Used 1978 Chevrolet Corvette for sale in Fort Worth, TX

With all the talk of investment-grade 1978 Chevrolet Corvette L-82 Pace Cars, it's intimidating to think about buying one of those 0-mile artifacts and driving it on the road. But that's completely overlooking the fact that they're great drivers, and the handsome silver and black paint scheme is one of the better-looking Corvette pace cars of all time. If you've always wanted one but find that the low-mileage examples are always priced out of reach, or just would like to have one to occasionally drive and enjoy without sinking the value, here's the answer.

This particular '78 Pace Car is a beautifully presented, impeccably preserved survivor quality car, showing only a miniscule 13,318 original miles on the clock. Compared to most museum-grade pace cars, that's a bit of driving, but that's still a fraction of most '70s 'Vettes on the market. As a result, it's in very condition throughout, and is 100% original, which is obviously important to Corvette fans. The finish shows some signs of age accrued through the years, but nothing major in anyway, just the usual swirl marks and light scratches acquired from past car washes and Saturday morning wipe-downs. For a late '70s GM paint job it has held up incredibly well - and a high-end buff-and-wax job would restore a lot of old glory - but if you're like us, you like the idea of a car that hasn't been messed with because you know there are no surprises waiting under the paint. The fiberglass is in great shape and as a pace car, it got the full treatment: hood accents, door decals, and the red pinstripe around the perimeter. The two-tone black-on-silver finish is instantly recognizable, punctuated by the T-tops, ground effects, and ducktail spoiler that are all in great shape too. Gaps are factory set, the lines are laser straight, and the stance is exactly like it would've looked on the racetrack in 1978. Man, this is an impressive survivor.

The silver leather interior was a trademark of Bill Mitchell's design, and the all-original cabin looks fantastic in this two-tone Corvette. It's fairly obvious from the mileage that much time hasn't been spent on the Pace Car-specific leather seats, and there's no question that everything is as it was when it was installed in 1978. There are no big creases, no real wear to speak of, and hardly a wrinkle in the leather that wasn't there when the cow was wearing it. Heck, even the original carpets are in great shape, show only slight fading that's to be expected after almost 45 years. Pace Cars were loaded, too, and this one has just about every option Chevy could throw at a Corvette: rarely removed T-tops, power windows, rear defogger, air conditioning, sport mirrors, tilt/telescope steering wheel, power door locks, and an AM/FM stereo with an accompanying CB radio option. It even still smells like a new car a little inside, and with a 4-speed manual gearbox beckoning the driver from the center console, this baby can still match up with the big boys on the street.

The engine is a great-running, numbers-matching 350 V8 L82, which was the top motor in 1978. A lifetime in a warm climate is to thank for the awesome original condition of the engine and undercarriage, and there's no sign of rust or damage anywhere you look. Wearing a coat of blue engine paint, the small block V8 is nicely detailed with finned valve covers and the L82-specific twin-snorkel air cleaner. An Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor - an upgrade over the wheezy old Rochester this Corvette was born with - but despite that everything else is pretty much 100% stock. The transmission is a quick-shifting 4-speed manual, and the chassis is super-clean and shows no signs of winter use. Power steering helps flick the lightweight car in and out of the corners with ease, and power 4-wheel discs help it stop on a dime. Wheels are the slotted aluminum units that were standard equipment on Pace Cars, wearing a set of fat 255/60/15 BFGoodrich T/A white-letter radials.

With great power and smashing good looks, these cars attract a lot of attention wherever they go. In this day and age, it's kind of refreshing to see one of these Pace Cars with great investment potential that can still be driven and enjoyed. Take this 13k mile example home and find out what great cars these really are. Call now!