A few years back, I went through a phase where I was convinced I needed a ’78 Corvette Indy Pace Car. The dream didn’t last long. It turns out “low mileage” doesn’t always mean “perfect,” and anyone who’s ever picked up the first rock chip on the drive home from a dealership knows how quickly life can leave its mark on a car.
That’s why I’m not shocked to see the chips, scratches, and crazing on this 1978 Pace Car now up for auction on Bring a Trailer. Despite showing just 2,600 miles in 48 years, it carries the kind of wear that comes from decades of storage, not road use. The bidding sits at $17,500 with six days left — and the comments section is already buzzing.
The seller, Brad9350, is refreshingly candid: “It’s nearly a 50-year-old car. It’s not perfect, nor represented as such… I chased this car for years. The original owner still has seller’s remorse — he’s 80.”
Brad says he’d be perfectly happy keeping it, but he’s listing it only because he finally landed his “grail car,” a Y84 Trans Am.
Other commenters appreciate the honesty. Veteran BaT voice Tobyallen praised the natural light photos: “The daylight shots show all the warts and imperfections. Well done! In the hands of some high volume sellers, the car would be on a tarted up setting, shadowing manipulated lighting, making this car look like it just rolled off the assembly line..”
Not everyone is convinced the low mileage tells the whole story. C3Lee points out the corrosion under the hood and the surprising amount of road rash: “That’s a lot of dirt and corrosion in the engine compartment for a 2,600-mile car… and an amazing amount of road rash and scratches.”
Another commenter, carfan1978, notes that many low mile Pace Cars he inspected over the years had factory paint issues from poor fiberglass prep — something he sees hints of here, along with signs of long term humidity exposure. Still, he adds: “The birdcage pictures I can see look excellent.”
That last detail matters. As ZZ48UUP reminds newcomers: “If you don’t inspect the birdcage, it’s buyer beware.”
Brad reassures everyone that the car has lived its entire life in dry storage, and he’s working on getting more underbody photos.
Even with its imperfections, the car retains plenty of charm: the L82 V8, the FE7 gymkhana suspension, the glass T tops, the beautiful silver leather interior, and yes — the 8 track player, demonstrated in the listing with Jerry Lee Lewis crooning “Once More with Feeling.”
It’s not flawless. It’s not pretending to be.
But it is a near new 1978 Pace Car — honest, complete, and carrying the kind of story only time can write. Is that story calling out to you?
Source:
Bring a Trailer
Related:
Corvettes for Sale: 57-Years-Owned 1954 Corvette Roadster
Corvettes for Sale: 59-Years-Owned 1957 Corvette Fuelie on Bring a Trailer
Corvettes for Sale: No Reserve 1971 Corvette Convertible on eBay
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I agree on the engine and compartment condition – that doesn’t look like low mileage to me. Call me suspect on that odometer.
Sorry…that’s not a 2500 mile car, period. No idea who did what to the dash or odometer, but those aren’t the miles. And what sadist wants an automatic malaise era Vette anyway?
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The original 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Indianapolis 500 Pace Car has several impressive decals on the car. I don’t see any decals on this car. I own an original Pace Car.
I remember when these cars came out. They are woefully underpowered. The early 70’s were the end of performance in the corvette line, until 1985. Then things started to pick back up.
Never understood why anyone would want one of these, 1978 Corvette Indy Pace Cars. They ONLY made 6502 of them! They aint rare!
No way is that a 2600 mile car !
And they had to replace the starter and alternator !
And engine bay looks more like 100000 mile car.
They can keep it !
20,000
102567? Perhaps the speedometer was replaced. Didn’t the Corvettes with the L-82 engine include L-82 on the speedometer face? Or was that on the tachometer? My 79 L-82 had that additional lettering on one gauge face or the other.
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