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1978 Chevrolet Corvette

$27,997

1978 Chevrolet Corvette

Vehicle Details

Make

Chevrolet

Model

Corvette

Year

1978

Mileage

85,508 miles

VIN

1Z87L8S425067

Body Type

Coupe

Transmission

Automatic

Engine

350ci 5.7L V8

Description

1978 Chevrolet Corvette 25th Anniversary Edition — Genuine B2Z Silver, Oyster Leather, 350ci V8 Why This Car Is Special The 1978 Chevrolet Corvette was a landmark year for America's sports car. It marked the 25th anniversary of Corvette production, and Chevrolet made certain the occasion was recognized with a dedicated special edition — the Silver Anniversary package, factory coded B2Z. This wasn't a sticker package applied at a dealership.

It was a genuine factory option that came with an exclusive two-tone exterior finish, specific badging front and rear, and a coordinated interior treatment that set these cars apart from standard 1978 production. The 1978 model year also introduced one of the most significant visual changes in C3 history: the new fastback rear window with a large wraparound glass section, replacing the tunneled flying buttress design that had defined Corvettes since 1968. That change alone made the 1978 an instantly recognizable departure.

Combined with a redesigned interior featuring a reshaped dashboard and a full gauge cluster, the 1978 Corvette was the most thoroughly updated C3 in years. Total production for 1978 reached 46,776 units, and of those, approximately 15,283 were built with the Silver Anniversary option — making this specific configuration a meaningful subset of the model year, not a common find. This particular car is a confirmed B2Z Silver Anniversary Edition.

The data plate verifies authenticity, and the build details align throughout — from the exterior paint codes to the interior color designation. The VIN structure confirms this is a 1978 Corvette coupe built at the St. Louis assembly plant, equipped with the L48 350ci V8 and automatic transmission.

These details are not cosmetic claims — they are confirmed by the car's own documentation. Features List - Genuine B2Z Silver Anniversary Edition, confirmed by data plate - 350ci 5.7L L48 V8 engine - 4-speed automatic transmission - Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor - Chrome valve covers with Bowtie emblem - Chrome open-element air cleaner - 4-wheel power disc brakes - Power steering - Air conditioning with dash vents and compressor present - Dual exhaust with quad outlets - Independent front and rear suspension - Factory aluminum wheels - BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires - Two-tone silver over charcoal lower body exterior - Anniversary pinstripe tape graphics - 25th Anniversary crossflag nose badge - 25th Anniversary rear deck badge - Dual sport outside mirrors - Glass fastback rear window - Soft-Ray tinted glass - Oyster leather bucket seats (interior code 122) - Corvette-emblem leather-wrapped steering wheel - Woodgrain dash trim - Full gauge cluster with tachometer - Center console with automatic shifter - Upgraded aftermarket stereo head unit - Upgraded rear speaker box with dual speakers - Corvette logo floor mats - Clean carpet throughout - Door panels in good shape - Glove box intact - Clean transmission pan - Driveshaft in good condition - Very clean solid undercarriage - National Corvette Museum sticker Mechanical Under the hood sits the L48 350ci 5.7-liter V8, the standard engine for 1978. It breathes through a Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor, which was GM's go-to performance carburetor of the era — a well-regarded unit known for good throttle response and tuneability.

Sitting on top of the engine are chrome valve covers with the Bowtie emblem, paired with a chrome open-element air cleaner that gives the engine bay a finished, period-correct look without straying from what these cars typically wore. Power routes through a 4-speed automatic transmission, which in 1978 was the Turbo-Hydramatic 350. The transmission pan photographs clean with no signs of leakage or neglect.

The driveshaft is in good condition. Out back, the C3's independent rear suspension — a design Corvette carried through the entire C3 generation — is intact and visible in the undercarriage photos. The front suspension is equa

Classic Chevrolet Corvette Buyer's Guide

Full guide
M
Mike Sullivan
Muscle Cars
1953–1982
~6 min read
Updated Apr 2026
Complete buyer's guide for classic Chevrolet Corvette C1, C2 and C3 (1953-1982). Birdcage rust, frame inspection, engine code identification, and current market pricing for split-windows, L88s and LT-1s.
This guide covers
10-point inspection checklist
Common issues & what to avoid
In-person inspection guide
Market pricing by year & condition
5 FAQs answered
History & fun facts

Chevrolet Corvette Market Overview

Based on 616 Chevrolet Corvette listings currently on ClassicCarsArena.com

616
Listed Now
$39,933
Avg. Asking Price
1953–1999
Year Range
Price Position on Our Site — Average Range
This car: $27,997
Low: $4,000 High: $299,995
Transmission Distribution
Automatic 47% ◄
Manual 37%
Condition Distribution
Excellent 13%
Good 12%
Fair 5%
Poor 0%
Data from ClassicCarsArena.com listings Browse all 616 listings →
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Classic Chevrolet Corvette Buyer's Guide

The Chevrolet Corvette has been America's sports car for over seventy years, but the classic Corvette market splits into three distinct generations, each with its own buyer profile and its own pitfalls. The C1 (1953-1962), C2 mid-year (1963-1967), and C3 shark (1968-1982) cover three decades of evolution from solid-axle straight-six convertibles to small-block legends to LT-1-powered chrome-bumper cars. Knowing which Corvette is yours — and what it actually is versus what the seller claims — is the difference between a sound investment and an expensive lesson.

What to Check Before Buying

Verify dashboard VIN against trim tag and engine partial VIN — All three must agree. Engine partial VIN is on driver-side block deck near cylinder head.
Demand original tank sticker for any car over $60K — Glued inside top of gas tank. Lists all original options. Gold standard for premium Corvette verification.
Order NCRS Shipping Data Report ($50) — Available from National Corvette Restorers Society. Confirms original equipment from GM records.
Inspect birdcage at door frames and cowl — Pull door panels, lift carpet at windshield base. Perforation = $8,000-$25,000 structural repair.
Probe frame at kick-up and rear cross-member — Solid steel resists; rotten metal flakes. Frame replacement is $15,000-$30,000 if needed.
Examine fiberglass under raking light — Stress cracks at body mounts, headlight buckets, rear panel. Deep cracks = impact damage or chassis flex.
Check T-top seals and headliner (C3) — Water staining indicates failed seals. Leaks rot birdcage from inside.
Verify Big Block valvetrain on cold start — Solid-lifter L72/L78/L88/ZL1 should tick and subside with oil pressure. Continuous noise = valve adjustment or worn lifters.
Compression test all eight cylinders — Should read 145-185 PSI uniformly across the bank. Variance >15% = head gasket or ring problem.
Test all electrical and pop-up headlights (C3) — Vacuum-actuated headlights commonly fail. Hidden leaks in vacuum lines drop the lights at speed.

Common Issues

Corvette "birdcage" rust is the structural killer for C2 and C3 cars. The birdcage is the steel inner structure that supports the fiberglass body — windshield frame, A-pillars, doglegs, and roof. When the birdcage rots, the body flexes, glass cracks, and door alignment goes off. Birdcage repair on a C2 or C3 is $8,000-$25,000 depending on extent. Frame rust on C1 (boxed steel) and C3 (X-frame) Corvettes is the second major concern. The kickup behind the front wheels, the rear suspension mounting points, and the rear cross-member all rot in salt-belt cars. Probe the frame with a screwdriver — solid steel resists, rotten metal flakes. Mechanical issues vary by generation. C1s commonly have weak Powerglide automatics and tired solid-lifter 283 fuelies. C2s have strong drivetrains but the leaf-spring rear suspension wears bushings and the differential carriers crack. C3s suffer from sloppy T-tops that leak, failing radiators, and worn front coil springs that sag the front end. The L88 cars (1967-1969) had aluminum heads that crack from heat cycling — a deal-breaker if not previously addressed.

What to Look For

VIN authentication is the first stop. The C1 and C2 cars used the dashboard VIN plate; the C3 added the windshield-pillar VIN starting in 1968. Cross-reference the VIN against the trim tag (riveted to the body brace under the glovebox or on the firewall depending on year) and against the engine block partial VIN. Big Block cars (1965+ 396, 1966+ 427, 1970+ 454) and Z06/L88/ZL1 specials must have all numbers matching to claim premium prices. For C2 and C3 cars, inspect the birdcage. Pull the door panels and look at the inner door structure. Lift the carpet at the windshield base and look at the inner cowl. Pull the headliner if practical and look at the roof structure on coupes. Surface rust is acceptable; perforation is structural and expensive to repair. For any high-dollar Corvette claim — L71 427/435, L88, ZL1, Z06, LT-1 — demand the original tank sticker (the build sheet that was glued to the inside top of the gas tank). Tank stickers are the gold standard for verification. Cross-reference the tank sticker codes against the VIN and the engine block partial VIN. Fiberglass condition is uniquely Corvette. Look for stress cracks at the body mount points, around the headlight buckets, and at the rear panel where the bumpers attach. Surface gel-coat cracks are cosmetic; deeper structural cracks indicate impact damage or chassis flex.

Price Guide

C1 (1953-1962) Corvettes range from $45,000 for solid 1958-1962 driver-quality 283 V8 cars up to $300,000+ for documented 1957-1962 fuelie cars in concours condition. The 1953 launch year (only 300 built) is a special case — documented original 1953s sell for $200,000-$400,000. C2 (1963-1967) is the most coveted Corvette generation. The 1963 split-window coupe is the icon — $95,000-$200,000 for drivers and survivors, $300,000+ for documented L84 fuelie cars. 1965-1967 396/427 Big Blocks are $85,000-$180,000 for drivers, with documented L71 Tri-Power cars at $140,000-$280,000. The 1967 L88 is the holy grail — only 20 were built — and documented examples bring $2.5M-$5M at auction. C3 (1968-1982) is the bargain entry to Corvette ownership. Driver-quality 1968-1972 small-blocks run $22,000-$42,000. The 1970-1972 LT-1 (small-block, solid-lifter, 350-360 hp) is the underrated gem at $45,000-$85,000 for documented numbers-matching cars. 1973-1977 cars are the bargain era at $15,000-$28,000. 1978 silver anniversary and 1982 Collector Edition cars trade for $22,000-$35,000.

Did You Know?

The Corvette name was suggested by GM PR director Myron Scott — named after the small, fast warship class. GM trademarked "Corvette" in May 1953, just one month before the car's June launch. The 1963 split-window coupe was a Bill Mitchell design that survived for only one model year. Zora Arkus-Duntov, the Corvette's chief engineer, hated the split window because it killed rearward visibility, and he successfully lobbied to remove it for the 1964 model year. The one-year-only design is now the most iconic Corvette body style ever produced. Only 20 L88 Corvettes were built for 1967, and Chevrolet deliberately under-rated the engine at 430 horsepower to keep insurance companies off the buyer's back. The L88 actually produced approximately 540 horsepower in road-going trim and was conceived purely as a homologation special for road racing — Chevrolet refused to install a heater, radio, or AM/FM in any L88, telling buyers to special-order them at the dealer if they actually wanted comfort features.

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