My Father bought a brand new one in 1978. His came without the decals applied, and he kept them in their box, all rolled up, for when he would eventually sell it. At the time, it was an impressive ride. I was 11 years old, so I never did drive it, but I backed it out of the garage once, which was scary to me!
Passed down to a dumbass nephew because it was his favourite car, then said nephew, who was a smoker and drinker and had no money, left it outside for 6 years in front of his apartment and let his friends borrow it, who left the windows open during rain storms, then someone drove over a median, ripping the chassis to shreds, etc. It'll be some story like this. Someone ended up with it who was a broke-ass loser.
I can at least understand it with an ordinary car that will never be worth anything. But if you know you have something special and can't care for it properly, why not sell it to someone who can?
Dutch 🇳🇱 here. My brother in law bought an original one in Germany in about 1993 to fix it and drive it with my sister. We took it apart and he bought many parts new in the USA. I that time it was 2,5 Guilders for one Dollar. So, very expensive for him. Several years later my sister dead (40) and he did not want to proceed the restoration. It stood for all those years in our ( my father's) big shed. Two years ago he sold it to a nephew (15) from my son but not on his name. That is not possible because he has no driving license ( must be 18). The German car papers are with the car. Half of the parts are picked up by a friend of his dad and the rest is still in my late father's shed. Original engine and everything. I will pick up the other parts time by time so that all will be together again so that the oy can rebuild the car. I now live in Belgium and the car parts are still in the Netherlands.i go there in two weeks. Engine, chassis, Interior, wheels, carosserie, gearbox, etc is still in there. He is complet but in two countries. Sad story but he did not want the car anymore without my sister. My brother in law ( officially not anymore but for me he still is) still has several small Corvettes in a showcase cabinet. Regards from Belgium
Greetings from the USA. So sad about your sister dying at only 40 years old. I understand why your brother in law could not continue the project. Best wishes, my friend.
@MrTruckerf yes, that was a sad time. She worked at the plants department from home improvement shop chain Praxis and she did volunteering work at her son's baseball club. During the funeral, the children from that club made a row on both sides from the path where the 8 carriers with the coffin and we family walked. The children holded the flower booklets. So, like a long honor row. There were 250 people and it were so many, that they did not fit into the condolences building. So yeah, my brother in law had no joy in restoring the car and sold it to my sons older nephew. She did not drink or smoke and worked with plants and the still dying from cancer. And I was a welder and weld inspector and thus inhaling lots of gasses. I get chicken skin when I write about my sister. After experiencing such events, I understand why people don't want to speak about it. My son and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Belgium Ardennes ( Battle of the Bulge area). There is snow now. Today I drive to the Netherlands to my family ( brother in law, pre war mother, my sons mother and friends)for these holidays. 300 km, 3 hour drive.
I worked at a Chevy dealership in 1978. There was a lot of excitement as we were to get a pace car and a silver anniversary Corvette. The dealership didnt sell many Corvettes so this was something to really look forward to. The cars arrived. What I recall is that both were ho hum L 48s. Both looked a little rough. The pace car didnt have the decals on the doors. They were in the interior to be applied by the dealer. The paint was rough and the body shop had to respray an area next to the door latch on the drivers side. Then it was buffed out. The paint just seemed to be a liitle dull as delivered. Even the rear spoiler did not seem to fit properly. The Silver Anniversary car was worse! First of all it was a little confusing because we all watched it get unloaded from the car carrier. It was just a silver Corvette with paint that wasnt as shiny as any of the other 4 door Caprices, Malibus, Monte Carlos and Chevettes or pickups for that matter that the dealer sold regularly. Again the body shop had to prep the car. The darker silver gray two tone was painted with the masking guide provided by Chevrolet. It too had to be buffed out. In both cars the doors did not close well and again the body shop had to do a lot of adjusting. The body shop had to work with the front spoilers on both cars. The dealership wanted to use both cars to promotion and was dissapointed in their delivery. Both cars were placed on the showroom floor. What was amazing is that the dealership sold both cars for more than the sticker price.
I'd always wondered what that "dealer prep" item on the window sticker meant, then I went car shopping with my parents and saw a Malibu ('74 or '75) that had just arrived with its doors drooping and the salesman described how they had to fix all the goofs that got past the inspectors. Later I noticed that the trim on Datsuns always looked like the work of a grade-school student, and was told that the cars came off the boats without it. It all seemed like an embarrassment; I hope cars arrive in better shape than that today.
_I was 20 years old in '78(having already owned two C3's: a '74 coupe, and a '75 convertible). I remember when these 1978 Corvette Pace cars were bringing two and three times the original MSRP sticker price. (My buddy's Dad had purchased three, sold two, and kept one. I'd imagine if it's still around today, the car is probably moth-balled, still in bubble wrap and worth a ton of cash). Kind of sad someone let this car get to this point. But yes, the best you can do for the car is part it out letting it live on in other 1978 Corvette Pace cars. Great video Ben as always!_
I was 10 in 1978. I was in love with Corvettes and the Pace Car in particular. My parents were separated and my dad would pick me and my sisters up every Friday, drive us down to his house (about 45 miles away) and then bring us home every Sunday evening. The ride took us past a Chevy dealer in a town called Harrisonville and on their show room floor was a new Pace Car. I would always tell my dad how cool I thought it was. One Friday he pulled in and we went in and looked at it. I thought a car couldn't get any cooler than that. The year wore on and in around Sept. of that year my parents divorce became final. Probably 2 to 3 weeks later we went for our weekly visit and when the garage door opened so my dad could put the car away, there on the normally empty side sat that Pace Car. I hadn't even noticed it wasn't at the dealer anymore. I remember the totally cool silver leather interior, the tinted T-tops and looking out over the awesome front fenders. According to what my dad told me years later, the dealership was having a hard time moving the car because Chevy had made so many. And this lowly example was an L48. He ended up hating the car. The performance was really lackluster. The next year he bought a 10th Anniversary Trans Am with a 400/4 speed and it would run circles around the Vette. Of course he was no mechanic so probably a little tuning would have gone a long way on the Vette but instead it set in the garage at his now new home (he had to sell the 530 acre farm he owned with my mom). The Corvette accumulated about 10k miles on it before he finally sold it in 1985. I never knew that the Pace Cars were selling above MSRP. Maybe his was the exception for any number of reasons or possibly he just lied as he was always doing that about money.
These never really peaked like most thought they would. Malcom Konner had one sitting in his dealership forever. Also, quality control at GM at this time wasn’t great. When you see one of the no mile cars in person the fit/finish, overspray and orange peel is just awful.
@@KathiJordan _Actually the '78 Pace car did have investment quality. (This is why the 1979 Corvettes ended up selling so well, 53,807 units). This and the Silver Anniversary edition 78s were a hot commodity for several years thereafter, (I know this because I lived through it). Was the quality of these cars inferior? Absolutely. Yet they were coveted and had enormous investment potential (and still are highly valuable today in condition 1 or 2)._
Really knew salesman from 1930s. Chevy dealer on showroom floor locked he let us dit in car after taking off shoes on still plastic covers. And stickers..for all I know the family still got it runs but brakes none
They’re not worth as much as you think. A friend of mine has one he bought new with less than 15,000 miles that he’s always kept garaged and covered. It’s worth maybe 20 to 25k tops. And that’s with a 4 speed manual.
I remember seeing one when I was 10 in 1985 at my friends apartment complex. It was a left outside daily driver, deteriorating. It probably ended up junked within ten years.
I had the worst 1982 Camaro Z28 Indy Pace Car. I bought it in bad shape in 1992 and daily drove it for four years before a collector asked to buy it in 1996. He restored it to new.
thanks for the video! sad to see the rare car in this condition. I can only think how someone comes to the car with the interior spray paint, paint the rear trim with window and think - yes it is good enough.
The L82 was good motor, its horsepower was low and varied but you had a good foundation with the 350 4 blot block, forged crank and rods and all you had to do was change the cam, swap the heads with a set of earlier small chamber double humps or aftermarket aluminum to bump up the compression and almost double the horsepower...
Ben, contact your local PD….or the closest PD that has a stolen auto investigator and have them check the “hidden” VIN number on the frame. ( all frames on American made cars have a secondary vin on the frame. ) If…..IF….it comes back to a stolen vehicle, you’re about to ruin the wise guy that sold it to you’s day !!
Ben, that block is a '74 or older; that was the last year for the wider alpha code area on the fwd part of the passenger side deck that is not covered by the installed cylinder head
If someone can bring it back to a state where someone can restore it completely afterward it’s you Ben! The challenge if you chose to accept it would be to bring it back using only parts that are in your own backyard. Of course if you find a good donor as you often do, that would be acceptable on this long term project, I can foresee a lot of video’s on a lot of topics, the goal would be to find the more efficient and cost effective way to fix the problems until the car is safe and roadworthy, then it could be put up for sale. 😊
You mention rusty doors, which could give you an idea on how rusty the bird cage might be and, that's another time consuming thing to fix. You're right, fixing it correctly would become an enormous money pit just to fix all the "bubba". Might as well cut your losses short and get what you can out of it in parts. That would be the logical thing to do in my opinion. Again, great video and keep up the great work!!
Id part it out Ben. Sadly I think it’s been too bubbadized and without the original power train it’s not worth the effort. The parts would be better used in really nice cars that need them.
We bought a new one here in Portland Or for $14k back in 1978 from a dealer who brought it up from Cali with 100 or so miles. The decal package was in the hatch are in a bag. Other than that it was no different than any other C3 at any dealer anywhere, just decals. Motor was an L82 smogger and the generic Turbo 350 trans. We used it for a few months, stuffed it full of contraband and sent it to Saudi Arabia to a Prince who wanted the contraband Amazing how much stuff u can hide with a few false panels and such..
Sad to see one in such poor condition. Fortunately my 78 silver anniversary is looking & running great. I appreciate the parts you sold me for it. Thx…
My dad bought a silver anniversary in 78 when I was four. I still have the brochures from the dealer and model car the dealer used to give to people who bought one. He had it for about 1-1/2 years and traded it for a bandit trans am in late 79.
I followed your videos on the 56 Cadillac back in the days when you lived in the city. You mentioned that you were going to install the autronic eye. Now you are busy with the Corvette business and do not have time for the old Caddy. Still waiting for the 'Autronic eye installation video "Any hope it will come. Merry Christmas.
My best friend in High School had this Car New!!!He had a Daytona Front end and a wild Rear Spoiler!🇺🇸💰,Black Inkey Wheels,Sony System,With 2- 12 inch Wolfs in rear Baddest C-3 on Campus,TCU
In the early 2010s I worked at a dealership and one of these came in that was all original. From the tires to the windows sticker still on the window. It had 23 miles on it.
Some people frame swap or non original motors dont bother them as much. Maybe they'll act like it does to get price down lol. But i understand how it would hurt value. Especially if they way they did it is bubba central . As far as engine i thought on the engine suffix code pad long ones were 77 and under short was 78 and up. But atleast it has orig body.
I just recently seen a real 78 pace car with the decals on it on Richard Rawlings that is in mint condition with only 300 hundred miles on it it is all original and in perfect condition
Ben, you look at the car for what it is not. I look at it for what it is. That Corvette has been so modified that it is an ideal, no guilt, pace car restomod. I'm thinking hot rod sbc swap (the '82 Corvette engine is a dog, I own one) or LS swap. Keep the 700R4 or a 4L60E to go with a LS. Better still, convert it to a manual with 5 speed or 6 speed. Repaint in pace car colors for the look without the 1978 mechanical content. That "could" be a cool late seventies Corvette to drive. Just my thoughts as a multiple C3 owner that recognizes the limitations of the cars in stock form. Good luck!
First off Ben, let me say how much I love your channel. As a C3 owner myself it's always a great day when you put a new video out. Most everyone seems to agree that parting it out is the way to go, and if you were looking to put together the perfect pace car I would have to agree, but on the other hand, this is exactly the kind of car you could build and modify without feeling guilty. Isn't the '82 frame an improvement over the '78? Why couldn't the engine that's in it be better than the original? That 700R4 is definitely an upgrade. With all the parts and cars you have available, you are the perfect person and have the perfect opportunity to build something really great, just possibly the fastest, best-handling, best looking '78 pace car ever. Most of us will never get to build that dream, but what if you did??
Too bad Ben about that project! It would have been a neat one to do! Even though it was an L48. Can't believe it was so butchered up over the years!! Try to find another one not so bad and use these parts to fix that one.
Yet another parts car at least you have that.if you already have the parts I’d like to see you do a makeover turn it into a decent driver do a diy paint job on the cheap.(good content) thanks John from Arizona
Parts only, cut loses if there is any, I wouldn't waste time with that one. I'm sure that a lot of people would love to have some parts off of it. You should make more money parting it out.
It very common for that year known for the doors locked having problems with broken we 78 a corvette doors locked broke one time and my dad have to get unlocked by drilling a hole under the t top and pull the t top hitch down with a metal rod
You should have got your money back, I got obviously a total crook. If you ran the frame numbers in the engine number that car might come back stolen. Hate to hear that happened to you man. God bless
Knowing me.... I'd rebuild it. But I got two to do in front of it. I got a 78 rolling frame I can use, no motor or tranny. But I do have a 388 stroker and a good th 400, and a th350 laying around the shop. I can find the interior for it. Need new wiring thru out. Fiberglass bodywork is right up my alley. New paint... decal kit, vacume system kit...it wouldn't be stock numbers matching, but it would be a blast to drive. And saving a real pace car is a good thing, even if it's a resto mod. Only problem would be getting a title for it. What you give for it if you don't mind me asking? By the way, I know where a 1973 coupe is for $1500.... if ya need info on that, let me know.
Dang! That's terrible. I'd really like to return it to it's former glory as much as possible, but could you see a return on the at much invested? Probably not which is a shame.
Part it, period. I had a '78 corvette with a swapped motor and miss it terribly. This one is just offensive. I'm glad you got it because you'll find good use for the parts. The VIN tags are just not enough to warrant any investment in time or money.
I drove one of these in pretty good shape. It was so unmodern feeling. All over the road, loud, rattling and squeaking. It seemed so unsophisticated in it's engineering. But I also drove a slightly different model with a hopped 427 and it was so different, so much better. If you need to speed, get an EV.
I was working at Chevy Dealer in 78. The pace car we were getting never made it to the dealership. It was taken off the truck outside of town and put on a trailer and delivered to someone. They had already paid for it ahead of time after hours. Never found out who got it. That is a crying shame someone butchered that vette like that. I don’t know what people were thinking. She is a parts car for sure.
Part it out. Take everything off even the light lenses and marker lights. it's worth more and someone could actually get some use from the parts. good luck
G'day, Back in 1997 I bought a 1978 Corvette from a friend of someone I knew (not a friend). He delivered it in January of that year and it took 5 people to push it into the garage. We are talking North Dakota here so there was snow and frigid temps. It was a very strange car that had been heavily modified. It was actually a semi stock bodied Camel GTO car and had never been street driven. I sold the engine to someone that was going drag racing and thought the motor would be nasty enough for his lighter car. So what to put in it. I checked the motor that had been in my 1977 Corvette and found that it had been a warranty replacement and was a date correct L82 that was complete other than the intake and ran when removed. However, sitting next to it is a for real BBC Ls7 that came out of the pro class track champion drag car that I had purchased a few years later. So which should I install. I suppose either of them could sit for another 10 years or so.
I have to say that it hurt to watch this video and see the condition of that car. I recently sold my all original numbers matching L82 manual 4 speed Pace Car with only 8000 original miles. Full documentation better than any I have ever seen. It did not fetch much in my opinion, below $50k USD. Knowing these cars well, and the fickle Corvette owner/ hobby group you will waste your money trying to do anything with it. It will always be a Frankenstein car because nothing of value is there. No original frame, motor, trans, documentation, etc. is the death of it. Not even sure if the T-Tops are M1131 code for the car. Sorry to say that there is no value throwing money at it. You need to part it out and see if you can get some money back. Start with the glass tops. If they are in good condition with no cracks you might get $1,500.
Mate, sorry you ended up with a basket case. Without trying to sound cold and heartless, if you decise to part out i would be interested in the wheels/tires. Whatever ypou decide, thanks for posting and good luck.
The crazy amount of work someone put into that pace car only to reach such a high level of crappiness is hilarious. Just imagine how much more roached out it was before they started improving it with the frame and drivetrain swap.
If it were to be fixed, I'd forget it was a pace car at one time, paint it whatever color I wanted, and do the interior in something to match, and just drive the wheels off of it. At least you wouldn't worry about messing up a collectible, that ship has sailed. Plus you'd never get out of it what you put in. Otherwise, part it out.
My Father bought a brand new one in 1978. His came without the decals applied, and he kept them in their box, all rolled up, for when he would eventually sell it. At the time, it was an impressive ride. I was 11 years old, so I never did drive it, but I backed it out of the garage once, which was scary to me!
What a sad ending to a once proud car.
I'll never understand people who let their cars go to absolute sh*t
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
Passed down to a dumbass nephew because it was his favourite car, then said nephew, who was a smoker and drinker and had no money, left it outside for 6 years in front of his apartment and let his friends borrow it, who left the windows open during rain storms, then someone drove over a median, ripping the chassis to shreds, etc. It'll be some story like this. Someone ended up with it who was a broke-ass loser.
yeah some WT drug addict loser who was in and out of jail, etc... I've come across many of those in my lifetime
He should have verified it's a pace car before buying...
I can at least understand it with an ordinary car that will never be worth anything. But if you know you have something special and can't care for it properly, why not sell it to someone who can?
Because of life, young man.
Dutch 🇳🇱 here. My brother in law bought an original one in Germany in about 1993 to fix it and drive it with my sister. We took it apart and he bought many parts new in the USA. I that time it was 2,5 Guilders for one Dollar. So, very expensive for him. Several years later my sister dead (40) and he did not want to proceed the restoration. It stood for all those years in our ( my father's) big shed. Two years ago he sold it to a nephew (15) from my son but not on his name. That is not possible because he has no driving license ( must be 18). The German car papers are with the car. Half of the parts are picked up by a friend of his dad and the rest is still in my late father's shed. Original engine and everything. I will pick up the other parts time by time so that all will be together again so that the oy can rebuild the car. I now live in Belgium and the car parts are still in the Netherlands.i go there in two weeks. Engine, chassis, Interior, wheels, carosserie, gearbox, etc is still in there. He is complet but in two countries. Sad story but he did not want the car anymore without my sister. My brother in law ( officially not anymore but for me he still is) still has several small Corvettes in a showcase cabinet. Regards from Belgium
Greetings from the USA. So sad about your sister dying at only 40 years old. I understand why your brother in law could not continue the project. Best wishes, my friend.
@MrTruckerf yes, that was a sad time. She worked at the plants department from home improvement shop chain Praxis and she did volunteering work at her son's baseball club. During the funeral, the children from that club made a row on both sides from the path where the 8 carriers with the coffin and we family walked. The children holded the flower booklets. So, like a long honor row. There were 250 people and it were so many, that they did not fit into the condolences building. So yeah, my brother in law had no joy in restoring the car and sold it to my sons older nephew. She did not drink or smoke and worked with plants and the still dying from cancer. And I was a welder and weld inspector and thus inhaling lots of gasses. I get chicken skin when I write about my sister. After experiencing such events, I understand why people don't want to speak about it.
My son and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Belgium Ardennes ( Battle of the Bulge area). There is snow now. Today I drive to the Netherlands to my family ( brother in law, pre war mother, my sons mother and friends)for these holidays. 300 km, 3 hour drive.
This is one for Disaster Detail! Thanks for sharing this one with us Ben.
Looks like a simple project to me...
Like you said; it’s a parts car. Thanks for the tour. May you make lots of money parting it out.
- Just make it a 'driver' and enjoy it...
I worked at a Chevy dealership in 1978. There was a lot of excitement as we were to get a pace car and a silver anniversary Corvette. The dealership didnt sell many Corvettes so this was something to really look forward to. The cars arrived. What I recall is that both were ho hum L 48s. Both looked a little rough. The pace car didnt have the decals on the doors. They were in the interior to be applied by the dealer. The paint was rough and the body shop had to respray an area next to the door latch on the drivers side. Then it was buffed out. The paint just seemed to be a liitle dull as delivered. Even the rear spoiler did not seem to fit properly.
The Silver Anniversary car was worse! First of all it was a little confusing because we all watched it get unloaded from the car carrier. It was just a silver Corvette with paint that wasnt as shiny as any of the other 4 door Caprices, Malibus, Monte Carlos and Chevettes or pickups for that matter that the dealer sold regularly. Again the body shop had to prep the car. The darker silver gray two tone was painted with the masking guide provided by Chevrolet. It too had to be buffed out.
In both cars the doors did not close well and again the body shop had to do a lot of adjusting. The body shop had to work with the front spoilers on both cars. The dealership wanted to use both cars to promotion and was dissapointed in their delivery. Both cars were placed on the showroom floor.
What was amazing is that the dealership sold both cars for more than the sticker price.
I'd always wondered what that "dealer prep" item on the window sticker meant, then I went car shopping with my parents and saw a Malibu ('74 or '75) that had just arrived with its doors drooping and the salesman described how they had to fix all the goofs that got past the inspectors. Later I noticed that the trim on Datsuns always looked like the work of a grade-school student, and was told that the cars came off the boats without it. It all seemed like an embarrassment; I hope cars arrive in better shape than that today.
@@pcno2832cars today are worse lol
somebody who needs pace car parts just got lucky thanks to you
I love 💕 looking at these old crusty cars reminds me of my youth frivolously wasted in local junk yards.
_I was 20 years old in '78(having already owned two C3's: a '74 coupe, and a '75 convertible). I remember when these 1978 Corvette Pace cars were bringing two and three times the original MSRP sticker price. (My buddy's Dad had purchased three, sold two, and kept one. I'd imagine if it's still around today, the car is probably moth-balled, still in bubble wrap and worth a ton of cash). Kind of sad someone let this car get to this point. But yes, the best you can do for the car is part it out letting it live on in other 1978 Corvette Pace cars. Great video Ben as always!_
I was 10 in 1978. I was in love with Corvettes and the Pace Car in particular. My parents were separated and my dad would pick me and my sisters up every Friday, drive us down to his house (about 45 miles away) and then bring us home every Sunday evening. The ride took us past a Chevy dealer in a town called Harrisonville and on their show room floor was a new Pace Car. I would always tell my dad how cool I thought it was. One Friday he pulled in and we went in and looked at it. I thought a car couldn't get any cooler than that. The year wore on and in around Sept. of that year my parents divorce became final. Probably 2 to 3 weeks later we went for our weekly visit and when the garage door opened so my dad could put the car away, there on the normally empty side sat that Pace Car. I hadn't even noticed it wasn't at the dealer anymore. I remember the totally cool silver leather interior, the tinted T-tops and looking out over the awesome front fenders. According to what my dad told me years later, the dealership was having a hard time moving the car because Chevy had made so many. And this lowly example was an L48. He ended up hating the car. The performance was really lackluster. The next year he bought a 10th Anniversary Trans Am with a 400/4 speed and it would run circles around the Vette. Of course he was no mechanic so probably a little tuning would have gone a long way on the Vette but instead it set in the garage at his now new home (he had to sell the 530 acre farm he owned with my mom). The Corvette accumulated about 10k miles on it before he finally sold it in 1985. I never knew that the Pace Cars were selling above MSRP. Maybe his was the exception for any number of reasons or possibly he just lied as he was always doing that about money.
These never really peaked like most thought they would.
Malcom Konner had one sitting in his dealership forever.
Also, quality control at GM at this time wasn’t great. When you see one of the no mile cars in person the fit/finish, overspray and orange peel is just awful.
@@KathiJordan _Actually the '78 Pace car did have investment quality. (This is why the 1979 Corvettes ended up selling so well, 53,807 units). This and the Silver Anniversary edition 78s were a hot commodity for several years thereafter, (I know this because I lived through it). Was the quality of these cars inferior? Absolutely. Yet they were coveted and had enormous investment potential (and still are highly valuable today in condition 1 or 2)._
Really knew salesman from 1930s. Chevy dealer on showroom floor locked he let us dit in car after taking off shoes on still plastic covers. And stickers..for all I know the family still got it runs but brakes none
They’re not worth as much as you think. A friend of mine has one he bought new with less than 15,000 miles that he’s always kept garaged and covered. It’s worth maybe 20 to 25k tops. And that’s with a 4 speed manual.
I'm a Mustang guy but love your channel!
78 pace vet was a very sharp machine back in the day, fix it sir 100 peace from CA
I remember seeing one when I was 10 in 1985 at my friends apartment complex. It was a left outside daily driver, deteriorating. It probably ended up junked within ten years.
Dang Ben it's a heartbreaker, hopefully you can recoup some $$$ on parts! R.I.P. 407!
I had the worst 1982 Camaro Z28 Indy Pace Car. I bought it in bad shape in 1992 and daily drove it for four years before a collector asked to buy it in 1996. He restored it to new.
This was very informative video, thank you for that!
Yeah it does have some issues, but it could make a decent driver with some work. Although the lack of paperwork would be a problem in my state.
its a fraud car needs home made title
thanks for the video! sad to see the rare car in this condition. I can only think how someone comes to the car with the interior spray paint, paint the rear trim with window and think - yes it is good enough.
Glad u bought it and not some person thinking it was legit. Parts for sure.
The L82 was good motor, its horsepower was low and varied but you had a good foundation with the 350 4 blot block, forged crank and rods and all you had to do was change the cam, swap the heads with a set of earlier small chamber double humps or aftermarket aluminum to bump up the compression and almost double the horsepower...
You have all this knowledge, bought it anyway, and want us to believe you need our input on what you should do ?
You could also just flip it. Turn it into a nice, non number's-matching driver. But it might be worth more in parts.
Ben, contact your local PD….or the closest PD that has a stolen auto investigator and have them check the “hidden” VIN number on the frame. ( all frames on American made cars have a secondary vin on the frame. )
If…..IF….it comes back to a stolen vehicle, you’re about to ruin the wise guy that sold it to you’s day !!
so so sad to see those cars so far down on their knees
Ben, that block is a '74 or older; that was the last year for the wider alpha code area on the fwd part of the passenger side deck that is not covered by the installed cylinder head
If someone can bring it back to a state where someone can restore it completely afterward it’s you Ben! The challenge if you chose to accept it would be to bring it back using only parts that are in your own backyard. Of course if you find a good donor as you often do, that would be acceptable on this long term project, I can foresee a lot of video’s on a lot of topics, the goal would be to find the more efficient and cost effective way to fix the problems until the car is safe and roadworthy, then it could be put up for sale. 😊
You mention rusty doors, which could give you an idea on how rusty the bird cage might be and, that's another time consuming thing to fix. You're right, fixing it correctly would become an enormous money pit just to fix all the "bubba". Might as well cut your losses short and get what you can out of it in parts. That would be the logical thing to do in my opinion. Again, great video and keep up the great work!!
Not sure I should say what I'm thinking.
Go On thats A Fraud Car illegal.. it should be classified as a Wrecked vehicle
The wheels look good.
Did you buy it at night during a new moon?
What were you thinking
I had a '78 Silver anniversary L82 with 5K original miles on it. Sold in in 2016. It was a beauty!
Id part it out Ben. Sadly I think it’s been too bubbadized and without the original power train it’s not worth the effort. The parts would be better used in really nice cars that need them.
Haven't seen you for a long time.
We bought a new one here in Portland Or for $14k back in 1978 from a dealer who brought it up from Cali with 100 or so miles.
The decal package was in the hatch are in a bag.
Other than that it was no different than any other C3 at any dealer anywhere, just decals. Motor was an L82 smogger and the generic Turbo 350 trans.
We used it for a few months, stuffed it full of contraband and sent it to Saudi Arabia to a Prince who wanted the contraband Amazing how much stuff u can hide with a few false panels and such..
Sad to see one in such poor condition. Fortunately my 78 silver anniversary is looking & running great. I appreciate the parts you sold me for it. Thx…
My dad bought a silver anniversary in 78 when I was four. I still have the brochures from the dealer and model car the dealer used to give to people who bought one. He had it for about 1-1/2 years and traded it for a bandit trans am in late 79.
I followed your videos on the 56 Cadillac back in the days when you lived in the city. You mentioned that you were going to install the autronic eye. Now you are busy with the Corvette business and do not have time for the old Caddy. Still waiting for the 'Autronic eye installation video "Any hope it will come. Merry Christmas.
What a beautiful car. It’s one of my favorite cars.
Your eye for detail amazes me! Such a sad outcome for the car, but it’s definitely a parts car.
My best friend in High School had this Car New!!!He had a Daytona Front end and a wild Rear Spoiler!🇺🇸💰,Black Inkey Wheels,Sony System,With 2- 12 inch Wolfs in rear Baddest C-3 on Campus,TCU
He made sure the tires are shiny!🤣🤣
Someone DID NOT deserve this car.!😖
I have to agree, it is only good for parts.
Shame about what happened to it and ruining what should have been a great Vette to restore.
In the early 2010s I worked at a dealership and one of these came in that was all original. From the tires to the windows sticker still on the window. It had 23 miles on it.
Some people frame swap or non original motors dont bother them as much. Maybe they'll act like it does to get price down lol. But i understand how it would hurt value. Especially if they way they did it is bubba central . As far as engine i thought on the engine suffix code pad long ones were 77 and under short was 78 and up. But atleast it has orig body.
I just recently seen a real 78 pace car with the decals on it on Richard Rawlings that is in mint condition with only 300 hundred miles on it it is all original and in perfect condition
Went from..he's got vin number confirmation...yayyy! everything else..oohhh yikes 😔
What’s with that 58 Chevy sitting next to it? Love your channel!☮️👍
lol yah the 58 chevy
Ben, you look at the car for what it is not. I look at it for what it is. That Corvette has been so modified that it is an ideal, no guilt, pace car restomod. I'm thinking hot rod sbc swap (the '82 Corvette engine is a dog, I own one) or LS swap. Keep the 700R4 or a 4L60E to go with a LS. Better still, convert it to a manual with 5 speed or 6 speed. Repaint in pace car colors for the look without the 1978 mechanical content. That "could" be a cool late seventies Corvette to drive. Just my thoughts as a multiple C3 owner that recognizes the limitations of the cars in stock form. Good luck!
I always like a 1978 Corvette. Especially the the pace car
Had a 78 but maroon in color. Not bad, actually came with a cb radio.
First off Ben, let me say how much I love your channel. As a C3 owner myself it's always a great day when you put a new video out. Most everyone seems to agree that parting it out is the way to go, and if you were looking to put together the perfect pace car I would have to agree, but on the other hand, this is exactly the kind of car you could build and modify without feeling guilty. Isn't the '82 frame an improvement over the '78? Why couldn't the engine that's in it be better than the original? That 700R4 is definitely an upgrade. With all the parts and cars you have available, you are the perfect person and have the perfect opportunity to build something really great, just possibly the fastest, best-handling, best looking '78 pace car ever. Most of us will never get to build that dream, but what if you did??
Too bad Ben about that project! It would have been a neat one to do! Even though it was an L48. Can't believe it was so butchered up over the years!! Try to find another one not so bad and use these parts to fix that one.
Yet another parts car at least you have that.if you already have the parts I’d like to see you do a makeover turn it into a decent driver do a diy paint job on the cheap.(good content) thanks John from Arizona
Parts only, cut loses if there is any, I wouldn't waste time with that one. I'm sure that a lot of people would love to have some parts off of it. You should make more money parting it out.
Hey, it is what it is. Good parts. 👍
The final decision is yours personally I would part it like you said you'll never get the numbers back.
Thought we did..but hey Ben, I do need some misc parts.. Fun huh😂
It very common for that year known for the doors locked having problems with broken we 78 a corvette doors locked broke one time and my dad have to get unlocked by drilling a hole under the t top and pull the t top hitch down with a metal rod
You should have got your money back, I got obviously a total crook. If you ran the frame numbers in the engine number that car might come back stolen. Hate to hear that happened to you man. God bless
How's the birdcage? Not that it matters
Knowing me.... I'd rebuild it. But I got two to do in front of it. I got a 78 rolling frame I can use, no motor or tranny. But I do have a 388 stroker and a good th 400, and a th350 laying around the shop. I can find the interior for it. Need new wiring thru out. Fiberglass bodywork is right up my alley. New paint... decal kit, vacume system kit...it wouldn't be stock numbers matching, but it would be a blast to drive. And saving a real pace car is a good thing, even if it's a resto mod. Only problem would be getting a title for it. What you give for it if you don't mind me asking? By the way, I know where a 1973 coupe is for $1500.... if ya need info on that, let me know.
Back in the 90s my cousin had a 1980 turbo trans am pace car. His mom was the original owner.
You might buy a Crocket Ferrari Daytona Replica basing on C3
Good call, a shame it was destroyed..
Dang! That's terrible. I'd really like to return it to it's former glory as much as possible, but could you see a return on the at much invested? Probably not which is a shame.
Sorry Ben, hope you didn't pay much for this junk
It was for sale for $5500. I’d say he paid less, by a bit. I’d guess he paid about $2500-3000. Plus the time to go get it.
@@brandons72vette He mentioned he paid half of the asking, so 2750?
Man! I hope you got a good deal on it
Part it, period. I had a '78 corvette with a swapped motor and miss it terribly. This one is just offensive. I'm glad you got it because you'll find good use for the parts. The VIN tags are just not enough to warrant any investment in time or money.
But there’s no title or history to go with the car.
Let it go Ben, like you said there’s a lot of good parts to use on other projects
Sad how people can destroy a car. But, I agree, it is time for it to give it's life so others can be saved. May it rest in pieces.
I read somewhere that since the decals were dealer installed if you had one with the decals but not installed they'd be worth top dollar.
That's a decent little Sony stereo. Hope you don't trash that.
I drove one of these in pretty good shape. It was so unmodern feeling. All over the road, loud, rattling and squeaking. It seemed so unsophisticated in it's engineering. But I also drove a slightly different model with a hopped 427 and it was so different, so much better. If you need to speed, get an EV.
Money pit, you are correct to part it out. What it would cost to restore, you could buy a real nice one that had everything original.
First Vette I rode in when I was 14... it was brand new and seemed very fast when I was a kid. Part it out! Just sacrilege to not take care of it.
I was working at Chevy Dealer in 78. The pace car we were getting never made it to the dealership. It was taken off the truck outside of town and put on a trailer and delivered to someone. They had already paid for it ahead of time after hours. Never found out who got it. That is a crying shame someone butchered that vette like that. I don’t know what people were thinking. She is a parts car for sure.
That is my favorite Corvette the 1978 2tone Indianapolis 500 Corvette ❤❤
lol not this Lump though
Part it out. Take everything off even the light lenses and marker lights. it's worth more and someone could actually get some use from the parts. good luck
Body is fine just put badass motor in it doors can be replaced or even fixed
It's a parts car, cool Vette , your a Corvette expert 😂
G'day, Back in 1997 I bought a 1978 Corvette from a friend of someone I knew (not a friend). He delivered it in January of that year and it took 5 people to push it into the garage. We are talking North Dakota here so there was snow and frigid temps. It was a very strange car that had been heavily modified. It was actually a semi stock bodied Camel GTO car and had never been street driven.
I sold the engine to someone that was going drag racing and thought the motor would be nasty enough for his lighter car. So what to put in it. I checked the motor that had been in my 1977 Corvette and found that it had been a warranty replacement and was a date correct L82 that was complete other than the intake and ran when removed.
However, sitting next to it is a for real BBC Ls7 that came out of the pro class track champion drag car that I had purchased a few years later. So which should I install. I suppose either of them could sit for another 10 years or so.
What would you want for the transmission? I assume would be core value.
I worked at a Chevrolet Dealership in the '80's, we had one with 5k miles and it was the slowest car ever!
Parts for sure. Worth more, who in the heck would butcher a freakn pace car, just wrong.
One of those $99. Dollar. Earl Scheib paint jobs. 😕
This is more like a $9.99 job. $5 for a can of used black paint and $4.99 for a new brush.
Excuse me, that's $99.95 I'll have you know!🤣😜🤣
@@bigjohnson7415 My bad, for the additional .95 some minimal masking was done before painting. 😂
@@a.c.m.e.ink.4568 Indeed! Shop towels aren't cheap!🤣😜🤣
i knew a guy that worked for Earl Shibe they told my Him you have 45 minutes to Paint This car....
Well, at least it doesn't have the legendary Cease Fire Injection! Great to look at, but that's about it.
I have to say that it hurt to watch this video and see the condition of that car. I recently sold my all original numbers matching L82 manual 4 speed Pace Car with only 8000 original miles. Full documentation better than any I have ever seen. It did not fetch much in my opinion, below $50k USD. Knowing these cars well, and the fickle Corvette owner/ hobby group you will waste your money trying to do anything with it. It will always be a Frankenstein car because nothing of value is there. No original frame, motor, trans, documentation, etc. is the death of it. Not even sure if the T-Tops are M1131 code for the car. Sorry to say that there is no value throwing money at it. You need to part it out and see if you can get some money back. Start with the glass tops. If they are in good condition with no cracks you might get $1,500.
I may be wrong but the stamping on the heads looked like camelback's, should have the 202 valves. I had a set in my 69 camaro.
One of my brothers had one back in 1984 or so, sat in Garage, hardly drove it.
Mate, sorry you ended up with a basket case. Without trying to sound cold and heartless, if you decise to part out i would be interested in the wheels/tires. Whatever ypou decide, thanks for posting and good luck.
But the no-name tires are nice and shiny!
Moved alot of Dope in that C-3,Dallas
The crazy amount of work someone put into that pace car only to reach such a high level of crappiness is hilarious. Just imagine how much more roached out it was before they started improving it with the frame and drivetrain swap.
A shop that specializes in corvette restoration could bring it back with the proper amount of 💲💲💲💲💲💲
If it were to be fixed, I'd forget it was a pace car at one time, paint it whatever color I wanted, and do the interior in something to match, and just drive the wheels off of it. At least you wouldn't worry about messing up a collectible, that ship has sailed. Plus you'd never get out of it what you put in. Otherwise, part it out.
Backyard Bubba builds a Pace Car.
You are right
I hope you got a good deal on it.
Can you get your money back in parts?
If so, it might be worth keeping.
WOW 😮. Hope you didn't give more than 1k for that disaster. Best of luck parting it out.