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Big
Block Era Begins
 U.S.
car production set a record with 9,335,227 units produced. Chevrolet
production amounted to over 3,000,000. Corvette sales continued to climb, albeit incrementally over MY 1964. 23,564
Corvettes were sold; 8186 coupes and 15,378
convertibles. Not until MY 1969 would
the coupe outsell the convertible.
 The middle year of the
mid-years...a year where the Corvette transitioned from small-block to the
big-block and dropped fuel injection! Externally, the Corvette changed little except for a smoothed hood and the
addition of three vertical open fender louvers on each side. What
counted was under the hood.
MY 1965 represented a segue from the small
block era to the big block. The 396 c.i., 425 horsepower at 6400 rpm, engine was
introduced mid-year. This year also marked the last year of the original
Rochester "fuelies." The fuel injection option was also more costly
than the 396 engine...$538 vs. $293, respectively. The 396 engine
option outsold the 327/375hp option (2,157 to 771, respectively) making the 1965
fuelie a rare mid-year.
 Four-wheel disc brakes along with a power antenna (Corvette's first) became
standard in this MY. Nearly every Corvette was sold with the
four-wheel disc brakes. Only 316 owners paid for drum binders,
receiving a $64.50 credit for doing so.
In the form of Goldwood Yellow, yellow was available for the first time since
Panama Yellow in 1958. Seen on only 1,275 Corvettes, Goldwood
Yellow was the least popular color. Over 25% of Corvettes were painted in
Nassau Blue making it the most popular color and marking the first time a blue
had outsold all other colors. Glen Green and Rally Red followed in that
order. Other available colors included Tuxedo Black, Ermine White,
Nassau Blue, Milano Maroon and Silver Pearl. White tops continued to
be more popular than Black tops. Only 551 owners optioned the beige top
for their convertible.
 Bill Mitchell's Mako Shark II show car was introduced...presaging the MY 1968 Corvette.
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