The Flattie Lives On: 1978 Chevrolet Corvette
Nothing special about the 1978, twenty-fifth (silver) anniversary of Chevrolet’s Corvette, right? There were about 40K produced and we have covered many here on BF. This example, however, is a standout for the most surprising reason. You know how so many vintage Fords end up with bowtie power…well, get ready for a reversal – and a most unusual one at that. Mitchell G. found this most improbable ‘Vette for us (way to go Mitchell!), it’s located in East Wallingford, Vermont and is available, here on Facebook Marketplace for $24,500.
Besides the silver anniversary milestone designation, and another 6K two-tone finished pace car replicas, Chevrolet’s 1978 edition of Plastic Fantastic wasn’t that much different from its ’77 predecessor, save the rear window design. The “tunneled” rear window structure, introduced with the arrival of the first C3 in ’68, gave way to a fast-back style roofline, but beyond that, and a glove box door, the differences weren’t particularly striking. And that includes accounting for Corvette’s middling, emission-controlled V8 engines – not much new news in the motivation department. Cue a bit of imagination, however, and some rather remarkable things can occur under that distictive hood.
This ’78 Corvette is wearing a silver anniversary badge but appears to have forgone the silver anniversary paint scheme, though who knows for sure – this car could have undergone a respray as there’s no word on that front. It’s actually pretty stock-looking and original. Some aftermarket Centerline wheels, complete with spinners, have been swapped in but it pretty much shows as any one of those aforementioned 40K copies that rolled off of Chevrolet’s St. Louis assembly plant 45 years ago.
Originally, power would have been provided by either a 185 or a 220 net HP, 350 CI small-block V8 engine – the ubiquitous design that has been replicated, in various different displacements, at least 110 million times. No, this Chevy has swapped one long-standing and famous V8 engine for another, a Ford flathead V8 (I ain’t lyin’!). Which version of Ford’s iconic powerplant is not said but the seller does mention, “aluminum heads, 3 deuce intake with 3 Stromberg 97’s”. Lashed up to this very old-school motor is a Borg Warner T-5 manual transmission. It’s not said how it runs but the seller quips, “draws a crowd every time, not really sure other vette owners appreciate it!“. Yeah, I can see that.
The red leather interior looks a bit worn but it presents well enough though the seller mentions that the carpet needs to be replaced. What really surprises me is the mention of air conditioning – I would imagine that was a plumbing challenge and a half. The seller claims that the system is not “charged” which probably translates into something more than just a bit of refrigerant needing to be added.
So, why oh why? Probably because it could be done and that’s the root of hot rodding – it doesn’t always make sense or need to be logical, it’s the execution of someone’s wild idea (seemed good at the time, right?). And therein lies the issue with this Frankenstein of a Corvette, will it make sense to any prospective buyers?
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Comments
I was NOT expecting that. And quite frankly I just have no idea what to think about it. Hardly sacrilege considering the awful underpowered, soulless powerplant that was originally underhood. At least now it will sound properly unique.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry?
Apparently someone has too much spare time on their hands?
But in reality, it really doesn’t matter.
Hardly any of the Corvettes from the mid/late seventies has any speed, styling, collectability, or resale value, regardless of how they were configured.
After showing this off to friends and family, perhaps it can be made into a huge flower bed?
Just my oponion!
Needs a set of Ardun heads to really make the Zora Arkus-Duntov connection
Wow! Finally a Chevy that will actually run!
Ultimate.
I doubt many expected that! Quite a refreshing change from the usual, and probably more civil than a big block. Kudos to the builder.
I have always been an enemy of all these chev engine swaps into anything that has wheels, I know, parts are CHEAP AND TOO AVAILABLE…”.SO I LOVE” to see someone had the GUTS to do this…also these motors are SOOO BEAUTIFULLY QUIET. I would love to shake the hand of this MAN..😁😁😎 HE IS ONE KHOOOOL DUDE..😇😎😎😎😎
Yes! I always have dreamed of someone doing this. A Ford in Chevy’s “ultimate” performance vehicle. But wow! A Flathead. This has to make the Bowtie crowd faint.
A Chevy with a Ford bloodline, my Chevy spirit says never but my performance spirit says let’s see what she’ll do.
This is the heart of the hobby. Not investing, but having fun and challenging yourself. I am in awe of this. Brings me back to my ever fading youth.
Finally its my turn!
“LS swap anyone?”
Lol, this car is over the top as it sits. 😊
I have always been an enemy of all these chev engine swaps into anything that has wheels, I know, parts are CHEAP AND TOO AVAILABLE…”.SO I LOVE” to see someone had the GUTS to do this…also these motors are SOOO BEAUTIFULLY QUIET. I would love to shake the hand of this MAN..😁😁😎 HE IS ONE KHOOOOL DUDE..😇😎😎😎😎
I’ve have to award the builder an A for imagination. I know I’d be checking this out at a car show after I did a double take. I think it would be a hoot to display this at a Corvette show and listen to the reactions.
I have always been an enemy of all these chev engine swaps into anything that has wheels, I know, parts are CHEAP AND TOO AVAILABLE…”.SO I LOVE” to see someone had the GUTS to do this…also these motors are SOOO BEAUTIFULLY QUIET. I would love to shake the hand of this MAN..😁😁😎 HE IS ONE KHOOOOL DUDE..😇😎😎😎😎
You repeat yourself a lot.
I’m unsure what to say. I can’t decide if it’s cool or if the guy that built it was an old pot head from the 70’s and was having flashbacks. I don’t come here to run cars down ever, so I’ll just say good luck sir finding the guy with 24.5K he’s ready to part with.
Your first sentence was adequate.
OMG love it
My neighbor has a 68 vette 427 4 speed and belongs to vette club where the think even adding non stock floor mats is sacrilegious. This would absolutely make the lose their minds
Reminds me of the swaps we used to do in high school anything we could get cheap would go in whatever we had and we would make crazy adaptations to make it work some real Frankenstein junk we produced LOL
My first thought was AI, my second Photoshop.
If it’s real it’s pretty cool!
I think the cat has my tongue. Maybe this payback for all the sbc Ford hotrods. My understanding is that all ’78 Corvettes received the 25th anniversary emblem.
Hey Earl, hole my beer while I change dis engin’
They did, some had an optional silver anniversary two-tone paint job and some like this example didn’t.
JO
Not sure what to say either, but it appears to be a lot of bother for very little payback in fun factor. Unless you really enjoy watching everyone nod and scratch their heads at your local Cars and Coffee. $24.5k? Not for me, but I like the 5 speed trans though.
Finally, a Corvette whose spark plugs can actually be changed by normal people with normal tools. Strangely appealing. I suspect it may not pass the CARB tests, though.
The oem drivetrain was anemic, so can’t fault the logic to do something stronger. Yes, many purists will hate it, but it’s your car, do with it as you see fit. Just imagine if it was a 63 split window ??? Fainting and gnashing of teeth. If it ran strong and I had surplus cash, it might make a fun conversation piece, but the ask is more than I would pay for any 78 Vette, much less one that had been frankensteined to this extent.
That’s one way to make a slow car slower while making it cool.
No reason it should be slower than the stock driveline, and could conceivably be better.
It is almost certainly slower. Even a potent flathead is still not going to be in the 200hp range, and will make less lowend torque and have a lower usable RPM range as well.
Jim, just to let you know, all ’78 Vettes came with Silver Anniversary badges. The ones with the 2 tone paint are known as “Anniversary Edition”.
I like it! Dare to be different! I can’t see paying $24k for any ’78 Vette but I’d probably be more willing to pay it for this one than a stock anemic one. Go Vermont!!!!
What in God’s name did I just see? I’m almost at a loss for words, which is rare for someone like me. A for effort, but what the heck would convince someone to go backwards in the performance department for a Corvette? The og 350’s weren’t exactly firebreathers, but the flathead Ford is not at all known for modern performance. I think my brain is going to break trying to figure out why. It’s already sizzling inside my skull.
Almost.
Is it worth hearing all the comments at the car shows? price? this a ford guy having a hissy fit, probably put the vette engine in his 32 ford, now he won’t get beat in a street race, I like flat heads but other than looking cool, power is not their strong points, don’t put a belt on the AC it will take half of the power you make!
In 1990, I bought a ’69 Cutlass S convertible roller with 60K original miles for $900 and proceeded to stuff the running gear from a ’73 Electra 225 into it. Olds with Buick 455 power. It could scoot.
I am a Corvette lover. I have a couple and had more. That said, I think this is wild! Flatties are the root of all hotrodding. I don’t know how much power this has compared to the stock engine but it is true hotrodding. I can’t hate it any more than I can hate the Tbird with the Chevy small block. I like someone else’s comment about an Ardun conversion. That would be icing on the cake.
Beware of the cost to bring this back to anything close to original. Less complete than even a roller. Mounts, wiring, you name it.
May be fun for the owner.
Not fun for the person that even wants to swap an ls or sbc back in.
KH, no one is going to bother bringing a ’78 Corvette back to original.
This one will live on as it is – a true hot rod as mentioned several times already.
Do you think any flathead fans of car buying age care about a flat head as a hot rod? As someone, that with my brother, had an old ford school bus in the early seventies with a flat head, I can’t imagine anyone under 70 calling a flathead a hot rod engine anymore nor wanting to buy a corvette with a flat head. So I’m not missing the point.
I’d like to have the ultimate buyer here comment on this site after purchase. My guess is it will be a very cheap buy for conversion to LS or SBC.
This TOTALLY misses the point. Quite remarkably so.
It’s an answer to a question nobody asked. I’m also watching to see if anyone commenting is bidding. Here is a chance to display real enthusiasm.
Another false argument from KH. Being an enthusiast does not mean buying every single cool or unique car you see. Nor does it mean equating coolness or uniqueness directly with monetary value. That’s not how any of this works. There are thousands upon thousands of these late ‘70s smog garbage Corvettes out there in rough condition that could become someone’s LS or other swap project. To take THIS one to LS swap is just dumb, and akin to painting over an existing finished painting rather than starting with a fresh new canvas. Again, it misses the point.
Because someone disagrees with you it’s not wrong.
This car is an engineering experiment. That’s good for the engineer. I’ve done those.
If you are selling to a customer like this person is, it’s a sale. That’s what this site is as is Facebook marketplace where the car is listed.
This is most likely will either be a no sale or a very cheap sale for the reasons I listed before. This is the comment section. That’s what’s being made, comments. No need to get nasty.
Follow the sale on Facebook.
In response to one comment on here asking why anyone under 70 would consider a flathead a hot rod engine. Have you ever been to a car show? I don’t mean your local Cars and Coffee, I mean a big show. You’ll see lots of vintage hot rods at them. I don’t own a flathead but love seeing them and hearing them. They’re a work of art. I’m going back to something I’ve said many times on here. Their car, their money. They can do all they want and I think that a real car person doesn’t complain about anyone else’s ride, just appreciate it for what it is and move on.
No need to be nasty Brian.
Former drag racer for years, not a real fan of sitting in a chair at a car show. To each his own.
Yes I’m over 70 and owned a flathead. What an old clunker of an engine and a pain. My projects did not involve making a car slower by putting an obsolete engine in place of a better engine.
This is a car listed on Facebook marketplace. The potential buyer, if found will have a big challenge with this car. That’s it.
PS: I always thought a service to a younger guy trying to get into the hot rod market in some way was to make sure that they could afford to follow thru with the project and not get over their head in costs. My advice is not meant to offend the owner of a certain car, but to make a potential buyer aware of the hidden costs of finishing the project. I’ve spent plenty on roller drag cars so I do have a sense of what’s really going to break the budget.
This particular car with a T5 and a different rear end, along with other substantial changes would be almost impossible to even maintain unless you have quite a bit of experience.
Could be a money pit for a potential young guy getting into the hobby.
KH, serious question here; What exactly did BrianT say that you interpret as nasty?
To borrow a line from a previous commenter here: Maybe you TOTALLY missed the point.
No intent to be nasty. I’m not sure what I said that gave you that vibe. I don’t sit in a chair at car shows. I walk around and talk to other enthusiasts. I also drive my car to shows. My car has been from here in New England to Nashville, Louisville, Florida, all driven, never on a trailer. That’s part of fun of shows, getting there.
No pictures or text seem to be available for this flathead vette at this time 11:11 on Armistice Day/Veterans Day.
Cattoo: It is still listed on Facebook Marketplace with several pictures.
370zpp.
Should I tell you to move on like Brian? That’s a quote in the text.
Nasty. Not friendly.
Barnfinds is a marketplace site. It’s not an engineering site, it’s a site to buy vehicles.
My comments are directed to the person that is a potential car buyer, not a car show visitor or observer.
I really think this corvette is an engineering experiment by someone that had a lot of fabrication skills why else would someone update an otherwise useable car with an obsolete engine. We all know this flathead will not perform as well, by far, as the sbc that came out of it. Not even close.
I’m not saying don’t buy, just be aware that it’s a very complicated and unusual swap. I’ll bet many one off fabricated brackets, mounts and other parts.
I have mistakenly bought some projects over the years that proved very expensive. My mistakes make be avoided by someone else.
Example: I bought a formula continental which is like a formula ford except with a 2 liter vs a 1.6 liter. This car was dumped by the previous owner after he stuffed it into the guardrail at mid Ohio. He fixed it and peddled it. Looked like a good project for my son who was a late teen at the time and had just completed a Bondurant class with formula fords. Well it had so many hand fabricated parts and special requirements it became very expensive. I ended up getting the body finished and sold it to a guy in Canada who had a whole lot of knowledge of this car. Worked out well for him, expensive for me. Stuck to American drag race cars from then on.
It seems to be we have the observer vs buyer/participant perspective here.
Enough said.
My intent was not to tell anyone to move on. My intent was to say that, when at a car show, there are cars that aren’t something that I would build but I look at , appreciate some parts of them, then I move on. I can tell you for sure that I’m a participant.
kh.
Your last sentence. Agreed.
Ditto to you I’m sure.
Man after all that buzz here on a Vette with a Ford flat head engine in it I hope they don’t find a Mini Cooper with a Dodge Hell Cat Hemi in it. No, stop. wait, that sounds like something worth seeing and could very cool. Ya’ll have a great day!
There’s a Mini Cooper up here in Vermont with a hemi in it.
A Datsun 370 with a Briggs 5 horse. Big upgrade in power.
A ’78 Corvette came with 185 horsepower. It is easy to get 200 hp out of a flathead.
Super fan, I have one of you out in the garage.
And just like you, it blows a lot of hot air.