L82, #'s Match, EXCELLENT CONDITION, Blue/Oyster, Very Clean, 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 very proud to offer this 1978 Corvette in excellent condition and with the high performance L82 engine and only 89,870 original miles. This Corvette looks fantastic, runs well, and is a great driver. The car is totally solid with nice lines and no rust issues. It is finished in the beautiful, rare, and highly desirable color combination of Dark Blue Metallic (83) over Oyster Leather (122). It is also the correct and original color scheme as verified by the codes on the trim tag, which is pictured in this ad.

In addition to 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 St. Louis in August of 1978. Even detailed parts like the carburetor, alternator, and distributor are all date coded and original. The last six digits of the VIN, 437499, are stamped on the engine pad, pictured in this ad, 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.

This car is verified as an original L82 in a number of ways. First, on the engine pad is stamped “CMS,” which is pictured in this ad. This suffix code denotes an L82 engine 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.

Besides the high performance L82 engine and beautiful color combination this Corvette is absolutely loaded with desirable options as one can see in the extensive list of RPO codes such as YJ8 aluminum wheels, air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power brakes, power steering, sport mirrors, and tilt/telescopic steering column.

This Corvette is ready to used and enjoyed. The low original mileage is verified not only by the condition of the car, but also the clear Ohio title, pictured in this ad, showing the mileage as "Actual." Please peruse all of the photos, video, numbers, and information in this ad to get a true sense of how nice and clean this L82 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 Dark Blue Metallic (82) exterior is in fantastic driver condition. As one can see in the photos the finish has a terrific gloss, deep shine, and smooth finish. Both door open and shut nicely. The original YJ8 aluminum wheels and center caps are in beautiful condition with a brilliant finish and no curb rash. The raised white letter tires are brand new with less than ten miles on them and are correctly sized 225/70R15. There are no major blemishes that have been intentionally excluded from the photos. There are some blotchy areas and some other tiny imperfections around car that were too small to show up in pictures, but nothing else that is really noticeable from about five feet away. As one can see in the many photos of the underside of the car, it is very clean and this Corvette has absolutely NO RUST ISSUES. The frame is totally solid with no rust around the "key hole" are in front of the rear tire and I have seen no evidence of corrosion around the “birdcage” or windshield frame, 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.

Window Date Codes

Please note that almost all of the windows on this Corvette, the rear window and both door windows, are all date coded and original as each piece predates the car's body build date of the third week of August 3, 1978 (L03). Original glass is another great verification that this car has had no accident history and never sustained damage.

Interior

The Oyster (122) interior in this Corvette is in spectacular condition. The seats are in excellent condition with no split seams, rips, or excessive wear and look just as nice in person as they do in the photos. The gauge faces are clean and crisp and the lenses are clear. The carpet is excellent condition with no stains, rips, or holes. This includes the rear carpet, which is often neglected. The door panels are in wonderful shape overall and, unlike many Corvettes of this age, they fit well and tight to the door. The dash and console look awesome with no cracks, fading, or sun damage. The cassette radio works and gets good reception, but some of the pixels on the digital display are burned out. The door pulls are solid and intact. 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 original spare is still with the car and has never been used. 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, especially with a light color like Oyster, 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 numbers matching L82 engine starts right away every time and runs well. It drives great and feels nice 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 or strange noises and the car performs quite well overall. There is no blue smoke when starting or driving the car. The brakes 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 with the L82 engine. Also, the engine compartment is beautifully clean, detailed, and correct as one can see in the photos. The original finned aluminum valve covers that are specific to the L82 are still in place as well as the ignition shielding and the catalytic converter.

The horn works as do all the exterior lights, interior lights, indicators, dash lights, wipers, power windows, power locks, and rear window defogger. Even detailed items like the key buzzer still work. The headlights and their vacuum system work properly. Also, the headlights go up correctly with either the headlight switch or vacuum override switch under the column. There complete operation form both switches can be viewed in the video. All of the gauges work with the obvious exception of the clock. The blower for the heater and a/c works, but only on high. The air conditioning worked when we purchased the car, but it is not currently blowing 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 magnificent driver condition. The higher performance and high horsepower models like this L82 always draw a premium over their standard counterparts. We have found blue to be one of the most sought-after colors available for a C3 Corvette. The originality, the many great options, the beautiful original color combination, and the great overall condition make this car especially important and 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.

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.

As a licensed and registered dealer in The State of Ohio we are required to collect sales tax for residents of Ohio with a rate based on the buyer's county. Additionally, Ohio has a special sales tax relationship with buyers who are going to register their car in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, or South Carolina so we are also required to collect sales tax. Please keep in mind the you will not be paying additional tax and you will not be taxed twice. Buyers from those states will simply pay of portion of their sales tax to Ohio and they will then be credited with that amount when they transfer the title in their home state. Buyers from all other states will not owe any sales tax to The State of Ohio. For all buyers, including residents of Ohio, all other states, and all other countries, we are required to collect necessary paperwork and have the current title transferred in the buyer's name and address. This process takes two days at the Ohio BMV and any buyer should expect to receive their title within 30 days of purchase, although it is usually closer to one week to receive the title once we receive the returned paperwork..

item
number
description*

VIN
1Z8748S437499
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 37,499th Corvette made for 1978.

Body Build Date
L03
"L" corresponds to August and "03" is the third day of the month meaning this Corvette's body build date is August 3rd, 1978.

Engine Code
V0731
"V" means the engine was build in the Flint, MI plant.  The "07" is the seventh month of year and the "31" is the thirty first day of the month meaning the engine was assembled on July 31, 1978.  This is correct as it precedes the build date of the car.

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

Engine VIN Stamp
437499
The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 437499, 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 23 8
"G" is July, "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 July 8th, 1978. 

Distributor
1103291
This distributor is correct and original for a 1978 L82 corvette with a 1103291 stamping.

Distributor Date Code
8 C 20
"8" is the year, "C" is the month and "20" is the day meaning this distributor was made on March 20th, 1978.

Alternator
1102908
This alternator is correct and original for a 1978 corvette with A/C with a 1102908 Stamping.

Alternator Date Code
78 F 20
"78" is the year, "F" denotes the month, and "20" is the twentyth day of the year meaning this Alternator was made on June 20th, 1978.

Carburetor
17058228
The carb is correct and original for a 1979 Corvette with an automatic transmission with 17058228 stamped on the housing.

Carburetor Date Code
1798
"179" is the day from January 1st, 1978, and "8" is the last digit of the calendar year, meaning this carb was made on June 28th, 1978

Transmission VIN Stamping
437499
The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 437499, are stamped on the main case of the transmission and pictured below meaning this transmission is original to this car.

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

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

Rear 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

83
Dark Blue Metallic

interior color code

122
Oyster

 

 

 

 

 

 

rpo code
description

1YZ87
Corvette Sport Coupe

A31
Power Windows

C49
Rear Window Defogger

C60
Air Conditioning

D35
Sport Mirrors

L82
220hp V8 Engine

MX1
Automatic Transmission

NA5
Standard Emissions

N37
Tilt-Telescopic Steering Column

QGR
225/70R15 White Letter Tires

U58
AM-FM Radio, Stereo

U81
Dual Rear Speakers