Vehicle Description
If you want a low-mile Anniversary 'Vette, they're easy to find.
However, if you simply like how they look (and who could blame
you?) and don't want to spend a fortune to own one of the zero-mile
examples, perhaps this one deserves a closer look. It has a
strong-running V8 engine and black leather, so if you want a
driver, they don't come better than this.
This one actually looks better than most '78 Anniversary Corvettes
thanks to a repaint back in the '90s. Instead of the original
enamel, it's a more modern material that shines up beautifully and
the various bits and pieces all match quite well. They replicated
the two-tone silver over gray combination exactly, and the various
pinstripes that highlight the C3's dramatic shape are expertly
applied. The Anniversary 'Vettes introduced many styling upgrades
that would continue to the end of C3 production, including the deep
chin spoiler, the fastback roofline, and ducktail spoiler, and many
would consider this the pinnacle of style. It's held up quite well
with only minor signs of use and none of the usual Corvette issues
are apparent: no cracking or checking and the panels line up quite
well. Proper badges and emblems were reinstalled following the
repaint, so it does have a very correct look that'll make Corvette
fans happy.
Most of the Anniversary 'Vettes got Silver or Oyster leather, so
it's refreshing to see black leather inside this one. It's quite
original and shows a few signs of use but given that this one is a
driver, not a trailer queen, it's not a big deal. Standard Corvette
equipment makes it a serious driver's car, and like most
Anniversary cars, it's loaded with options: cold A/C, power
windows, cruise control, and a tilt/telescope wheel. The carpets,
door panels, and dash are in excellent condition and aside from the
Kenwood AM/FM/cassette stereo in the dash it's completely stock.
More black leather is wrapped around the steering wheel and with
the lift-off T-tops, you can experience open-air motoring that's
the next best thing to a convertible and you can strap them down in
the cargo bay so you're never without them. And speaking of the
cargo bay, thanks to that fastback window, there's a decent amount
of storage space for a long road trip.
The base engine in 1978 was the 350 cubic inch L48, which was rated
at a respectable 180 horsepower. It's quite stock overall, and the
4-barrel carburetor and aluminum intake manifold underneath are
part of the horsepower-building equipment list. This is the car's
original, matching-numbers engine, and aside from minor upgrades
like the cap on the HEI distributor, it's quite stock. The engine
is backed with a TH350 3-speed automatic transmission, so it's a
blast to drive, and 4-wheel disc brakes ensure that it's safe. The
exhaust system has been tweaked with a straight pipe in place of
the catalytic converter, which makes a big impact on the horsepower
curve and the whole package is bulletproof reliable, so go ahead
and drive it anywhere. Gorgeous polished aluminum wheels were part
of the Anniversary package and wear fat 225/70/15 BFGoodrich T/A
radials.
These Anniversary Corvettes are among the best-looking of the C3s,
and with so many put away as "investments" it's tough to find one
that's ready to drive like this. Call today!