1978 Chevrolet Corvette

L82 Coupe

350

Manual Four Speed

1Z8748S429742

Clear

Gasoline

This auction is for a 1978 L82 Corvette coupe with a factory close ratio manual four speed transmission. The car has glossy original black paint with an outstanding oyster interior. All of the rubber weather stripping is in good shape as well. The odometer reads 56,000 miles, which we believe to be the actual mileage. Its equipped with a 3.70:1 rear axle ratio, gymkhana suspension, glass t-tops, tilt-telescopic steering column, air conditioning, power windows, power door locks, AM/FM stereo radio w/8-track tape player, power antenna & rear window defogger. The Corvette came to my son & I as a non-running barn find. After getting it home, we found that all of the original L82 engine parts were bolted to a tired old 327 engine block. Since its real easy to over-rev an engine with a four-speed, we concluded that someone had probably put a rod through the original block then tried to get it running again on the cheap. Thankfully they gave up about half way through the project; the reason it sat in the barn for years until we came along to rescue it! Ive been wrenching on Corvettes since the late 60s. My favorite was a 64 coupe with a 365 HP engine and a four speed. Needless to say it was super fast! But one of the coolest things about the car was the distinctive idle lope from the Duntov cam. So keeping old-school in the back of our minds, we completely rebuilt a replacement 350 engine using new .040 over flat top pistons, new bearings, new double roller timing chain, high-volume & high pressure oil pump. Then we added that 64 Corvette touch by installing a Nostalgia Plus 30-30 Comp cam; which is an updated design of the old Duntov cam. The result is excellent throttle response along with that signature 30-30 idle lope. Incidentally, all of the original L82 bolt-on parts are on the new engine as well, including the refurbished L82 heads (2.02 valves), intake manifold, exhaust manifolds & smog equipment. To assure reliability the car also has a new flywheel, clutch & pressure plate, plus a factory rebuilt Quadrajet. The replacement block is from GM, so theres no numbers stamped on the front I.D. pad. Total mileage on the new engine is less than 100 milesso you cant get crazy until its fully broken in! All the gages work properly & the car tracks straight as an arrow; plus all of the badges are on the L82. But, as with any 35 year old car there are a few issues. The A/C doesnt work and there are a few scrapes in the front bumper (which can be easily repaired), and theres some blemishes in the paint; it looks like something dripped on the car while it was stored in the barn. Theres also some small chips on the drivers door edges (see photos for worst conditions) However, there are no body cracks or frame rust. The smog pump is missing, along with the spare tire carrier. The two front tires could use replacing, as well as the drivers side torque arm bushing, However, the Corvette shows every sign that the 56,000 miles shown on the odometer is indeed correct for the car, as the chassis is impressively clean and grease free, the original exhaust system is still very tight, clean & rust free. The factory engine bay paint is in outstanding condition (only soap & water made it look great). The rubber between the transverse leaf spring shows no signs of deterioration, and theres only minimal wear on the seats, pedal pads, and drivers floor carpet pad; all of which are indicators of a low mileage car. Someone may well ask, why are we selling this car anyway? Well, it seems like were hooked on a classic car hobby; accordingly we need the funds to complete two other projects. If nothing else, it keeps a retired guy busy! So if anyone is looking for an outstanding L82 Corvette, with the rare factory close ratio four-speed option (only 3385 were so equipped in 78), then this one is well worth owning. Just so nobody has to guess, weve set the reserve price at a conservative $6000. Thanks for checking out our auction! · The winning bidder is required to pay a $500 deposit through payPal within 48 hours of auctions end. Remainder of payment is to be paid through a certified Cashiers Check within 7 days of auctions end. The high bidder is responsible to arrange for transportation of this car. We will be glad to coordinate with your shipper. Thanks! · Please dont assume that you are bidding on anything that is not specifically mentioned in the description, or shown in the photographs of this auction.