1978 Chevrolet Corvette in Ft Worth, Texas

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!