Low Miles, EXCELLENT CONDITION, Dark Red/Black, Auto, A/C, 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 1977 Corvette in excellent condition with only 50,299 original miles. This Corvette looks stunning, runs great, and is an excellent driver. The car is totally solid with nice lines. It is finished in the rare and beautiful color combination of Corvette Dark Red (83) over Black Cloth (19C). This is the correct and original color scheme as verified by the codes on the trim tag pictured in this ad. The last six digits of the VIN are stamped on the engine pad, which is 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.

I have personally driven this Corvette about 50 miles. In that time it was completely reliable and a true pleasure to drive. 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 very desirable 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, especially for a low mileage example like this car.

The car is absolutely loaded with appealing options as one can see in the extensive list of RPO codes in this ad such as the tilt wheel, sport mirrors, 8-track stereo radio, air conditioning, power brakes, and power windows. The low original mileage is verified not only by the condition of the car, but also the clear Ohio title, pictured in this ad, shows the mileage as "Actual." 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.

Model Description

The 1977 model year is a special one for the Corvette and is considered to be the best of both worlds in some respects by many with the more vintage, "Stingray" style rear window and a more modern and comfortable interior. Most notable about 1977 model year was that it was the last year for the straight back window and "Sugar Scoop" rear decklid treatment. The 1978 model year introduced the new large rear window along with the most extensive redesign in the C3 production run. The interior in 1977 was slightly improved to make the driver more comfortable by moving the steering wheel forward two inches. 1977 was also the last year to feature the round gauges, storage pocket, and retain the truly vintage sense of the Stingray cockpit. Many people prefer the more classic look and feel of the early C3's, such as this car, over the 1978-82 model years.

1977 saw the steering column repositioned 2 inches (51 mm) closer to the dashboard to allow a more "arms out" position for the driver. The custom interior with leather seat trim was now standard, with cloth and leather a no cost option. A redesigned center console permitted universal Delco radio options. Auxiliary gauges were restyled and the ammeter was replaced with a voltmeter. The sun visors were redesigned to swivel so as to provide some glare protection from the side as well as the front. Chevrolet responded to the criticism of the previous year's steering wheel with an all new three-spoke leather-wrapped unit, which was well received. Chevrolet featured this new wheel prominently on the front of their new Corvette sales brochure. The new wheel came on all cars fitted with the optional tilt-telescopic steering column which was ordered on all but a few thousand Corvettes. Corvette's refinement as a touring sports car continued as both power steering and power brakes became standard and new options included body-colored sport mirrors, cruise control, and a new convenience group. The convenience group included dome light delay, headlight warning buzzer, underhood light, low fuel warning light, interior courtesy lights, and passenger side visor mirror. Early in production, the engine paint color was changed from Chevy orange to Corporate Blue. The Stingray script, seen on front fenders since 1969 disappeared, but new cross-flags emblems began appearing on fenders before the model year ended. A Corvette milestone was reached during 1977 as Chevrolet had built a half million Corvettes since production began in 1953.

Exterior

The Dark Red (83) exterior is in nice driver condition. As one can see in the photos the finish has a terrific gloss, deep shine, and smooth finish. Both doors open and shut nicely. The YJ8 aluminum wheels have a brilliant finish and no major curb rash. The white letter tires have about 90% tread left. There are some very tiny imperfections around the car that were too small to show up in the photos, but nothing else that is really noticeable from about five or ten feet away. As one can see in the many photos of the underside of the car, it is very clean underneath. The frame is totally solid with no rust around the "key hole" area in front of the rear tire. 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 ALL of the glass on this Corvette is date coded and original as each piece predates the car's body build date of August 26, 1976 (A26). 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 excellent with no excessive wear. Please note that these appear to be the original seats and skins, not some cheap aftermarket replacements. 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 awesome with no cracks or sun fading. The door panels are in great shape overall. The door pulls are solid and intact. The original 8-track radio is still with the car. It plays, but can be hard to tune. Most importantly the dash has never been cut or modified for an aftermarket installation. The jack and jack handle are still with the car, stored correctly behind the passenger seat. The spare is 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 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 good mechanical condition. As stated above I have driven the car about 50 miles. The car 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. There is no blue smoke when starting or driving the car. 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. Even the ignition shielding, original air cleaner, and original valve covers are still in place.

The radio works as do all the exterior lights, indicators, wipers, and power windows. The vacuum system for the headlights works correctly. The headlights go up quickly, evenly, and with no binding in the mechanism. Also, the headlights go up correctly with either the headlight switch or vacuum override switch. Their complete operation can be viewed in the video. All of the gauges work with the obvious exception of the clock. The blower works on all speeds, but the fan makes some noise. The horn and a/c do not work. 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 1977 Corvette is in excellent driver condition. Numbers matching is important in the Corvette market and 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 as well as the VIN stamp on the transmission and transmission 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.

exterior color code

83
Corvette Dark Red

interior color code

19C
Black

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

rpo code
description

1YZ87
Corvette Sport Coupe

A31
Power Windows

C60
Air Conditioning

D35
Sport Mirrors

K30
Cruise Control

J50
Power Brakes

L48
350ci V8 Engine

M40
Automatic Transmission

N37
Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column

N41
Power Steering

QRZ
White Letter Tires

UM2
AM-FM Radio, Stereo with 8-Track

YJ8
Aluminum Wheels

item
number
description

VIN
1Z37L7S401628
The first digit, "1," indicated the Chevrolet division of GM.  The "Z" is the series, Corvette.  The "37" is the body style, 2-door sport coupe.  The fifth digit is the engine, L, correct for an L48 car.  The sixth digit, "7," indicates the model year, 1977.  The "S" is the plant where the car was produced, St. Louis.  The last five digits are a sequence number so this is the 1,628th Corvette made for 1977.

Body Build Date
A26
"A" corresponds to August and "26" is the twenty-sixth day of the month meaning this Corvette's body build date is August 26, 1976.

Engine Code
V0811
"V" means the engine was build in the Flint, MI plant.  The "08" is the eigth month of year and the "11" is the eleventh day of the month meaning the engine was assembled on August 11, 1976.  This is correct as it precedes the build date of the car.

Suffix Code
CLA
This means the motor was intended for a 1977 L48 Corvette with an automatic transmission, which is correct for this car.

Engine VIN Stamp
401628
The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 401628, 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 1977 Corvette.

Engine Block Casting Date
H 10 6
"H" is July, "10" is the tenth day of the month, and "6" is the last digit of the calendar year so the engine block was cast on July 10, 1976, which is correct as it predates the assembly date of the engine.

Intake Manifold Casting Number
346249
The intake manifold has a correct 346249 casting number.

Intake Manifold Casting Date
H 10 6
"H" is August, the "10" is the tenth day of the month, and the "6" is the last digit of the calendar year so the intake manifold was cast on August 10, 1976. 

Distributor
1103246
The distributor is original and correct for an L48 Corvette with an automatic transmission and without California emissions with a 1103246 stamping.

Distributor Date Code
6 C 16
The "6" is the last digit of the calendar year, the "C" denotes March, and "16" is the sixteenth day of the month meaning the distributor was made on March 16, 1976. This is correct as it predates the assembly date of the engine.

Starter
1108776
This starter is original and correct for an L48 Corvette with an automatic transmission and without california emissions with a 1108776 stamping.

Starter Date Code
6 F 14
The "6" is the last digit of the calender year, the "F" denotes June, and "14" is the forteenth day of the month meaning the distributor was made on June 14, 1976. This is correct as it predates the assembly date of the engine.

Carburetor
17057204
This carburetor is original and correct for an L48 Corvette with an automatic transmission and without california emissions with a 17057204 stamping.

Carburetor Date Code
H6
"H" is July and "6" is the last digit of the calendar year meaning the carburetor was made in July of 1976.

Left Exhaust Manifold Casting Number
14681238
The left exhaust manifold has a correct casting number of 14681238.

Right Exhaust Manifold Casting Number
14681238
The right exhaust manifold has a correct casting number of 14681238.

Windshield
TC
"T" is August and "C" is 1976 so this window is original, made in August of 1976.  This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.

Driver's Window
TC
"T" is August and "C" is 1976 so this window is original, made in August of 1976.  This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.

Passenger  Window
LC
"L" is March and "C" is 1976 so this window is original, made in March of 1976.  This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.

Rear Window
UC
"U" is July and "C" is 1976 so this window is original, made in July of 1976.  This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.