Low-Mileage Gem: 1978 Corvette Pace Car w/ Matching Numbers

In 1978, Chevrolet marked its turn as official pace car for the Indianapolis 500 with a special Corvette edition. It wasn’t the most limited run in classic car circles—Chevy built 6,502 examples—but this particular car stands out because it left the factory with the optional L82 V8 and M21 four-speed manual gearbox, a combination requested by only 200 buyers back in the day.

The car we’re looking at has had an incredibly pampered life, showing just 5,200 original miles on the odometer. According to the seller, it remains in excellent cosmetic and mechanical shape, with no signs of heavy use. The Corvette presents beautifully in its iconic black-and-silver Indy livery, complete with the original pace car decals and turbine-style wheels that defined this anniversary model.

For collectors, the rarity of the L82/M21 setup adds significant appeal, making this more than just a typical Indy Pace Car replica. It’s a well-documented piece of Corvette history from the era when GM was celebrating the model’s silver anniversary.

If you’ve been searching for a valuable C3 that can be shown or simply enjoyed on nice weekends, this low-mileage example deserves a closer look.