Image credit: © conceptcarz.com (Reproduction Or reuse prohibited).
Just before Chevrolet celebrated the Corvette's 25th anniversary in 1978, the 500,00th example rolled off the production line on March 15, 1977. The 1978 Corvette was given the first major design revision in ten years, featuring a rounded glass rear window and a new fastback body design.
1978 was the Corvette's Silver Anniversary and it was selected to be the Pace Car at that year's Indianapolis 500. The 'Limited Edition,' more commonly known as the Indy 500 Pace Car, was produced with one-off Silver and Black livery with red highlighted striping and Pace Car decals with a coordinated silver leather interior. Initially, three hundred examples of the 'Z78' optioned Indy 500 Pace Cars were intended to be produced in 1978, but its popularity prompted General Motors to produce one for each Chevrolet dealer across the US and Canada.
This particular Z78 Indy 500 Pace Car example was sold through Dick Irwin Chevrolet of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is one of 512 examples equipped with the most potent 350 cu-in L82 V8 engine and the close-ratio M21 manual transmission. These two options comprised less than eight percent of the Indy 500 Pace Car production that year.
This Pace Car has been driven 899 kilometers (approximately 559 miles). It is an award winner, claiming a 96.8 National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS) 'Top Flight' score in 2006.By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2024
1978 was the Corvette's Silver Anniversary and it was selected to be the Pace Car at that year's Indianapolis 500. The 'Limited Edition,' more commonly known as the Indy 500 Pace Car, was produced with one-off Silver and Black livery with red highlighted striping and Pace Car decals with a coordinated silver leather interior. Initially, three hundred examples of the 'Z78' optioned Indy 500 Pace Cars were intended to be produced in 1978, but its popularity prompted General Motors to produce one for each Chevrolet dealer across the US and Canada.
This particular Z78 Indy 500 Pace Car example was sold through Dick Irwin Chevrolet of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is one of 512 examples equipped with the most potent 350 cu-in L82 V8 engine and the close-ratio M21 manual transmission. These two options comprised less than eight percent of the Indy 500 Pace Car production that year.
This Pace Car has been driven 899 kilometers (approximately 559 miles). It is an award winner, claiming a 96.8 National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS) 'Top Flight' score in 2006.By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2024
2024 Broad Arrow Auctions : Amelia
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $50,000-USD $75,000
Sale Price :
USD $53,200
1978 Chevrolet Corvette C3 Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the Chevrolet Corvette C3
(Data based on Model Year 1978 sales)
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Convertible Chassis#: 1z87l8s900316 Sold for USD$19,800 2024 Mecum : Monterey | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition Coupe Sold for USD$40,700 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition Coupe Chassis#: 1z8748s901322 Sold for USD$23,100 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe Chassis#: 1z87l8s430468 Sold for USD$13,200 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe Chassis#: 1z87l8s432577 Sold for USD$14,300 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition Coupe Chassis#: 1z87l8s900494 Sold for USD$28,600 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary Coupe Chassis#: 1z8748s414174 Sold for USD$44,000 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe Chassis#: 1z87l8s419870 Sold for USD$11,000 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition Chassis#: 1z8748s905033 Sold for USD$25,300 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe Chassis#: 1z87l8s421854 Sold for USD$8,250 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition Chassis#: 1z8748s904594 Sold for USD$53,900 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary Coupe Chassis#: 1z87l8s410920 Sold for USD$13,750 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition Chassis#: 1z8748s905964 Sold for USD$49,500 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe Chassis#: 1z87l8s409412 Sold for USD$16,500 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE PACE CAR EDITION Chassis#: 1Z87L8S903522 Sold for USD$49,500 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Palm Beach | |
1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE PACE CAR EDITION Chassis#: 1Z8748S904795 Sold for USD$38,500 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Palm Beach | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary Coupe Chassis#: 1z8748s424212 Sold for USD$22,000 2024 Mecum : Houston | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition Coupe Chassis#: 1z87l8s906443 Sold for USD$40,700 2024 Mecum : Houston | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe Chassis#: 1z87l8s416608 Sold for USD$9,350 2024 Mecum : Houston | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary Chassis#: 1z8748s409624 Sold for USD$11,000 2024 Mecum : Houston |
Chevrolet Corvette C3s That Failed To Sell At Auction
1978 Chevrolet Corvette C3's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition Coupe | 1z8748s903733 | 2024 Mecum : Harrisburg | $38,000 | ||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Limited Edition Pace Car Replica | 1Z87L8S903583 | 2024 RM Sothebys : Dare to Dream Online | $30,000 | $40,000 | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary Coupe | 1z87l8s436677 | 2024 Mecum : Indy | $15,000 | ||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary Coupe | 1z8748s409631 | 2024 Mecum : Indy | $25,000 | $35,000 | |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition Coupe | 1z87l8s902475 | 2024 Mecum : Houston | $23,000 | $35,000 | $45,000 |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition Coupe | 1z87l8s903799 | 2024 Mecum : Houston | $35,000 | ||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition | 1z87l8s906443 | 2024 Mecum : Glendale | |||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition Coupe | 1z87l8s905734 | 2024 Mecum : Glendale | $27,000 | ||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition | 1z87l8s902494 | 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | $14,000 | ||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition | 1z87l8s903932 | 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | $21,000 | ||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition | 1z8748s904586 | 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | $40,000 | ||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition Coupe | 1z87l8s902554 | 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | $22,000 | ||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe | 1z8748s404158 | 2023 Mecum : Kansas City | $13,000 | ||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary Coupe | 1z8748s421897 | 2023 Mecum : 2023 Monterey | $13,500 | ||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary | 1z8748s408916 | 2023 Mecum : Indy | $30,000 | $50,000 | $60,000 |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary Coupe | 1z87l8s430378 | 2023 Mecum : Indy | $35,000 | ||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary Coupe | 1z8748s434199 | 2023 Mecum : Indy | $16,000 | ||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette | 2023 Spring Carlisle | ||||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition | 2022 Mecum : Kansas City | $13,000 | |||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Coupe | 2022 Mecum : Dallas | $19,000 | |||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition | 2022 Mecum : Harrisburg | $55,000 | |||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Indy Pace Car | 1Z87L8S904739 | 2022 GAA : July 2022 | $16,500 | ||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary | 2022 Mecum Indy | $17,000 | |||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe | 2022 Mecum Indy | ||||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette L82 Anniver | 2022 Carlisle Auctions : Spring Carlisle | ||||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition | 2022 Mecum : Glendale | $22,000 | |||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe | 2022 Mecum : Kissimmee | $22,000 | |||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary | 2022 Mecum : Kissimmee | $40,000 | |||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Edition | 2021 Mecum : Chattanooga | ||||
1978 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe | 2021 Mecum : Las Vegas | $23,000 |
Vehicles With Comparable Market Values
Similar sales to the $21,496 range.
2008 Ford Mustang GT 'Bullitt Edition' Coupe Chassis#:1ZVHT82H385181845 Sold for $21,660 2024 Worldwide Auctioneers : Auburn Auction | |
1956 Chevrolet 210 Sedan Chassis#:b56t080840 Sold for $21,450 2024 Mecum : Harrisburg | |
1972 Volvo 1800ES Station Wagon Chassis#:1836363001854 Sold for $21,450 2024 Mecum : Harrisburg | |
1952 GMC Custom Pickup Chassis#:10222p38106 Sold for $21,450 2024 Mecum : Harrisburg | |
2003 Mercury Marauder Chassis#:2mehm75v23x705343 Sold for $21,450 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1935 Ford Custom Pickup Chassis#:181580125 Sold for $21,450 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1949 Willys-Overland 4×4 Wagon Chassis#:46383591Z Sold for $21,660 2024 Worldwide Auctioneers : Enthusiast Auction | |
1968 CHEVROLET C10 CUSTOM PICKUP Chassis#:CS148B108875 Sold for $21,450 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Palm Beach | |
1964 GMC C2500 CUSTOM TRUCK Chassis#:12503PF1187B Sold for $21,450 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Palm Beach | |
1999 Chevrolet S10 Xtreme Pickup Chassis#:1gccs1445x8186334 Sold for $21,450 2024 Mecum : Houston | |
1979 Toyota FJ-43 Land Cruiser Chassis#:fj4354422 Sold for $21,450 2024 Mecum : Houston | |
1967 Kaiser Jeepster Commando Chassis#:8705f1711579 Sold for $21,450 2024 Mecum : Houston | |
1976 Ford F150 Pickup Chassis#:f14yrb82905 Sold for $21,450 2024 Mecum : Glendale | |
1957 Chevrolet 210 Wagon Chassis#:b57s250530 Sold for $21,450 2024 Mecum : Glendale | |
2002 CHEVROLET CAMARO Z/28 CONVERTIBLE Chassis#:2G1FP32G322112237 Sold for $21,450 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
1967 VOLKSWAGEN KARMANN GHIA Chassis#:147528851 Sold for $21,450 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
1985 VOLKSWAGEN VANAGON WESTFALIA Chassis#:WV2ZB0258FH057388 Sold for $21,450 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
1972 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER FJ40 Chassis#:FJ40127616 Sold for $21,450 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
2004 Mercedes-Benz SL600 AMG Convertible Chassis#:wdbsk76f34f075350 Sold for $21,450 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
1997 Ford F250 XLT Pickup Chassis#:1fthw26g0veb53828 Sold for $21,450 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee |
1978 Chevrolet Corvette C3
• Additional valuation insight and sales data• History
• Specifications
• Image gallery
• Other Chevrolet Corvette C3 model years