Jackets Included: 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car
I am aware that we have featured a number of Corvette Pace Cars on Barn Finds, but when I saw this one I simply couldn’t resist it. This is one with a twist or two. For sale by the very enthusiastic and devoted original owner and located in Valders, Wisconsin, you can find it here on eBay. With a BIN price of $51,500, the option is there to make an offer.
I love these low shots of cars. They make them appear somehow more menacing. As you can see from the photos, this car appears to be in absolutely mint condition. This is to be expected given that this ‘Vette has traveled a claimed 4879 miles. It’s said that a picture is worth a thousand words. I couldn’t agree more.
The interior leaves nothing on the table. It just looks brand new. There does appear to be a mark on the carpet on the transmission tunnel, but that may just be a trick of the light. Hagerty list a #1 Corvette Pace Car at $77,800 with a #2 at $38,600. Some may argue that this one sits somewhere between the two categories, which would make the asking price pretty well right. This also depends on what options have been specified on top of the Pace Car option. This particular car has been fitted with the L82 engine, automatic transmission, gymkhana suspension, cruise control and AM/FM stereo with CB radio.
The area behind the seats is also immaculate, as you would expect from a car where the rest of it looks so good. The most disappointing aspect of the listing is that there are no engine shots, which I believe is a mistake when a person is advertising a car for top dollar.
Now we get to the part that made this car stand out to me. Just look at the memorabilia. Every last piece of it is included in the price. Don’t laugh. Some of this gear is going to fetch some pretty decent money in the coming years. I’m not going to try to list it all, but there are few items that definitely bare considering. These include the purchase order for the car, invoice, and the original license plates unopened from the State of Wisconsin for the car at the day of sale as the owner fitted personalized plates. Two Official Corvette 25th Anniversary Silver/Black jackets, a solid walnut “blueprinted” plaque with vehicle identification number from General Motors and 5 pieces of matched luggage in Silver with 25th Anniversary Corvette logo that have been never used There are also models and various other items.
So there it is. A Pace Car with a difference. This one has obviously been wrapped in cotton wool and been owned by an absolute fanatic. The big question is does the condition and all of the memorabilia justify the price?
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Comments
Certainly the polar opposite of a previously posted 25th Anniversary car. I would say if there is one out there worth this much money this would probably be it. I would imagine all of the accessories will be what tips the scale for big money. Of course the big question is “Drive it or make it a trailer queen?”
There were so many of these put away as new cars that if you are a buyer for a perfect car you can find one with less than 100 miles rather than 4500 miles. Buying these types of cars always puzzles me. Never drive them? Ever? I can think of literally hundreds of other cars I would rather have for fifty grand (even multiple cars) that I could actually drive and enjoy.
Chevrolet Motor Division built the Corvettes to be on the road. The tv series Route 66 had Marty Milner and George Maharis driving the current model Vette on the ‘Mother Road’ for their weekly episodes, and George actually ‘raced’ his straight axle on his home track.
Today’s remake of the series would have the boys drag this car all over in an enclosed trailer or transporter, hermetically sealed, of course, to a car show each weekend. The main plot; polish the car until somebody touches it, which evolves into a fist fight.
Granted, there needs to be some examples saved for historical purposes. I’ll leave that to the rich. This car, as equipped, would be great for a very long trip to find the ‘Mother Road’s’ last gasp.
Nothing like a full-scale Franklin Mint car collection. Polish away, Spanky.
Your posting a collectable car at a premium price, I expect to see the engine and several images of the undercarriage while on a lift. The obvious care for this car we can assume its spot less, but a picture is worth 1000 words and a bunch of money.
Absolutely awful investment. But judging from all the swag he’s got there, at least he kind of made a lifestyle out of it, it looks like. I guess some things might be worth more than money.
I wouldn’t call this car absolutely mint condition. A quick look shows damage to the paint on the nose of the front end and scuffs on the passenger side bumper guard. It is clean,I will give the owner that. It would probably sell at half the price.
Good eye Mike. It’s also missing one of the chrome nuts off of the passenger side seat back hinge.
All I want out of this auction are the T-top straps. Not sure how much money the memorabilia will add to the sale. I know if it were mine the jackets and luggage would be dropped off at Saint Vinnies on the way home.
Those jackets and luggage alone are worth several thousand dollars to the right buyers. I’ve seen the jackets going for over $500 each on eBay.
They can “go” for $5,000,000. What do they sell for? if they actually sell.
They’d make you look very sporty. The problem is people see you wearing something like that they’re going to want to challenge you. See what you’re made of. See if you’re as tough as you look. Etc. I’d be reluctant to wear one if I didn’t earn it. However you earn something like that.
@Super- If you are wearing matching Pace Car jackets, the only place you are going to be challenged will be at the Crackerbarrel salad bar during the Early Bird special
That, or a hot wing eating contest at Quaker Steak & Lube. If you can’t handle the Triple Atomic, don’t wear the jacket!
Let me think about this for a second- Hagerty writes policies for “collector” cars. Premiums are based on the value of the vehicle.Hagerty determines value of the vehicle. Hagerty suggests a pretty high value. Follow the money and you might reach the same conclusion I did.
So true Frank. I recently bought an 88 Corvette. Nice car, needs a couple things here and there like most 30 year old cars would, but overall a good example. The owner was trying to impress me with what a great “deal” I was getting from him because Hagerty was insuring the Vette for $16,000. I kindly explained that insured values and real world sale prices are entirely different things altogether.
So, now that they’re both pacemaker-age, who had more fun with their pacecar: the guy who drove his down to the raw fiberglass, or the guy who kept his in a mausoleum since birth?
FWIW, another source values this car (as a #1 condition vehicle) at $35K. I have no idea what the memorabilia is worth but to me, anyway, not much.
The price guide I have which is from Old Cars Price Guide has a #1 price of $25,000 plus 25% for the Pace car option. That puts the value at $31,250.
Why would Hagarty want to pay out so much more on a claim for this car?
Hagarty only wants you to buy their insurance. You pay their inflated rates, that’s the number they start with and then chisel it down at the time of your loss based on mileage, condition, and last appraisal. Of course that means yearly appraisals to satisfy the policy. This car is a fine entry level C3 that should be getting driven cause like others have said everybody bought and parked these.
Well the Barrett Jackson Price Guide based on a dick measuring contest between two drunk fools says it’s worth $9,000,000 so that’s what I’m asking.
I just checked my Crazy Eddie Price Guide and Pace Cars are listed at $25,000 for #1 Condition, with a $35,000 deduction if it has been stored since it was new and another $10,000 deducted if it has less than 50,000 miles on it. It also says “Call For Pricing if Jackets Are Included”
My OCPG has an asterisk stating “If Jackets Included: Value Inestimable”
Lesson here; Don’t buy a new car for an investment. Lots of guys sitting on ZR 1 Corvettes learned the hard way…If you invested $10,000 in 1978 and got an average stock market return you’d have way over 100k and you didn’t pay any insurance on a car you didn’t drive.
Yep, a lousy investment unless you got somewhere around $75K worth of enjoyment seeing it sitting in your garage.
Ultimately, don’t buy a new car at all…let someone else eat the depreciation, and with the money you save buy a second toy.
I had a friend who had one of these but had the 4 spd it had about 2,500 miles and he wanted $20,000.00, I thought he was crazy maybe not anyway nice car. I’ retired so spending that kind of money is quite scary I’ll keep what I’ve got ie 1969 Z/28 and 1985 Z51 Corvette. keep up the good work
Thanks for that Victor. I knew when I was writing this up that it would polarize people. The Pace Car just seems to do that. There seems to be a few people who don’t like this generation of Corvette, regardless of specifications. That’s fair because we all are entitled to our opinion and our own tastes. I don’t know what it is, but the rear end and tail-lights on these always appeals to me.
Bet a mullet for the dude and powder blue eye makeup for his girl would really make those jackets stand out in a crowd.
If only there were some Jordache jeans in that pile of stuff!
Nice shot Ike!!!!!
OMW, this is alot of money for a piece of fiberglass!
If certain events ever materialize, mainly winning the lottery. Then I’m the crazy Yahoo who will be buying these low mileage relic’s and driving them everywhere. They won’t be going to any museum, they will be sitting in my garage . Being well taken care of. But driven 10 to 15 thousand miles a year. Then sold just like a regular used car. I’m going to buy some tickets.
If you win, please do us a favor and find an L-82, 4-speed version with 27 miles on it. Then, if possible, do a honking, smokey burnout when leaving the sellers location and post the video here. Please make sure to include the look on the seller’s face when you destroy the tires.