What Year Is Joe Biden's Corvette And What Engine Does It Have?

With the conclusion of his term as the president of the United States, Joe Biden has embarked on a new era of life. With considerably more free time than he had in the Oval Office, he can concentrate more on his passion for cars. Throughout his life, the former president has gotten behind the wheels of some remarkable rides, with one of the standoutss being a slick 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.

Biden's '67 Corvette Stingray — the same Corvette model first man on the Moon Neil Armstrong once had – had a moment at center stage in a 2016 episode of "Jay Leno's Garage," where the then-vice president and the former "Tonight Show" host took an in-depth look at it. Leno explained that the Corvette came packed with a Chevrolet 327 V8 engine with 300 horsepower to boot. To demonstrate just what the car was capable of, Biden was more than happy to surprise Leno — a car lover in his own right — with a quick parking-lot burnout.

And Biden revealed that his '67 Stingray is more than just a remarkable car. It's also ingrained in his family's history.

Before hopping behind the Stingray's wheel, Biden explained a bit of its history. He recalled receiving it as a wedding gift in August 1967 from his father, who ran a Chevrolet dealership. His dad surprised him and his fiancée with the Stingray after what they thought was just a routine repair of their current cars. 

"Four days later we go by to pick the car up, there's 75 people outside the dealership,'" he told Leno. "We pull up, they spread, and my dad says 'This is my wedding gift.'" 

As it turns out, the familial connections don't stop there. Biden held onto the Stingray, but it didn't stay in drivable shape over the next five decades. He admitted to Leno that it fell into a state of disrepair at one point and had to be revived. "My two sons, Beau, who's passed away, and my son Hunter, they decided as a Christmas gift to have the engine rebuilt for me," Biden said. 

As great as the now-drivable '67 Stingray is, Biden hasn't been able to enjoy it to its fullest extent. Presidential protocol has resulted in it being left in the garage longer than most would want it to be, and it stands to reason he won't get much use out of it now that his term is up.

Biden has made the most of his time behind the wheel of his 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. During his "Jay Leno's Garage" appearance, he admitted that he had once hit 160 mph in the sports car. But even as he enters his post-presidential era, he hasn't had much time to enjoy the car his sons had restored due to the rules surrounding former presidents getting behind the wheel.

Though there isn't an ironclad law preventing former presidents from driving once they leave office, for their security the Secret Service handles their transportation, and agents are trained in driving maneuvers to keep them safe in emergencies. Former President George W. Bush said as much in a 2017 episode of "Jay Leno's Garage," revealing that it had been nearly a quarter of a century since he'd driven on a public road. Biden noted in his episode that he'd only been able to drive it around three times in the past seven years. Former presidents are allowed to drive on their own property, though, so if Biden wants to take his Stingray for a spin, he can do so at his home.

The '67 Stingray might not rank among the most iconic Chevy models from the 1960s, but it's an impressive car all the same. And President Biden can continue revving its 327 V8 engine for years to come, as long as he doesn't disrupt safety protocol.