1964 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Owners Manual

REAR
COMPARTMENT •
Lock and unlock the glove box door with the igni­
tion key. Press and release button to open the door. When open, the door provides a convenient table for cups or glasses. A cutout portion in the glove box
hood forms a convenient assist handle.
Tilt the seatbacks forward to reach the ample
luggage space_ In the convertible style Cor­
vette the folding top is also carried in this
area, but it may be completely and easily re­moved if desired. In addition, a removable
cover on the floor of the luggage compartment
provides hidden stowage for small articles,
tools,
and the auto jack and handle-
REMOVAL OF THE FOLDING TOP
• Use a pencil to outline the fold­ing top mounting plates so that they may be reinstalled in ex­
actly the same location. Then remove the two mounting bolts
from each side shown in the
illustration to the left. •
Carefully remove the folding top from the caL
• Use
the penciled outlines to locate the mounting plates in exactly the same position when replacing the top.

Operation of the Corvette Tops
HARD
TOP
• To raise the top: The rear compartment lid unlocking handle is located beneath the cen­
ter of the lid. Pull it toward you to unlock and raise the lid.
• Swing
the folding top out. Hook the front latches to the windshield header, but leave them loose. Then close the compartment lid.
FOLDING
TOP
• Snap the rear bow retainers into place in the lid receptacles .
• Lock the windshield
header latches.
• To
lower the top: Unlock the header latches, release the rear
bow by
means of the retainer release levers and fold it fonvard. Open the rcar compartment lid, and after unlatching the header latches, fold the top into the rear compartment and close the lid.
The optional hard top may be quickly and easily installed:
• Lower the folding top and close the compartment lid.
• Carefully set the hard top into position on the body,
• Install the two mounting tab attaching bolts.
• Fasten the latches
at the header.
When hard top is removed, reinstall the top attaching bolts and seals (stored in glove box) into the rear deck holes and tighten nuts. Cover and store the top in·a clean dry place.
when not in use.
25

MAtNTE,N,ANCE]'
AND,
LUBRICATION
Your Corvette is capable of providing you with many years of enjoyable, dependable service. However, much of its future beauty and per­formance capabilities rest with you as its owner. The following pages will guide you in properly caring for the beauty and mechanical mainte­nance needs of your Corvette. Remember, no one knows the Corvette as well as your Chevro­let Dealer. Regular visits to him will keep your car looking and running its best.
Washing Your Corvette _____________ _
"Magic Mirror" acrylic lacquer provides your Cor­
vette with a finish of maximum beauty which is un­surpassed in depth of color, gloss retention and durability. The best way to preserve this finish is to keep it clean. Frequent washing is normally the only requirement to maintain maximum beauty.
vVash the car with cold or lukewarm water only and
never in the direct rays of the sun or when the painted surfaces are hot. Never use strong soap or chemical detergents. Any cleaning agent should be flushed from the surface promptly and not allowed to dry. Avoid wiping dirt from dry painted surfaces
because this may scratch the surface.

POLISHING AND
WAXING
METAL
WHITEWALL
TIRES
Even though the acry lic finish of your Co rvette is more durable than conventional fini shes. under certain conditions yo u may wish to polish or wax your car to provide extra protection. Calcium chloride and other salts, road oi l and tar, tree sap . chemica ls from fac tory chimneys and oth e r s imilar foreign matter may cause dam­age to any known automobile finish if allowed to remain in con­
t act with the paint film for an excess ive length of time. Prompt washing may not always t horoughly r emove these deposits espe­cially in areas where exposure conditio n s are more severe. Your Chevrolet Dealer offers many approved polishes . waxes and ta r and road oil removers which will provide maximum protection.
It is recommended that afte r being thoroughly cle a n ed with wa r m
water, bright metal parts be g iven a coating of wax and rubbed to a high polish. This should be repeated as often as necessary. Never scour bright meta l parts.
Soap,
warm water and a s tiff brush will remove normal road dirt
from white sidewall tires. Severe curb scrapes may b e removed with a fine grade of stee l wool. Don't use gasoline, kerosene or similar oil products w h ich might d i scolo r tires.
NOTE: When purchasing ony polish, cleaner or tar and road oil remover for use on your CorveHs; make
sure thot the instructions specifically state that the contents can be used solely on acrylic finishes.
27

Cleaning the Inside of Your Corvette _______ -!
Keep the interior of your Corvette in top shape by cleaning it a t
reg ula r freq uent intervals. Dirt or stains which are allowed to
remain may become ground in or set so that they are nearly impos­
s ibl e to remove.
Loose dust and dirt on seats, trim and floor can be removed with a whisk broom or vacuum cleaner. A damp cloth may be used to wipe up any dirt wh ich cannot be so removed. Leather C leaner may also b e used .
Care of Your Corvette Top ____________ -I
FOLDING
TOP
Wash your Corvette folding top frequently with neutral t ype soap suds, lukewarm waler and a soft bristle brush. and rinse with gener­
ous quantitie s of clear water to remove all
traces of soa p.
If additional cleaning is required, a mild foaming cleanser can be used. Rinse the en­tire top with water and apply the cleaner to an are a of abollt two square feet. Scrub with a soft bristle brush addin g water sparingly until the cleanser foams to a soapy consist-ency.
Remove the foam with a sponge or cloth . Repeat the procedure o n the same area and scrub unt
il clean. Don't let the cleans e r run down onto the body finish since this may
cause streaking. Clean the entire top in this manner and then rinse the top generously to remove all traces of cleanser.
Don't keep the top folded for extended peri­
ods of time if it is damp or water soaked.
Allow i t to dry out in a raised position as
soon as possible.

HARD
TOP
CARE
The optional hard top has the same durable
acrylic lacquer finish as the other painted sur­
[aces of your Corvette and may be cleaned, pol.
ished and waxed as previously outlined.
same manner as the rest of the interior.
When the tOP is not in use, it should be stored inside in a clean, dry place . 1£ it is to be stored
[or a long period of time keep it well covered to avoid a build up of dust and dirt on the painted surface or headlining. The interior headlining may be cleaned in the
PLASTIC
WINDOW
CARE Keep
the large
p lastic rear windows in the Corvette folding LOp and removable hard top in good condition as follows:
•
Remove surface dust with a soft cotton cloth moistened with water and wipe cross-wise of the window.
• \ ' Vith a very
dirty window, wash using cold or lukewarm water and a mild neutral soap. Then rinse with clear water and dry with a slightly moistened clean soft cloth.
•
Add a final IUSl~ r to t h e window by using a plastic window cleaner as directed on the container.
• Do not use alcoho l or volatile agents.
•
Do not use a scraper to remove snow. ice or frost from the rear window. In an emergency use warm water.
29

Fuel System Requirements The high performance V-8 engine in your Corvette is designed to operate efficiently on premium type gasolines. See page 43 for
octane requirements. Use of regular grade gasolines in higher
performance engines may result in potentially dangerous engine
detonation.
FUEL
FILLER
CAP In some areas, grades of gasolines may be encountered which result
in severe detonation. Should this occur consult an authorized Chevro­
let
Dealer so that adjustments can be made to eliminate this detona­
tion or reduce it to a safe level.
Lift tip the Corvette emblem on the rear deck to reach the fuel filler cap. II the cap is lost be sure to replace it with a vented cap.
In
all cases excessive engine detonation, or knocking, should be
avoided in order to prevent possible eng ine damage .
Oil System Requirements
Lowest Anticipated Recommended Singhl Recommended Multi-Tempefohue Viscosity Oil ViltIcosltyOil
32 0
F. SAE 20 or 20W SAE 10W-30
0 0
F. SAE lOW SAE IOW-30
Below 00
F. SAE 5W SAE 5W-20
SAE
30 or IOW-30 is recommended when most o[
the driving is at high speeds and/or at temperatures
above gO°F . For continued reliability and perform- ance
from your Corvette
engine, it
is recommended
that you use an oil whic h, according to the label on the can, is (I) intended for service MS and (2) passes car makers' tests or meets General
Motors Standard GM 4745 -M.
Follow the accompanying vicosity
and change interval recommenda­
tions
and check the oil leve l (with
engine hot) on the dipstick regu­
larly. Keep oil level between the
FULL and ADD marks, by adding oil when level is at or below ADD mark. It is not
necessary to keep the level at the FULL mark. DO NOT OVERFILL.

Cooling System Care
Your C hevrolet engine cooling system is equipped with a 180 0 thermostat and is designed to operate on permanent type
(ethyle n e glycol) anti·freeze. Non· Perm anent type coolants are not recommended since
t hey are not sat isfactory for year around use and may not effect ive ly inhibit corrosio n of the engine cool· ing system when used with the quality of water found in some a reas.
If the a nti·freeze was installed at the factory or if it meets the require ments of Gener a l Motors Standard GIVe 1899-1'v1 whi ch contains adequate corros ion pro­
t ec tion, i t may be left in the cooling system for 24 months or 24,000 miles, which eve r occurs first.
C h eck th e
coolant leve l regularly and add water or permanent anti-f reeze as required to maintain supply tank h alf fulL Concentration of coolant should b e to 0 0 F . or b e low to insure sufficient corros ion protection.
Drain and Rush cooling system ever y 24 months. F ill with mixture o f p erma n ent type anti- fr eeze (G1\1 1899-1\'[ or equivalent) and wa te r to provide proper concentrati o n of coolant.
Each Call have your C h evrolet dealer inspect the
cooling syst e m to insure that all connections are leakproof and that the anti-freeze content will pro­
vide adequate protection in cold weather.
NOTE: Your Corvette has on aluminum radiator and supply tank. Therefore, when adding anti-freeze, rust inhibitors or cleaners, make ceria in that they are sale lor use with aluminum radiators .
JI