Description

1978 Chevy Corvette Pace Car (L-82) – The Chevrolet Corvette celebrated its 25th year anniversary in 1978 and was chosen to pace the Indy 500. Chevrolet’s car sales rose to 2,341,035, and 46,776 of these were Corvettes. The base price had risen to $9,351.89, but Chevrolet also offered an Indy 500 Pace Car replica for a whopping $13,653.21. These ’78 Corvette Pace Cars had two-tone silver and black paint, their own number sequence and white-letter tires. The original plan was to build 300 units, but an “instant collectible” buzz led to dealers clamoring for more. The target figure of 6,000 cars (one per dealer) was over-produced to total 6,502 units, though some reports place the number even higher. The base engine remained a 185 bhp 350-cubic inch Chevy small-block V-8, paired with either a wide-ratio M20 4-speed or the no-charge Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic. The L82 package offered a 220 bhp engine for $525 and 12,739 buyers opted for that, while 3,385 customers chose the close-ratio M21 4-speed gearbox.

A 25th Anniversary Pace Car is a great addition to any Corvette collection. While there are a handful of Pace Corvettes on the market, not all featured the L82 Package, few have only 9,600 miles, and a limited amount retain extensive documentation. The Owners Manual, Build Sheet, Warranty Card are all included in a thick folder of other documentation. This Corvette did receive a NCRS Top Flight award in 2010 and has seen very little asphalt since. It comes with a custom car cover that it wears even while always being stored indoors. Features and options include; 350 V8, L82 Package, Auto, A/C, Tach, Silver Leather Bucket Seats, Power Windows/Lock, Glass T-Tops, Cruise Control, Cloth Floormats, Rear Defrost, Factory AM/FM Radio, Tilt Steering, Tinted Glass, 15″ Factory Wheels, and Thick Goodyear Raised White Letter Tires!