Only 36,198 Miles, EXCELLENT CONDITION, Black/Black, Time Capsule PRICED TO SELL

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Please call Greg directly at 513-200-9226 with any questions about this car.

Seven Hills Motorcars is proud to offer this numbers matching 1978 Corvette in spectacular condition with only 36,198 original miles. This Corvette looks excellent, runs great, and is an amazing driver. The car is totally solid with excellent lines and no rust issues. It is finished in the beautiful and highly desirable color combination of Black (19) over Black Leather (192). This is also 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 May of 1978. We have run the numbers on literally hundreds of Corvettes over the years and there are very few that are so correct as this car. Even very detailed parts like the distributor, carburetor, and intake all date coded and original. The last six digits of the VIN, 428200, 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 driven 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.

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 Black (19) exterior is in excellent driver 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 original YJ8 aluminum wheels have a brilliant finish and no curb rash. The raised white letter tires are brand new with less than 10 miles on them and are correctly sized 225/70R15. There are no major imperfections that have been intentionally excluded from the many photos. There is some checking around the area where the left front fender, left door, and hood come together that is visible in the photos. As one would expect from a paintjob with this many years on it there are some small imperfections around the car that were too faint to show up in the photos, but nothing else that is really noticeable from about five or ten 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. Some of the factory markings that the car received going down the assembly line on the underside and visible in the photos. The frame is totally solid with no rust around the "key hole" area in front of the rear tire and we have need no evidence of corrosion around the windshield frame or “birdcage,” which are the two most notorious spots for rust on a C3 Corvette. 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 absolutely fantastic condition. The seats look excellent with no holes, rips, or split seams. The seat is not overly worn I the typical spot on the bolster where the driver gets in and out. Please note that these appear to be the original seats and skins, not some covers or aftermarket replacements. The gauge faces are clean and crisp and the lenses are clear. The carpet is in good condition with no stains; there are some spots of wear on the driver's footwell. The dash and console look awesome with no cracks or sun fading. The door panels are in great shape overall and unlike many other C3's they fit well and tight to the door. The door pulls are solid and intact. The original CB radio sounds nice and get good reception. Most importantly the dash has never been cut or modified for an aftermarket installation. Please note that 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. The jack and jack handle are still with the car, stored correctly in the compartment behind the passenger seat as seen in the photos. 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 original interior is a huge testament to the meticulous care and attention this car has received throughout its life and another great verification of the very low original mileage.

Mechanical

This Corvette seems to be in very good mechanical condition. The original numbers match L48 engine starts right away every time, runs well, and idles smoothly. It drives amazing on the road and at highway speeds. In the video in this ad 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 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 original ignition shielding, stamped steel valve covers, and air cleaner are all still in place.

The horn works as do all the exterior lights, horn, indicators, wipers, rear window defogger, and power windows. Even very detailed items like the key buzzer and glove box light still work. The blower for the heater and air conditioning works on all speeds. The vacuum system for the headlights works correctly, the headlights go up quickly and with no 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. All of the gauges work with the obvious exception of the clock. The a/c does not blow cold. 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 Corvette is in fantastic original condition. The very low original mileage, the beautiful original color combination, and the excellent overall condition make this Corvette particularly desirable and very hard to duplicate. Numbers matching is important in the Corvette market and in Corvette pricing and as one can see this car is very correct. 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.

Other sellers are not taking the time to show the car is in such great detail to give you all of the numbers, options, photos, and video. As stated above, numbers matching is extremely important in Corvette pricing, especially for an exceptional example like this car, and will become even more important as time passes and this car becomes older and even more rare. This information is very valuable and important for pricing. Any perspective buyer, for any of our vehicles or from other sellers, should ask for all the numbers and information before he or she makes a purchase.

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

item
number
description*

VIN
1Z87L8S428200
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, L, correct for an L48 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 28,200th Corvette made for 1978.

Body Build Date
I 25
"I" corresponds to May and "25" is the twenty fifth day of the month meaning this Corvette's body build date is May 25th, 1978.

Engine Code
V0519
"V" means the engine was build in the Flint, MI plant.  The "05" is the fifth month of year and the "19" is the ninteenth day of the month meaning the engine was assembled on May 19th, 1978.  This is correct as it precedes the build date of the car.

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

Engine VIN Stamp
428200
The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 428200, 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 18 8
"E" is May, "18" is the eighteenth day of the month, and "8" is the last digit of the calendar year so the engine block was cast on May 18th, 1978. 

Intake Manifold Casting Number
346249
This intake manifold is correct and original for a 1978 corvette with a 346249 casting number

Intake Manifold Casting Date
E 11 8
"E" is May, "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 May 11th, 1978. 

Distributor
1103353
The distributor is original and correct for an L48 Corvette with a 1103353 stamping.

Distributor Date Code
8 C 22
The "8" is the last digit of the calendar year, the "C" denotes March, and "22" is the twenty second day of the month meaning the starter was made on March 22nd, 1978.

Carburetor
17058206
The carburetor is correct and original for a 78 corvette with a 17058206 stamping.

Carburetor Date Code
1188
"118" is the day of the year from January 1st, 1978, and "8" is the last digit of the calendar year meaning this carb was made on April 28th, 1978

Windshield
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
NJ
"N" is January and "J" is 1978 so this window is original, made in January of 1978.  This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.

Rear 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.

Transmission Main Case Casting Number
8640300
This main case casting number is correct for a 1979 corvette with a 8640300 stamping.

Transmission Main Case Casting Date
5-78 8
"8" denotes the month, "78" is the year, and "8" is the day of the month, meaning this transmission was cast on May 8th, 1978

Transmission VIN Stamping
428200
The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 428200, are stamped on the transmission and pictured below, meaning this engine is original to this car.

exterior color code

19
Black

interior color code

192
Black Leather

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

rpo code
description

1YZ87
Corvette Sport Coupe

A31
Power Windows

D35
Sport Mirrors

K30
Cruise Control

MX1
Automatic Transmission

NA5
Standard Emissions

N37
Tilt-Telescopic Steering Column

QBS
225/70R15 White Letter Tires

UP6
AM-FM Stereo Radio W/ CB

U81
Dual Rear Speakers

YJ8
Aluminum Wheels