When it comes to the question of limited edition classics, some vehicles are more limited than others. Take the 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Indy Pace Car as a case in point. The company had intended to produce a mere 2,500 examples of this classic. However, they felt that dealerships would become upset if they were to miss out on receiving one to park in their showroom. So eventually, 6,502 Pace Cars rolled off the production line. Our feature car is one of these vehicles and is in excellent condition for its age. It has a genuine 46,000 miles on the clock and is ready to be enjoyed by a lucky new owner. It is located in Goffstown, New Hampshire, and has been listed for sale here on Craigslist. The owner has set a sale price of $12,400 for this survivor but may be interested in trades for the right vehicle. I want to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Pat L for spotting this Corvette for us.

The 1978 Corvette Indy Pace Car is easy to spot in its iconic Black and Silver paint combination. The owner makes no mention of previous restoration work, so we should probably take it as read that the paint is original to this vehicle. This car is in excellent condition for its age, shining impressively. There are no significant flaws or issues with the paint, while the fiberglass beneath is also excellent. The alloy wheels are starting to show some signs of tarnishing and would benefit from some work with a high-quality polish. The owner doesn’t mention any issues with rust on the frame or birdcage, and there are no obvious signs of corrosion visible anywhere else on the vehicle. The plastic trim is in excellent condition for a car of this age, while I can’t see any problems with the glass. Overall, this Corvette makes a very positive first impression.

Lifting the hood on this Corvette reveals its numbers-matching L48 version of the 350ci V8 that should be producing 185hp. The car also comes equipped with a three-speed automatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. The overall performance of the C3 Corvette had been significantly hampered by tightening emission regulations over the past five years or so. However, this vehicle should still be capable of covering the ¼ mile in around 17.1 seconds. That number may not seem impressive by today’s standards, but it was about as good as it got in 1978. When the seller found this vehicle, it had been in storage for a considerable length of time. He worked through the process of reviving it and has sunk quite a bit of money into it returning it to a roadworthy state. He has replaced the original carburetor and air cleaner with products from the good people at Edelbrock, but the originals are included in the sale. He has also done considerable work on the suspension and brakes, and the car now runs and drives in an as-new state. The previous owner treated this engine to a rebuild. Given that these engines are notoriously long-lived, it should offer its next owner years of reliable and enjoyable motoring. The owner claims that this Corvette has 46,000 genuine miles on the clock, but he doesn’t indicate whether he holds verifying evidence.

It’s a shame that this owner doesn’t supply any interior shots of this Corvette because it is another area where he has spent considerable money recently. He has treated the seats to new covers in Gray leather, while the floors wear a new carpet set. The air conditioning has recently been recharged, and it now blows ice cold. The impression that the seller provides is that this interior presents extremely well. As well as air conditioning, the buyer will find themselves in a vehicle that includes power windows, power locks, a power antenna, a tilt/telescopic wheel, a rear defogger, an AM/FM radio and 8-track player, and a removable glass T-Top.

With 6,502 examples produced, the ’78 Indy Pace Car represents around 14% of all Corvette sales for that model year. This one is a low-mileage driver-quality survivor and is ready to be enjoyed immediately by its next owner. Values for these vehicles haven’t gone through the roof, but they have been stable for the last couple of years. We have seen various examples here at Barn Finds, and their conditions have ranged from the stunning to the pretty awful. This one looks like a good one, and the asking price seems highly competitive. It has only been on the market a short time, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this car finds a new home very quickly. If you are interested, you may have to act sooner rather than later.