Egg-crate grille
A cast, square-mesh grille in place of the horizontal bars.12one source
Class of '66 · Chevrolet Corvette · 1964–1966 body · second generation (c2)
1966Chevrolet Corvette
The 427 arrives at 390 and 425 hp, fuel injection is gone, the grille turns to an egg-crate, and 27,720 are built, the most of the five years.
The year in brief
The 396 gave way to the 427, at 390 hp (L36) or 425 hp (L72), and every 427 had a special hood. The Black Book says the L72 was listed at 450 hp at first.13
A 300-hp 327 became the base engine, and fuel injection was gone.124one source
Production reached 27,720, 9,958 coupes and 17,762 convertibles, the most of the five years (our comparison of the five totals).1one source
How to spot a 1966
What tells it apart from a 1965.
No roof vents
The coupe has no vents on the roof pillars.12one source
Script on the hood
A Corvette script on the hood, in the corner.12one source
Backup lights in the taillamps
Backup lights are standard, in the inner taillamp housings.1one source
Production12one source
27,720 cars, by body.
Every trim line
| Body | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
| Sport coupe | Corvette | 9,958 |
| All sport coupes | 9,958 | |
| Convertible | Corvette | 17,762 |
| All convertibles | 17,762 | |
| Total | 27,720 | |
The Black Book's split, reprinted in GM's kit; Wikipedia gives the same total. Consumer Guide's table has the same rows, so it is not counted as a third source.
Engines135
4 engines. Chevrolet's regular production option (RPO) code from GM's own option and engine lists; «Std.» is the standard engine. The 1963–67 VIN carries no engine code.
Gross ratings and RPO codes from GM's power-team page. The 250-hp base engine and fuel injection were gone, and a 300-hp 327 was standard. The Black Book says the L72 was first listed at 450 hp and soon cut to 425, and that the 390-hp engine was sometimes rated at 400. Consumer Guide's table gives the carburetors.
Price when new123
Base retail prices in 1966 dollars, before options.
GM's own price schedule of 16 March 1966 (manufacturer's suggested retail price); the Black Book has the same, and Wikipedia gives the convertible's.
Colors1one source
10 factory colors, by number of cars. The color names come from one source1one source; the swatches are approximate screen colors, not paint matches.
Nassau Blue976
Milano Maroon988
Rally Red974
Silver Pearl986
Sunfire Yellow984
Mosport Green982
Ermine White972
Laguna Blue978
Trophy Blue980
Tuxedo Black900
The Black Book's counts and codes, one source. They add up to 27,709 (our sum); with the 11 cars it lists in non-standard paint or primer that makes the year's 27,720.
Reading the VIN136
A 1966 VIN has 13 characters. Type one in, and the decoder reads it against the code tables on this page.
194376S1020001one source · Built from the code tables on this page, not a real car's VIN: the 2000th Corvette of 1966, a sport coupe.
The code table
| Position | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 | Division: Chevrolet |
| 94 | Series: Corvette |
| 37 · 67 | Body: sport coupe · convertible |
| 6 | Model year (1966) |
| S | Assembly plant: St. Louis, Missouri |
| 100001 → | Unit number, counted for all Corvettes of the year |
Where to find it: On a plate on the right-hand side of the hinge pillar cross brace, under the glove box, by GM's 1966 sheet.36
Questions about the 1966
How many 1966 Chevrolet Corvettes were made?
Chevrolet built 27,720 for the 1966 model year: 9,958 sport coupes, 17,762 convertibles.12one source
How can you tell a 1966 Corvette from a 1965?
Four signs, each explained under «How to spot» on this page: egg-crate grille; no roof vents; script on the hood; backup lights in the taillamps.12one source
What engines did the 1966 Chevrolet Corvette have?
Four engines, from the 327 cu in V8 to the 427 cu in V8. The engine table on this page gives every code and rating, and the rulings cover the disputed ones.135
How much did a 1966 Chevrolet Corvette cost new?
Base retail prices, before options: Sport coupe $4,295; convertible $4,084.123
What colors did the 1966 Chevrolet Corvette come in?
Corvette Black Book (Michael Bruce Associates), reprinted in GM's 1966 kit counts 10 factory colors. The most common was Nassau Blue, on 6,100 cars.1one source
Where the sources disagree
Every conflict we found for 1966, and how we settled it. All rulings.
Settled
The 1966 L72: 425 or 450 hp
Our ruling: 425 hp, GM's own rating on its power-team page and price schedule, and Consumer Guide's. The Black Book says the engine was listed at 450 hp at first and the rating, not the output, was cut to 425 soon after; its option list prints «450/425hp».
What each source says (2)
- 425 hp35
- first listed at 450 hp, cut to 425 hp shortly after introduction1one source
Sources
- 1966 Corvette: production, numbers, facts, options and colors Corvette Black Book (Michael Bruce Associates), reprinted in GM's 1966 kit · read 2026-10-11
- Chevrolet Corvette (C2) Wikipedia · read 2026-10-11
- 1966 Chevrolet Corvette – Vehicle Information Kit General Motors (GM Heritage Archive) · read 2026-10-11
- 1965 Corvette: production, numbers, facts, options and colors Corvette Black Book (Michael Bruce Associates), reprinted in GM's 1965 kit · read 2026-10-11
- 1966 Corvette HowStuffWorks (Consumer Guide Automotive) · read 2026-10-11
- 1966 Corvette vehicle identification number (explanatory page) Explanatory pages reprinted in GM's 1966 Corvette kit (publisher not named) · read 2026-10-11
Keep going
Three more years.
1964Chevrolet CorvetteOne rear window instead of two, a cleaner hood, 365 and 375 hp at the top, and 22,229 built.22,229 built1965Chevrolet CorvetteDisc brakes on all four wheels, three working fender vents, the first big-block 396 from March, the last fuel injection until 1982, and 23,562 built.23,562 built (disputed)
1967Chevrolet CorvetteThe last of the 1963–67 Sting Rays: five fender vents, Rally wheels, three-carburetor 427s up to 435 hp, the 20 L88s, and 22,940 built.22,940 builtSee the whole second generation (c2).
Dimensions, production year by year and every ruling, 1963–1967.