Vehicle Description
With all the talk of investment-grade 1978 Chevrolet Corvette L-82
Pace Cars, it's intimidating to think about buying one of those
0-mile artifacts and driving it on the road. But that's completely
overlooking the fact that they're great drivers, and the handsome
silver and black paint scheme is one of the better-looking Corvette
pace cars of all time. If you've always wanted one but find that
the low-mileage examples are always priced out of reach, or just
would like to have one to occasionally drive and enjoy without
sinking the value, here's the answer.
This particular '78 Pace Car is a beautifully presented, impeccably
preserved survivor quality car, showing only a miniscule 13,318
original miles on the clock. Compared to most museum-grade pace
cars, that's a bit of driving, but that's still a fraction of most
'70s 'Vettes on the market. As a result, it's in very condition
throughout, and is 100% original, which is obviously important to
Corvette fans. The finish shows some signs of age accrued through
the years, but nothing major in anyway, just the usual swirl marks
and light scratches acquired from past car washes and Saturday
morning wipe-downs. For a late '70s GM paint job it has held up
incredibly well - and a high-end buff-and-wax job would restore a
lot of old glory - but if you're like us, you like the idea of a
car that hasn't been messed with because you know there are no
surprises waiting under the paint. The fiberglass is in great shape
and as a pace car, it got the full treatment: hood accents, door
decals, and the red pinstripe around the perimeter. The two-tone
black-on-silver finish is instantly recognizable, punctuated by the
T-tops, ground effects, and ducktail spoiler that are all in great
shape too. Gaps are factory set, the lines are laser straight, and
the stance is exactly like it would've looked on the racetrack in
1978. Man, this is an impressive survivor.
The silver leather interior was a trademark of Bill Mitchell's
design, and the all-original cabin looks fantastic in this two-tone
Corvette. It's fairly obvious from the mileage that much time
hasn't been spent on the Pace Car-specific leather seats, and
there's no question that everything is as it was when it was
installed in 1978. There are no big creases, no real wear to speak
of, and hardly a wrinkle in the leather that wasn't there when the
cow was wearing it. Heck, even the original carpets are in great
shape, show only slight fading that's to be expected after almost
45 years. Pace Cars were loaded, too, and this one has just about
every option Chevy could throw at a Corvette: rarely removed
T-tops, power windows, rear defogger, air conditioning, sport
mirrors, tilt/telescope steering wheel, power door locks, and an
AM/FM stereo with an accompanying CB radio option. It even still
smells like a new car a little inside, and with a 4-speed manual
gearbox beckoning the driver from the center console, this baby can
still match up with the big boys on the street.
The engine is a great-running, numbers-matching 350 V8 L82, which
was the top motor in 1978. A lifetime in a warm climate is to thank
for the awesome original condition of the engine and undercarriage,
and there's no sign of rust or damage anywhere you look. Wearing a
coat of blue engine paint, the small block V8 is nicely detailed
with finned valve covers and the L82-specific twin-snorkel air
cleaner. An Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor - an upgrade over the
wheezy old Rochester this Corvette was born with - but despite that
everything else is pretty much 100% stock. The transmission is a
quick-shifting 4-speed manual, and the chassis is super-clean and
shows no signs of winter use. Power steering helps flick the
lightweight car in and out of the corners with ease, and power
4-wheel discs help it stop on a dime. Wheels are the slotted
aluminum units that were standard equipment on Pace Cars, wearing a
set of fat 255/60/15 BFGoodrich T/A white-letter radials.
With great power and smashing good looks, these cars attract a lot
of attention wherever they go. In this day and age, it's kind of
refreshing to see one of these Pace Cars with great investment
potential that can still be driven and enjoyed. Take this 13k mile
example home and find out what great cars these really are. Call
now!
