This Rare L84 Fuel-Injected 1965 Corvette Convertible Is Crossing the Block at Mecum's Nashville Sale

A rare survivor of Chevrolet's most powerful small-block era is about to cross the auction block. This 1965 Corvette Convertible, finished in Rally Red over a white and red interior, is heading to Mecum Auctions' Nashville sale as Lot S248, set to sell on Saturday, September 26. Photos and full details come courtesy of Mecum Auctions, which is handling the sale as part of its 2026 Nashville lineup.

What sets this particular Sting Ray apart is the engine under its hood: a numbers-matching L84 fuel-injected 327 backed by a 4-speed manual transmission. Chevrolet rated the mechanical fuel-injection setup at 375 horsepower, and it was the most expensive, most exclusive engine option offered on the 1965 Corvette. Of the 23,562 Corvettes built that year, Chevrolet installed the L84 in just 771 cars, or roughly 3.3 percent of total production, making fuel-injected cars like this one a genuine rarity among C2-generation Corvettes.

1965 marked a turning point for the Corvette lineup. It was the first year four-wheel disc brakes came standard across the model line, and it would be the last year buyers could combine fuel injection with the C2's iconic Sting Ray body before Chevrolet shifted its performance focus toward big-block power in 1966. This car backs up its Rally Red paint and factory options with power steering, power windows, an AM/FM radio with a power antenna, leather seating, a teakwood steering wheel, and its original knock-off wheels wrapped in Goldline tires, plus a documented history as an Arizona car.

Fuel-injected, 4-speed 1965 Corvette convertibles occupy a well-tracked corner of the collector market. According to Hagerty Valuation Tools, a 327/375 HP L84 convertible in number 3, or Good, condition currently carries a price guide value of roughly $75,000, with a range spanning from about $68,800 to $86,700 depending on originality and options. That figure has softened over the past year, down nearly 8 percent annually per Hagerty's data, reflecting a broader cooling trend across the C2 Corvette market. Even so, real-world results show how much spread exists among these cars: Hagerty's sales data lists a similar L84 convertible that sold through Mecum for $81,400 in May 2026, while another example changed hands for $66,000 that same fall. Buyers considering a purchase, or owners weighing a sale, can run their own comparisons using Hagerty's price guide tools before bidding on this Nashville lot.

This droptop joins a growing lineup of first-generation and C2 Corvettes crossing the block this year. Motorious recently covered another Corvette convertible bound for Mecum's Nashville sale, a frame-off restored 1959 model from the Clark Collection, and the broader classic market has shown similar patterns of rising and cooling demand, as seen in this look at why first-generation muscle cars are still climbing. With bidding set for September 26, this L84-powered Sting Ray gives collectors a rare shot at one of the most desirable Corvette drivetrains ever offered.