1979 Chevrolet Corvette

Description

Flashy Corvette goodness, a burly V8, manual gearbox, and no stories for under $25,000. How can you beat that? You CAN afford this 1979 Chevrolet Corvette without a big reach, and you'll instantly be part of one of the best groups of hobbyists the car world has ever seen. Better yet, you'll own a fun piece of hardware that will make friends everywhere you go. Isn't that the entire point?

Brilliant red paint on a Corvette is one of the best ways to get noticed, no question about it, but then again Corvettes were never about subtlety. The 1978 facelift with the fastback rear hatch and aggressive front and rear spoilers gave the C3 a new lease on life. To guys of a certain age, they were THE car to own if you wanted a performance image. The paint on our example here is in great shape, refinished a few years ago and carefully maintained since then, and the fiberglass underneath is straight and shows none of the usual issues. The critical areas like the headlight door surrounds, the front and rear fascias, and the hood all fit well and the sizzling paint looks fantastic on the dramatic styling. Is it perfect? No, it's got some minor signs of use, but it's just about right for a car that you're going to want to drive every chance you get. In addition, things like the black bumpers on the front and rear caps, the grilles in the front end, and the factory T-tops are all in very good condition.

The lovely tan leather interior looks quite contemporary, even wrapped in that swoopy '70s shape. More sophisticated than you'd expect, the seats are supportive and show well, further suggesting that someone really loved this Corvette over the past three decades. The gauges are all crisply marked with clear lenses, and yes, the tach is fully functional; if you're familiar with GM products of this vintage you'll know that the tachometer sometimes parks itself in odd places when the engine's off. Accessories like power windows and locks, a tilt wheel, and factory A/C make it a car that's easy to live with, and I like the AM/FM stereo system which has two big knobs, just like in the good old days. And yes, that's a 4-speed there in the center console. Nice, right?

In 1979, horsepower was way down so at some point this 'Vette received a big horsepower injection in the form of a thumping ZZ4 crate motor. With 350 cubic inches and 300 horsepower, it's roughly twice as powerful as it was when it was new, and it comes with upgrades like a big aluminum radiator and electric fans for reliability and comfort purposes, a chrome alternator, and a big Demon carburetor. It starts with a healthy bark from the brand new exhaust system with X-pipe, and it's content to idle in traffic without getting cranky. Thanks to the rebuilt 4-speed transmission and rear end, it pulls well through all the gears without a stutter, and its personality tailors itself to your mood: if you're just cruising, it's happy to burble along without a fuss, but if you're really gunning hard, it steps up and is ready to rock. The chassis is exceptionally clean and unmarked, showing excellent care and a life lived someplace warm. And it still wears its original aluminum wheels with fat BFGoodrich T/A radials that have a lot of life left in them.

This Corvette is an awesome way to join the party with a very minor investment. Documented with a ton of receipts for all the upgrades, you can now drive an icon for pennies a day! Call now.