1978 Chevrolet Corvette

If you want a low-mile, stock 25th Anniversary 'Vette, they can be found on the market and are passed through the hands of bonafide collectors, rarely driven and mostly preserved to show off at car shows. However, if you simply like the pedigree and the awesome two-tone paint scheme (and who could blame you?) and don't want to spend a fortune to own one of the zero-mile examples, perhaps this one deserves a closer look. More so, if you think the stock examples are just a little too boring, then the way that this restomod kicks things up a notch might be right up your alley. Powered by a strong 383 Stroker V8 and augmented with some killer body accents, this 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Restomod is not your father's 25th Anniversary Edition.

This C3 actually looks better than most '78 Anniversary Corvettes thanks to a repaint that is nicer than anything that rolled out of Bowling Green in 1978, and the way that it lays over the body kit and Stinger hood turns this car up to 11. Instead of the original enamel, it's a more modern material that shines up beautifully and the various bits and pieces all match quite well. They replicated the two-tone silver over gray combination exactly, and the various pinstripes that highlight the C3's dramatic shape are well applied. The Anniversary Vettes introduced many styling upgrades that would continue to the end of C3 production, including the deep chin spoiler, the fastback roofline, and ducktail spoiler, and many would consider this the pinnacle of style. All of the accents are much more dramatic with the sporty body kit, the Stinger hood, and the rear and side louvers on the back window. It's held up quite well since the build with only minor signs of use and none of the usual Corvette issues are apparent: no cracking or checking and the panels line up quite well. Proper badges and emblems were reinstalled following the repaint, but even that was taken a bit further with the stripe on the hood that was buried underneath the clearcoat, and the ''383 Stroker'' badge on either side of the stinger. This is one mean Corvette. Open the doors and take in the quality of the Medium Red leather upholstery.

Inside the middle console, there's a shifter for the automatic transmission living between the seats, and like most Anniversary cars, it's loaded with options: power windows and locks, and a tilt/telescope wheel. Aside from the Retro-Sound AM/FM/AUX stereo in the dash and carbon fiber inlays around the gauge bezels, it's large stock. The red leather is wrapped around the steering wheel and with the lift-off T-tops, you can experience open-air motoring that's the next greatest thing to a convertible, and they store neatly in the cargo bay behind the front seats. And speaking of the cargo bay, thanks to that fastback window, there's a decent amount of storage space for a long road trip. The top engine in 1978 was the 350 cubic inch L82, which was rated at a respectable 220 horsepower, but that simply wasn't enough for the builder of this C3 so a thumping 383 Stroker V8 was swapped in to match the flash of the exterior. With chromed components throughout, including the Chevrolet air cleaner and Erson valve covers, it's easy to spot, and the Holley 4-barrel carburetor and aluminum intake manifold underneath, along with the HEI system, are part of the horsepower-building equipment list. Long-tube headers feed a dual exhaust system with factory-style mufflers and provide a deep, muscle car tone, and the engine is backed with a TH350 3-speed automatic transmission, so it's a blast to drive for just about anyone. Power steering and power 4-wheel disc brakes enhance the driving experience, as do all the fresh suspension parts that have been added, including new leaf springs and Bilstein shocks. Gorgeous chrome REV wheels add to the flash and wear fat 255/60/15 BFGoodrich T/A white-letter radials to finish the killer look. This one has been upgraded in all the right places to make it truly one-of-a-kind.

To view this 1967 Corvette in greater detail, including HD pictures and video, find us online at www.GatewayClassicCars .com. For more information (817)-310-9400 for more information. You can always email us as well at Dallas@gatewayclassiccars .com