1978 Chevrolet Corvette

1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition L82 V8, One of 6,502 Built, Full Pace Car Regalia


Why This Car Is Special

The 1978 Chevrolet Corvette was already a landmark vehicle before Chevrolet decided to make it the Official Pace Car for the 62nd Annual Indianapolis 500. Nineteen seventy-eight marked the Corvette's 25th anniversary as a production model, and General Motors chose to celebrate in a big way. The C3 body received its first significant restyling since 1968, gaining a fastback rear window that completely transformed the car's profile and gave it a much more modern, aerodynamic appearance. That change alone made the 1978 model year a turning point in Corvette history.

When it was selected to pace the Indy 500 on May 28, 1978, Chevrolet created a limited-run replica package that any customer could order through a Chevrolet dealer. The Pace Car Edition became one of the most talked-about special editions of the entire C3 generation. Only 6,502 were produced, and this is one of them. The package included a specific black-over-silver two-tone paint scheme, a full set of pace car decals, a unique front air dam, front and rear spoilers, aluminum wheels designed specifically for the package, and a silver leather interior. Dealers famously applied the decals before delivery in some cases, and in others they were left for the owner to apply many cars still have them intact today, and this one does.

The Pace Car Edition was priced at a significant premium over a standard 1978 Corvette, and dealers often added substantial markups above sticker. Some sold for two to three times the window price. While not every Pace Car Edition was ordered with the L82 engine, the ones that were represent the most desirable combination from that model year. This car carries the L82 the high-output 5.7-liter V8 that was the top engine choice for 1978 confirming it was built as a fully optioned example from the start.


Features List

- L82 5.7L V8 engine
- 3-speed automatic transmission
- Official Pace Car Edition 62nd Indianapolis 500
- One of 6,502 Pace Car replicas produced
- 25th Anniversary badge
- Glass T-tops
- Fastback rear window (new for 1978)
- Front and rear spoilers
- Pace car decals
- Aluminum pace car wheels
- Goodyear Eagle GT II tires
- Dual exhaust
- Silver leather bucket seats
- Center console with 25th Anniversary badging
- Air conditioning
- Power steering
- 4-wheel disc brakes
- Power windows
- Power door locks
- Tilt-telescopic steering column
- Cruise control
- Rear window defogger
- Sport mirrors
- Tachometer with L82 designation on face
- Upgraded Sony stereo


Mechanical

The L82 was the performance-spec engine for the 1978 Corvette, producing 220 horsepower at a time when the base L48 5.7-liter V8 was rated at 185. The L82 used higher compression, a more aggressive camshaft, larger valves, and a specific carburetor setup to extract more output from the same displacement. It was a cost option that separated buyers who wanted the most performance the C3 had to offer in 1978 from those who were satisfied with the standard configuration. The tachometer face in this car is marked with the L82 designation, which you can see in the photos and which confirms the engine specification visually from the driver's seat.

Backing the L82 is a 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic transmission. The 1978 Corvette's suspension used independent double wishbones up front and a three-link independent setup at the rear with a transverse leaf spring a configuration that gave the C3 predictable handling and a reasonably comfortable ride for a sports car of its era. Four-wheel disc brakes were standard equipment on all 1978 Corvettes, a meaningful safety and performance advantage over many contemporaries. The undercarriage photos show the frame and suspension components in solid condition. Dual ex