
rotate the head
lamp assemblies into the open
position.
The headlamps may be lelt in the open
position even
WiLh the lights turned off. To close
the assemblies move the switch away from you.
LIGHT SWITCH AND
HEADLIGHT MOTOR SWITCH
• A flashing red "LIGHTS" indicator on the in·
strument panel, gives warning whenever the
headlights are
turned on but not fully opened.
OPERATING HEADLIGHTS MANUALLY
Each headlamp assembly may be opened manuaJly,
if necessary, as follows:
• Raise the hood and, reaching under the body
pa nel, turn the wheel disc on the headlamp door
motor in the direction you wish the door to move.
Continue until the door is fully open or closed.
• See your Chevrolet Dealer as sOOn as possible.

HEADLIGHT
BEAM •
SWITCH
i\fove the lever on the steeri ng column up or down
to indicate a right or a left turn. Th e amber front
parking light, the red s top lights and the proper
green indicator light in the instrument cluster will
flash to
indicat e th e direction of th e turn. The lever
will
normally return to neutral; but in the event of
a wide
gr a dual turn this may not happen and you
may need to turn off the signal manually.
The headl i ght high beam switch, located at the left
side of
the to e board . is used for selection of either
high or low headlight beams. The red hi gh beam in-
dicator light in th e in s trum e nt panel will remind you
when the "brights" are bei ng used. Remember to
" dim " th e lights when approaching oncoming traffic
and when overtaking other vehicles.
•
TURN
SIGNAL
LIGHTING SYSTEM TROUBLE CHECKS
• Headlamps which Hickel' on and off rapidly indicate an overload condition which shou ld be corrected
immediately by your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer.
• If, wh en signaling a turn, the indicator light comes on but does not Hash in one direction, check for a
burned out front turn signal bulb or stoplamp bulb on that side.
• If the indicator lights come on and stay on when signaling a turn in either direction and no clicking is
heard, replace the flasher. A three-bulb Aasher must be used.
• If the Hasher clicks but the dash indicator light does not operate, replace th e indicator bulb.

HOOD
RELEASE
•
The brakes usually adjust themselves as necessary.
The optional heavy duty metallic brakes adjust on
forward stops, others adjust on reverse stops. Should
brake pedal travel become excessive, drive the vehicle
backward and forward several times applying the
brakes
to stop. Pedal travel should return to normal
after several stops.
To apply the parking brake, pull straight out on the
T-shaped handle. To release, turn the handle slightly
and push in. The red "BRAKE" warning light in
the instrument cluster will remain on when the brake
is applied and the ignition key is on.
POWER BRAKES-Optional power brakes make use
of engine vacuum to help you bring your car to a
stop with much less braking effort than needed with
regular brakes. Should the engine stall. a vacuum
reserve supplies three power assisted stops, after
which additional foot pressure will be needed for
brake response.
Pull the hood release handle out to release the hood
lock a nd then raise the hood manually until it locks
in the open position. With the hood in this position,
insert a bolt through the hood prop hole and secure
with a nut to prevent the hood from being acciden-
tally released. Before closing, remove the safety nut
and bolt and lift up on the hood panel to unlock the
support mechanism. then lower and close firmly.
• BRAKES
POWER STEERING-Optional power steering sup -
plies
about 80% of the effort needed to turn the
front wheels while the engine is running. Should
the engine stop or the power steering cease function-
ing the regular steering mechanism will allow you
to safely guide your Corvette.