For Sale: 1978 Chevrolet Corvette 25th Anniversary in Ft Worth, Texas

Another Anniversary Corvette, you say? Maybe, but look again. This one not only sports its original two-tone color combination and factory-installed L82 engine, but a 4-speed, lots of options, and a gorgeous black leather interior as well. With just 55,167 original miles, it's the perfect balance of well-preserved originality and affordability.

The two-tone silver over charcoal paint downplays the Sting Ray's dramatic look, but the designers chose it for the anniversary models on purpose. It's sophisticated, not loud, and emphasizes the Corvette's best features, which are those dramatic "Coke bottle" fenders. The fastback roofline was new, and not only improved aerodynamics but increased cargo capacity, making the Corvette a car that was truly able to be used daily. Showing such low mileage and just one owner until about 1.5 years ago, however, this one was obviously never a daily driver and is exceptionally clean inside and out. The paint looks great, with a fantastic shine and gloss that really pops against the curvy fiberglass. You'll note that the front and rear bumper covers are in excellent condition and it's been fitted with the chin spoiler and ducktail from the Pace Car to give it a more aggressive look. There are not many Anniversary Corvettes that look this good, no matter how low their mileage.

That black leather interior I mentioned earlier is flat-out gorgeous. While most Anniversary models received the standard silver leather buckets, black was available but seldom chosen. Looking at the lovely interior of this 'Vette, I'm puzzled as to why because it's simply amazing. It's also all original, and shows only light wear, most notably on the driver's side, but it's quite minor and gives the seats the look of your favorite black leather jacket. Matching door panels, a steering wheel wrapped in the same leather, and a center console that looks like it belongs in a luxury car instead of a Corvette complete the ensemble. Everything works as it should, including the A/C, power windows, power locks, tilt/telescope steering column, and the original AM/FM stereo radio. Overhead, removable T-tops give you the open-air experience and you can take them with you thanks to a neat storage system in the rear hatch area.

The original, numbers-matching L82 350 remains under the hood in essentially untouched, factory-correct condition. The engine is a smooth, torquey small block that made the Corvette one of the most potent cars you could buy in 1978, such as it was. This one is nicely preserved, too, so you'll be proud to tilt the hood forward and show it off, and it has been recently serviced with new valve cover gaskets, a fresh clutch, rebuilt carburetor, new fuel pump, and an A/C service. A 4-speed manual transmission shifts well and gives the L82 plenty of room to run, and with the new clutch, it is a delight to drive. The chassis isn't detailed for show any longer, but it has never seen snow, and includes original items such as the catalytic converter and most of the exhaust system plus new bushings in the suspension, so it rides well. And, of course, it rides on the original machined aluminum wheels wearing wide 255/60/15 BFGoodrich T/A radials.

This is a beautifully presented Anniversary Corvette with lots of documentation and a rare interior that really stands out. Call today!