Vehicle Description
This 1978 Corvette 25th Anniversary model helped GM celebrate in a
big way. With gorgeous two-tone paint, a beautiful black leather
interior, and an upgraded 350 under the hood, it's a great
entry-level 'Vette that will get you into all the big events and
put a smile on your face every time you crack the throttle.
1978 was the first year of the fastback styling, and combined with
the two-tone paint, the results are a homerun. Wearing a
high-quality repaint that was applied about three years ago, this
Anniversary 'Vette is perhaps the most handsome built that year.
More understated than the pace cars, but emphasizing the bulging
fenders, there was no doubt that this was a high performance
machine. A lifetime in the warm southern US means that it hasn't
had to contend with the elements, and this is a car that the owner
was intending to keep forever, so you know the workmanship is
quality. For the past 15 years, it has been in a private collection
where it was protected and rarely driven, and it shows: the sucker
is extremely nice. There's no accident damage and overall this
appears to be an extremely sanitary Corvette with zero issues.
Black leather was an unusual choice with the two-tone bodywork, and
most enthusiasts prefer it to the much more common silver leather
that came on most Anniversary models, as well as the pace car.
Wearing fresh seat covers and foam, the buckets are supportive and
comfortable, and the contrast between the black and silver is
extremely appealing. The carpets are new, but the door panels and
dash pad are still original and all remain in excellent condition.
Loaded with options including A/C, power windows, cruise control,
and a tilt/telescope column, it's as comfortable as any car you can
buy today, but infinitely more stylish. The leather-wrapped
steering wheel feels great in your hands, and the shifter for the
upgraded 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission falls easily to hand
just inches away. An upgraded AM/FM/AUX head unit replaces the
original, which probably included an 8-track, and has been expertly
installed with no hacking or cutting. In back, the cargo bay is
protected by tinted hatch glass and everything is lined with
Dynamat, so it's far quieter and more comfortable than the average
C3 'Vette.
The original, matching-numbers L-82 V8 and TH350 trans are
available on the side (call for details), but under the hood today
you'll find a built 1971 Corvette 350 with 4-bolt mains, Edelbrock
aluminum heads, and a bit more compression. Other upgrades include
an Edelbrock Performance Plus dual plane intake manifold, an
Edelbrock camshaft, and a rebuilt QuadraJet carburetor from Lars
Grimsrud. It's also impressively clean, with conscientious
maintenance such as new plugs, wires, cap, rotor, battery and a new
4 core aluminum radiator which all help ensure reliability.
Underneath, there's the aforementioned overdrive transmission, plus
a set of 3.55 gears in the original rear end, plus Wilwood front
brake calipers and lots of new suspension components. A new exhaust
system features ceramic coated Hedman headers, an H-pipe and
low-restriction mufflers for a little extra kick and a great
soundtrack, while the rest of the hardware is clean and solid. The
original machined aluminum wheels wear brand new Cooper performance
radials with less than 800 miles on them.
It always pays to buy the best example you can afford, and this '78
Anniversary model is a great way to get into the Corvette hobby for
not a lot of money. Call today!