We’ve seen a few examples of the 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Indy Pace Car over the years here at Barn Finds, and they tend to be divided into two distinct categories. Some are amazingly well preserved low-mileage vehicles, while others look like they have lived life hard and fast. Our feature car falls into the former category for an excellent reason. One glance at the odometer reveals that this classic has accumulated a mere 75 genuine miles throughout its life. The time has come for it to head to a new home, so the owner has listed it for sale here on eBay. The Corvette is located in Fort Worth, Texas, and the owner has set a BIN of $41,995. He also has left the option available for interested parties to make an offer.

With the Corvette being chosen as the official Pace Car for the 1978 Indianapolis 500, the company decided to leverage this honor by producing a limited edition replica that buyers could park in their driveway. Their original intention was to build a mere 2,500 examples, but there was a backlash from dealers who realized that they might not receive a car. Therefore, the build total eventually swelled to 6,502 vehicles. That represented 16% of total Corvette sales for that model year, which didn’t make it as rare as Chevrolet originally intended. A proportion of these cars were snapped up by individuals who speculated that they would appreciate in value if they remained well-preserved. I suspect that this is one of those cars, and the odometer reading reinforces that. It is presented in its original combination of Black and Silver. Chevrolet supplied the cars with a decal kit that buyers could apply that included all of the signage worn by the genuine Indy Pace Cars. Some buyers chose to transform their purchases into mobile billboards, while some, like this owner, didn’t. It isn’t clear whether the decals are included with this car, but you have to hope that they are at the BIN price. The paint has some swirls in it but no chips or significant marks. The owner believes that the swirls could be buffed out to return the car to a factory-fresh state, but that will be something for the buyer to investigate. The car’s underside reveals no rust issues, although many of the suspension components and the exhaust do wear surface corrosion. The alloy wheels are free from oxidization, and they are wrapped in their original Goodyear tires. The distinctive spoilers are in good order, and the glass looks flawless.

Buyers could order their Pace Car with two versions of Chevrolet’s venerable 350ci V8. This car features the L48 version, which should be producing 185hp. It is also equipped with a 3-speed automatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. Point this Corvette at a ¼ mile, and the journey would be over in 17.1 seconds. That didn’t make it a fire-breathing monster, but its saving grace was that years of ongoing development had transformed the C3 Corvette from something hard-edged to a car that was altogether smoother and more refined. Some buyers decried this change, but for others, it was welcomed with open arms. The engine bay of this car presents as well as you might expect given its lack of use. It is flawless and unmolested, right down to the last belt, hose, and clamp. All of the factory markings are intact, giving the engine bay an as-new appearance. It isn’t clear whether the ‘Vette runs or drives or whether it is roadworthy. It seems that potential buyers will have a few questions to ask the seller.

The owner has removed some of the more minor protective plastic covers inside the Corvette, but it still looks like it has just rolled off the production line. Under the plastic covers, the silver leather upholstery on the seats looks brand new. The same is true of every other piece of upholstery, plastic, the dash, and the carpet. The Indy Pace Car came nicely equipped from the factory, and this one retains all of those features. They include air conditioning, power windows, power locks, a rear defogger, a leather-wrapped tilt/telescopic wheel, and an AM/FM radio/8-track player.

This 1978 Corvette Pace Car is a fantastic survivor. We’ve seen a few over the years with similar odometer readings, which leads us to a pertinent question: What would I do with it if I were to buy it? That’s a question that I can’t answer with any degree of certainty. There’s no doubt that if driven carefully, it could retain its overall condition and good looks, but part of its inherent value rests in the double-digit odometer reading. With cars of this type, every extra mile has the potential to impact their value negatively. Classics like this were designed to be driven and enjoyed, but at what cost? Do you think this Corvette’s destiny rests on our roads, or is it going to spend its days in a motor museum somewhere?