L82, #'s Match, EXCELLENT CONDITION, Silver/Black, Auto, PRICED TO SELL!!

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Please call Matt directly at 513-708-1468 with any questions about this car.

Seven Hills Motorcars is proud to offer this numbers matching 1978 Corvette Stingray in fantastic condition with the high performance L82 engine. This Corvette looks superb with an excellent paint job, runs great, and is an amazing driver. The car is totally solid with nice lines and no rust issues. It is finished in the beautiful color combination of Silver (13) over Black (192) interior. This is the correct and original color scheme as verified by the codes on the trim tag pictured in this ad.

This Corvette is “numbers matching,” meaning the engine in the car now is the sale engine that was installed in the car new at the factory in St. Louis in 1978. The last six digits of the VIN, 435751, are stamped on the engine pad, pictured in this ad, and the engine is original to the car. This car is verified as an original L82 in a number of ways. First, on the engine pad is stamped “CMS.” This suffix code denotes an L82 with an automatic transmission. The car is also confirmed as an original and authentic L82 by the fifth digit of the VIN. Only the L82 Corvettes with have a “4” in this spot like this car does, a base motor L48 car will always have an “L” in the fifth digit of the VIN.

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. 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.

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 exterior is in fantastic condition. As one can see in the photos, the paint has a terrific gloss, smooth finish, and deep shine. The original YJ8 aluminum wheels are in great condition with a brilliant finish and no major curb rash. The Cooper Cobra raised white letter tires are almost brand new with less than 50 miles on them and they are correctly sized 225/70R15. There are no major scratches, scrapes, or other blemishes that have been intentionally excluded from the photos. There may be some tiny imperfections that were too faint to show up in the photos, but noting that is really noticeable from about five feet away. This L82 Corvette has no rust issues and as one can see in the many photos of the underside 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 there are no signs of corrosion around the windshield or “birdcage,” which are the two most notorious areas for rust on a Corvette of this era. We have included specific photos of the areas most prone to rust to show how nice this car looks.

Window Date Codes

Please note that almost all of the glass on this Corvette, both pieces of door glass and the rear window are all date coded and original as each piece predates the car's body build date of July 21, 1978 (K21). Original glass is a good indication that this car has had no major accident history and never sustained significant damage.

Interior

The Black interior in this Corvette is in outstanding condition. The seats look like new with no holes, no split seams, and no wear at all. The seat is not worn the typical spot on the bolster where the driver gets in and out. The gauge faces are clean and crisp and the lenses are clear. The carpet is also in great condition with no stains, rips, holes. This includes the rear carpet which is often neglected. The dash and console look great with no cracks or sun fading. The door panels are in great shape overall and the door pulls are solid and intact. The jack and jack handle are still with the car and stored behind the passenger seat. The spare is also still with the car. This Corvette has never been smoked in; there are no burns 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.

Mechanical

This Corvette seems to be in very good mechanical condition. The L82 engine starts right away every time, runs well, and idles smooth. It drives great 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 strange noises or vibrations and the car performs quite well overall. The transmission shifts smoothly throughout the power-band. The brakes are responsive and do not pull to one side or the other. 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, detailed, and correct as one can see in the photos.

The radio works as do all the exterior lights, interior lights, indicators, wipers, and power windows. The blower for the a/c and heater works on all speeds. The vacuum system for the headlights works. Also, the headlights go up correctly with either the headlight switch or vacuum override switch. Their complete operation from both switches can be viewed in the video. All of the gauges work with the obvious exception of the clock. The car has a very healthy exhaust note as one can hear in the video with no catalytic converter. The power locks and horn do not work. The a/c compressor was removed by a previous owner, but is included with the sale of the car. Not enough can be said as to how much of a pleasure it is to drive this car, especially with the T-tops out on a beautiful day.

Overall Condition

Overall, this 1978 L82 Corvette is in wonderful condition. The high performance L82 engine, the beautiful color combination, the originality, and the excellent overall condition make this Corvette particularly desirable. Numbers matching is very important in Corvette pricing and as one can see this car is very correct. There are photos below of the VIN stamp on the engine block, suffix code, and engine assembly date. 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
1Z8748S435751
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 35,751st Corvette made for 1978.

Body Build Date
K21
"K" corresponds to July and "21" is the twenty First day of the month meaning this Corvette's body build date is July 21th, 1978.

Engine Code
V0713
"V" means the engine was build in the Flint, MI plant.  The "07" is the seventh month of year and the "13" is the thirteenth day of the month meaning the engine was assembled on July 13th, 1978.  This is correct as it precedes the build date of the car.

Suffix Code
CMS
This means the motor was intended for a 1978 L82 Corvette with an automatic transmission, which is correct for this car.

Engine VIN Stamp
435751
The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 435751, 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
G 11 8
"G" is July, "11" is the eleventh day of the month, and "8" is the last digit of the calendar year so the engine block was cast on July 11th, 1978. 

Distributor
1103291
The distributor is original and correct for an L48 Corvette with an automatic transmission with a 1103291 stamping.

Distributor Date Code
8 F 23
The "8" is the last digit of the calendar year, the "F" denotes June, and "23" is the twenty third day of the month meaning the distributor was made on June 23rd, 1978. This is correct as it predates the assembly date of the engine.

Carburetor
17058228
The original carburetor has the correct stamping for a 1978 L82 Corvette with an automatic transmission

Carburetor Date Code
1868
The "186" is the 186th day of the year. The "8" is the year, 1978. This mean that the carburetor was made on July 5th, 1978. This is correct as it predates the assembly date of the engine.

Right Exhaust Manifold Casting Number
3932461
The casting number 3932461 on the right manifold is correct and original for a 1978 Corvette.

Driver's 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.

Passenger  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.

Rear Window
LG
"L" is March and "J" is 1978 so this window is original, made in March of 1978. This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.

exterior color code

13
Silver

interior color code

192
Black Leather

 

 

 

 

 

rpo code
description

1YZ87
Corvette Sport Coupe

A31
Power Windows

C49
Rear Window Defogger

D35
Sport Mirrors

K30
Cruise Control

L82
350ci V8 Engine

MX1
Automatic Transmission

NA5
Standard Emissions

N37
Tilt-Telescopic Steering Column

QGR
225/70R15 White Letter Tires

U58
AM-FM Stereo Radio

U81
Dual Rear Speakers

YJ8
Aluminum Wheels