Vehicle Description
If you want a low-mile, stock 25th Anniversary 'Vette, they can be
found on the market and are typically passed through the hands of
bonafide collectors, rarely driven and mostly preserved to show off
at car shows. However, if you simply like the pedigree and the
awesome two-tone paint scheme (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. More so, if you think the
stock examples are just a little too boring, then the way that this
restomod kicks things up a notch might be right up your alley.
Powered by a strong 383 Stroker V8 and augmented with some killer
body accents, this 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Restomod is not your
father's 25th Anniversary Edition.
In our opinion, this C3 actually looks better than most '78
Anniversary Corvettes thanks to a repaint that is nicer than
anything that rolled out of Bowling Green in 1978, and the way that
it lays over the body kit and Stinger hood turns this car up to 11.
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. All of the accents are much more dramatic with
the sporty body kit, the Stinger hood, and the rear and side
louvers on the back window. It's held up quite well since the build
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, but even that was taken a bit further with the stripe on
the hood that was buried underneath the clearcoat, and the "383
Stroker" badge on either side of the stinger. This is one mean
Corvette.
Open the doors and take in the quality of the Medium Red leather
upholstery that was expertly swapped in favor of the original
white. It's quite fresh and shows practically no signs of use, but
as comfortable as it is, that's bound to change because the next
owner won't be able to resist spending lots of time inside this
Corvette. Inside the middle console there's a shifter for the
automatic transmission living between the seats, and like most
Anniversary cars, it's loaded with options: R134a A/C, power
windows and locks, and a tilt/telescope wheel. The carpets, door
panels, and dash are in excellent condition and aside from the
Retro-Sound AM/FM/AUX stereo in the dash and carbon fiber inlays
around the gauge bezels, it's largely stock. The red 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 they store neatly in the cargo bay behind the
front seats. 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 top engine in 1978 was the 350 cubic inch L82, which was rated
at a respectable 220 horsepower, but that simply wasn't enough for
the builder of this C3 so a thumping 383 Stroker V8 was swapped in
to match the flash of the exterior. With chromed components
throughout, including the Chevrolet air cleaner and Erson valve
covers, it's easy to spot, and the Holley 4-barrel carburetor and
aluminum intake manifold underneath, along with the HEI system, are
part of the horsepower-building equipment list. Long-tube headers
feed a dual exhaust system with factory style mufflers and provide
a deep, muscle car tone, and the engine is backed with a TH350
3-speed automatic transmission, so it's a blast to drive for just
about anyone. Power steering and power 4-wheel disc brakes enhance
the driving experience, as do all the fresh suspension parts that
have been added, including new leaf springs and Bilstein shocks.
Gorgeous chrome REV wheels add to the flash and wear fat 255/60/15
BFGoodrich T/A white-letter radials to finish the killer look.
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. This one has been upgraded in all
the right places to make it truly one-of-a-kind, and with that
potent powertrain, it might the best driving 25th Anny we've ever
featured. Call today!
