L82/4-Speed, EXCELLENT CONDITION, 76,759 Miles, 2-Tone Silver/Black

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Please call Tyler directly at 513-349-7163 with any questions about this car.

Seven Hills Motorcars is proud to offer this spectacular 1978 Corvette in wonderful condition with the high performance L82 option, M21 close ratio 4-Speed manual transmission, and only 76,759 original miles. This Corvette looks excellent, runs great, and is an amazing driver. This drive train combination is the most desirable and sought-after that was available for a late C3 Corvette. This is the best and most performance-oriented option one could order for 1978. The car is totally solid with excellent lines and no rust issues. It is finished in the beautiful and very rare color combination of Anniversary 2-Tone Silver (13) & Dark Grey (07) over Black interior (192). This is the correct and original color scheme as verified by the codes on the trim tag pictured in this ad.

Besides the correct paint and trim codes, this Corvette is "Numbers Matching" meaning the engine and transmission in the car are the correct and original units that were installed in the car new at the factory in June of 1978. The last six digits of the VIN, 429961, are stamped on the engine pad and the engine is original to the car. The transmission is also original with the last six digits of the VIN stamped on the main case and pictured in this ad.

This Corvette is ready to be used and enjoyed. We have this car priced to sell and are offering an excellent opportunity to own a clean corvette at an unbeatable value. One could easily buy this car now and sell it for more than the purchase price in years to come as the market on C3 Corvettes is very hot right now and on the rise. The low original mileage is verified not only by the condition of the car, but also the clear Ohio title, pictured in this ad. Please peruse all of the photos, video, list of numbers, and other information to get a true sense of how clean and nice this Corvette really is.

Please note that all 1978 Corvettes wore the "25th Anniversary" badge. However, only certain cars, such as this example, were the actual Silver Anniversary Editions with the Silver Anniversary regular production order (RPO), "B2Z." This is verified by the trim tag that is pictured in this ad showing the paint to be 13 for the bright Silver upper sections and 07 for the Dark Gray lower section, which was only used in 1978 and only for the B2Z Corvettes, on the darker lower portion.

As a side note, this Corvette is not a dealer auction vehicle. We hand-pick each car after careful inspection. Our Corvettes come from owners who expect their car to go to someone that will give the vehicle the same care and attention as they did. We invite and encourage you to examine the car in person or have the car inspected. Please take the time to scrutinize each picture. We photograph each vehicle to the greatest extent so you can feel confident about your purchase. If you have a question about the Corvette, just give us a call.

Exterior

The Silver Anniversary 2-Tone exterior is in excellent condition. As one can see in the photos the paint has a terrific gloss, deep shine, and smooth finish. Both doors open and shut nicely. The factory YJ8 aluminum wheels have a great finish and no curb rash. The BF Goodrich Radial TA raised white letter tires were installed in April of 2021. They have plenty of tread left and are correctly sized 255/60R15. There are no major blemishes that have been intentionally excluded from the many photos. There may be some very tiny imperfections around the car that were too faint to show up in the photos, but nothing else that is really noticeable from about five feet away. This Corvette has no rust issues. As one can see in the many photos of the underside of the car, it is very clean underneath. The frame is totally solid with no rust around the "key hole" area in front of the rear tire and we have seen no evidence of corrosion around the windshield frame or “birdcage.” We have included specific photos of the areas most prone to rust to show how nice this car looks.

Interior

The black interior in this Corvette is in great condition. The gauge faces are crisp and clean and the lenses are crystal clear. The dash and console look great with no cracks, major fading, or sun damage. The seats look just as great in person as they do in the photos with no holes or split seams. The seat is not overly worn in the typical area on the bolster where the driver gets in and out. Please note that these appear to be the original seats and skins, not some cheap aftermarket covers or replacements. The carpet is also in excellent condition with no holes, tears, or stains. This includes the rear carpet, with the exception of the minor fading closer to the rear window. The door panels are in great shape overall. Unlike many other Corvettes from this era, the door panels fit well and tight to the doors. Most important, the dash has never been cut or modified for an aftermarket installation. Both seat belts work and retract properly. This is a common problem on C3 Corvettes and an issue many buyers do not think to check. This Corvette has never been smoked in; there are no burn marks and no aroma of cigarettes. The jack and jack handle are still with the car, stored correctly in the compartment behind the passenger seat. The original spare is still with the car. This Corvette has never been smoked in; there are no burn marks and no aroma of cigarettes.

Corvette interiors from this era are not known to wear well and the excellent condition of this interior is a huge testament to the meticulous care and attention this car has received throughout its life and another great verification of the low original mileage.

Mechanical

This Corvette seems to be in very good mechanical condition. The car starts right away every time, runs well, and idles smoothly. It drives amazing on the road and at highway speeds. In the video below one can observe the car accelerating on the highway up to about 70mph, shifting through all the gears, braking to stoplight, and going through some curves. Please note that there are no vibrations and the car performs quite well overall. The shifter is tight, smooth, and does not pop out of gear. The clutch feels good. The brakes are responsive and do not pull to one side or the other. There is no blue smoke when running or driving the car. The car runs cool and does not overheat. This Corvette has plenty of power and is quite fast. Also, the engine compartment is beautifully clean and detailed as one can see in the photos.

All the exterior lights, interior lights, indicators, and wipers work. All of the gauges work with the exception of the clock. Even very detailed items like the hood light and key buzzer still work. The air conditioning also works and blows cold. One can observe the a/c compressor clicking on and engaging properly in the video. The blower works, but only on the low setting. The vacuum system for the headlights works correctly with no effort or binding in the mechanism. Also, the headlights go up properly with either the headlight switch or vacuum override switch under the column. Their complete operation from both switches can be viewed in the video below. Not enough can be said as to how much of a pleasure it is to drive this car, especially with the manual transmission and the T-tops out on a beautiful day.

Overall Condition

Overall, this 1978 Corvette is in fantastic condition and exceptionally rare with the L82 and close ratio 4-speed manual transmission combination. The low mileage, the beautiful and rare color combination, and the excellent overall condition make this Corvette particularly desirable and very hard to duplicate. This Corvette always gets a ton of attention driving down the road. It is apparent that the vehicle has been well taken care of by its previous owners. The prices of C3 Corvettes have increased considerably over the past several years. They are secure and wise investments for a collector. One could easily enjoy this vehicle for several years and sell it for more than the purchase price with minimal effort.

Thank you for looking and please do not hesitate to email or call with any questions.

item
number
description*

VIN
1Z8748S429961
The first digit, "1," indicated the Chevrolet division of GM.  The "Z" is the series, Corvette.  The "87" is the body style, 2-door sport coupe.  The fifth digit is the engine, 4, correct for an L82 car.  The sixth digit, "8," indicates the model year, 1978.  The "S" is the plant where the car was produced, St. Louis.  The last five digits are a sequence number so this is the 29,961st Corvette made for 1978.

Body Build Date
J08
"J" corresponds to June and "08" is the eighth day of the month meaning this Corvette's body build date is June 8th, 1978.

Engine Code
V0512
"V" means the engine was build in the Flint, MI plant.  The "05" is the fifth month of year and the "12" is the twelveth day of the month meaning the engine was assembled on May 12th, 1977.  This is correct as it precedes the build date of the car.

Suffix Code
CMR
This means the motor was intended for a 1979 L82 Corvette with a manual transmission, which is correct for this car.

Engine VIN Stamp
429961
The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 429961, are stamped on the engine pad and pictured below, meaning this engine is original to this car.

Engine Block Casting Number
3970010
The engine block has the correct 3970010 casting number for a 1978 Corvette.

Engine Block Casting Date
E 8 8
"E" is May, "8" is the eighth day of the month, and "8" is the last digit of the calendar year so the engine block was cast on May 8th, 1978. 

Intake Manifold Casting Number
458520
This intake manifold has the correct 458520 casting for a 220hp L82 corvette. This intake was only used on 78 L82s.

Distributor
1110291
The distributor is original and correct for an L82 Corvette with a manual transmission with a 1110291 stamping.

Distributor Date Code
8 D 20
The "8" is the last digit of the calendar year, the "D" denotes April, and "20" is the twentyth day of the month meaning the distributor was made on April 20th, 1978. This is correct as it predates the assembly date of the engine.

Starter
1109067
The starter is correct and original for a 1979 Corvette with a manual transmission with 1109067 stamped on the housing.

Starter Date Code
8 E 18
The "8" is the last digit of the calendar year, the "E" denotes May, and "18" is the eighteenth day of the month meaning the starter was made on May 18th, 1978.

Transmission Casting Number
13-04-065-903
The main case of the transmission has a correct 1304065903 casting number.

Transmission Tail Housing Casting Number
13-04-066-903
The tail housing of the transmission has a correct 1304066903 casting number.

Transmission Side Cover Casting Number
13-04-097-901
The side cover of the transmission has a correct 1304097901 casting number.

Transmission Casting Date
5-6-78
The "5" is the fifth month of the year, the "6" is the sixth day of the month, and the "78" is the year so this transmission main case was cast on May 6th, 1978, this is correct as it predates he assembly of the transmission.

Transmission Date Code
WE2582
"W" denotes the plant, Warner. "E" is the month May, "25" is the twentyfifth day of the month, "8" is the last digit of the calendar year, and lastly "2" denotes the shift the transmission was made in. Meaning this transmission is correct and original, made in the second shift of May 25th, 1978.

Transmission VIN Stamping
429961
The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 429961, are stamped on the main case of the transmission and pictured below meaning this transmission is original to this car.

Clutch Housing
464697
The clutch housing has the correct number 464697 stamping on the casing.

Driver's Window
GJ
"G" is April and "J" is 1978 so this window is original, made in April of 1978.  This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.

Passenger  Window
JJ
"J" is May and "J" is 1978 so this window is original, made in May of 1978.  This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.

exterior color code

13
Silver

7
Dark Gray

interior color code

192
Black

 

 

 

 

 

 

rpo code
description

1YZ87
Corvette Sport Coupe

B2Z
Silver Anniversary Paint

C49
Rear Window Defogger

C60
Air Conditioning

D35
Sport Mirrors

L82
High Performance 350ci V8 Engine

M21
4-Speed Manual Transmission, Close Ratio

NA5
Standard Emissions

N37
Tilt-Telescopic Steering Column

QBS
255/60R15 White Letter Tires

U58
AM-FM Stereo Radio

U81
Dual Rear Speakers

YJ8
Aluminum Wheels

ZX2
Convenience Group