1978 was the year that Chevy celebrated the 25th anniversary of their all-American sports car, the Corvette. While all Corvettes that year came with 25th anniversary badging, they were not all 25th Anniversary Special Editions. So as to not confuse readers, the seller’s car is not a 25th special edition, just a regular Corvette from 1978 that wore 25h anniversary identification. The one appears to have been off the road for the last two or three years and will need some TLC. It’s located in Derwood, Maryland, and available here on craigslist for $8,500. Thanks for the tip, Jay L.!
Silver anniversaries only come along once, and they don’t happen that often for a particular nameplate. Chevy was all-in for making the Corvette’s 25th special by rolling out a re-designed body with new fastback styling. Every one of the 46,776 Corvettes made for 1978 came with 25th-anniversary doodads, while 15,283 of them (about one-third) were Special Anniversary Edition models that had a unique two-tone paint job in Charcoal Silver and Silver Metallic. Corvettes came with a 350 cubic inch V-8, whose tuning depended on what part of the country the car was destined for. The L48, like the one in the seller’s car, was good for 185 hp net with its 4-barrel carburetor. A 1978 Corvette paced the Indianapolis 500 that year, with its own trim that spawned another series of special editions. Thanks, Corvette Museum, for qualifying the 25th-anniversary cars.
The seller qualifies his 1978 Corvette as being in fair condition, but we don’t exactly know why. The silver over smoke grey paint on the body looks good, although many of the photos provided are from inside a dark garage. The dark blue leather interior looks pretty well worn but not worn out for its reported 65,000 miles. The ‘Vette has a Turbo-Hydramatic to handle the shifting of the gears. The seller says the car runs well, although it’s been sitting awhile. At a minimum, a tune-up and some brake work will be in the cards.
If you stick with “fair” as the condition of the Corvette, the seller’s price is a bit high. In good condition, Hagerty says a ’78 ‘Vette is worth about $9-10,000 as this generation of the car is plentiful in supply and not commanding the big bucks its 1960s predecessors do. A few more details on what the seller means by the car “needing TLC” would be helpful in determining if this is a good buy or a goodbye. But don’t mistake it for the official 25th Anniversary model.
Looks like a 25th Anniversary model to me. It’s true that all ’78s had the 25th emblems but the Anniversary and Pace cars were the only ones with two-tone paint. If this isn’t an Anniversary, someone painted it like one and even added the correct-looking striping. The trim tag should tell the story.
I agree, it looks like a 78 Silver Anniversary to me too (and not a Special Anniversary Edition or Anniversary Special Edition, as the author called it). The 1978 RPO B2Z 25th Anniversary paint option included the special silver over charcoal gray two-tone paint, aluminum wheels, painted sport mirrors, and special pinstriping on the fender tops, mirrors and hood. Though it’s hard to see in the sellers poor pictures if the charcoal paint stripe is on the hood, the rest of the Anniversary edition pieces are present.
The seller says it’s a Silver Anniversary edition, and it appears to be one, so I’d like to know why the Barn Finds writer claims it isn’t?
I have a 80……if affordable
I don’t mind to nestle with the other one,………..
I think his price is a little high. Boring L48 auto. If this was an L82 four speed with red or mahogany leather I would be all.over it. I passed on a similar car 5 years ago. The seller refused my $16,000 for a perfect legit Silver Annversary L82 4 speed with 30,000 summer only miles. All paperwork. He wanted $17,000. His loss. I ended up buying a 73 coupe for $10,000. Better looking with rear chrome bumpers and no single exhaust.
Just saw your post from 2020. We have 2 tone anniversary special with oyster white interior L82 4 speed we are looking to sell if interested. We are in NC
Poor sick things. They were all pretty enough but a bit on the slow side. Fortunately,we now have plenty of options to make them better. They don’t ALL have to be unmolested survivors.
Funny, i picked up a 79 all tricked out with edelbrock heads (stock short block, every thing else performance, 360hp). Torque converter, full manual valve body, 4.11s poliurethane bushings and everything went thru for a little over 7grand. I have no clue why you insists a car this medicore and cheap should be kept factory stock even when equipped with the least desirable trim
I had a ’78 silver ann in ’92. Traded it for my ’82 Harley Sturgis I couldnt sell for $7500. It was a dog. That silver paint oxidized so felt like sand paper on the hood. Thank God someone stole the wheels, t-tops & some inside parts while parked at my dads welding shop, the only house on an industrial street & ins. gave me $9900.
And now your Insurance Agent would like a word with you.
Sure enough looks like a genuine B2Z 1978 Corvette to me but if a genuine window sticker, build sheet is available or a tank sticker that would clear things up, rather crappy pictures makes it hard to assess the cars condition. It needs a personal inspection.
almost 38% of the 78 corvettes had the B2Z option. Beautiful car but it’s nothing special.
caution pictures are not accurate. pictures of a car may look good but in person the flaws jump right out and the opposite is also true. this is a picture of my 78 Silver Anniversary which had just come out of paint booth. The car looks nice in the picture but is absolutely gorgeous when viewed.