'78 Corvette found with 13 Original Miles....

[clevrname]

New England’s Largest Corvette dealer, Corvette Mike New England, displays newly uncovered Corvette

Mike Millian of Corvette Mike New England bought a 1978 Corvette that was left in a barn for 33 years! The car is in pristine condition from headlights to taillights, despite a thick blanket of dust that has built up over 33 years. The 1978 Indy Pace Car Corvette sitting in the showroom of Corvette Mike New England was uncovered last month from a barn in Detroit, MI. She’s not been driven in 33 years and has logged only 13 miles. The interior still has that ‘new car’ smell and the plastic from the factory still covers the bucket seats and steering wheel. Everything is original, right down to the dealer’s key ring. It is a brand new 1978 Corvette.
Mike Milian’s friend from Bud’s Chevrolet in St Mary’s, OH, Bud Schoenleben said the previous owner, a friend of his, bought the car in ’78 as an investment and never drove it. In 1995 he (the owner) sold his house and moved into a high rise apartment and had no place to put the car, so he put it in a barn. He then locked the door and walked away from it, never looking at it for 16 years. About a month ago the owner decided to get rid of the car because he could use the money and he called Bud, out of the blue. The collectible was buried under boxes and has never been covered. However, the car was undamaged. So they pumped up the original tires, pulled it out of the building and brought it to Plymouth, MA. Even the half a tank of the 33 year old gas didn’t even hurt the car. In fact the only thing that had to be changed was a dead battery. The car started right up!
The engine was not frozen up and all the seals never got a chance to rust and go bad. A limited number of 6,502 of the 1978 Indy Pace Car Corvette replicas were made, one for every dealer in the country. The limited edition black and silver T-top with 350 V-8 engine was part of the 25th anniversary year of the Corvette.

Source:
http://corvettemikenewengland.com/barn-find/

 

[clevrname]

It even has the original WINDOW STICKER in the window

 

[KennyGS]

“The car had everything original, even the battery, and it fired right up. The window sticker is on it. Everything from 1978. And it’s even got some rare options, which was the CB radio.”
Yes, CB radios were hot back then.
But not as hot as this Vette.
1978 was the first year the Corvette was used as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500.
“(There’s) no extra charge for the dust, but that’s part of the unique character of this car, that it was a barn find. That it hasn’t been touched in 30 years, basically,” said sales manager Jason Francisco.
“If somebody buys it, they can wash it,” said ‘Corvette Mike.’
Who ever buys the car will get an added bonus – the original gas receipt. It shows the original owner paid $5 for 7.5 gallons.
Mike believes the car will probably sell for somewhere around $50,000.
The window sticker shows it sold for $14,631.21 in 1978.


I would be willing to bet it sells for more than $50K.

 

[clevrname]

I posted this figuring you would liked to read about it.

When I saw 50k, my first thought was that seems a little low.

 

[KennyGS]

Car prices in 1978

AMC Pacer $3,100 California 1978

Chevrolet Camaro Z28 $6,326 1978

Chevrolet Chevette $3,644 1978

Chrysler New Yorker $8,261 1978

Dodge Magnum XE $5,509 1978

MG MGB MK IV Roadster $5,649 1978

Oldsmobile Starfire GT $3,953 1978

Pontiac Grand Prix $5,772 1978

 

[Nomar06]

If you bought it, would you wash it? I bet if a museum would buy it they would leave it as is....

 

[KennyGS]

I would wash it very carefully.

 

[MrsJrotax101]

omg someone needs to roll that over to 14 though...13 is unlucky! GHOST CAR!

 

[webby]

"The window sticker says it sold for 14k?" Almost 4x list? Typo?

 

[KennyGS]

Almost 4x list? Typo?

 

[webby]

I read your post too fast -
Chevrolet Chevette $3,644 1978

I thought it said "Corvette", not chevette there - screwed me up... carry on

 

[KennyGS]

I actually owned a 1981 Chevette.

 

[webby]

 

[KennyGS]

 

[webby]

98% there

 

[CivicDew]

Would you pick this over your Vet?

 

[KennyGS]

I'm not sure anyone would pick the Chevette over any other car.

I drove that exact car (color & trim) when I first started living on my own, making crap for a wage, and trying to attend a local university at night. I think the problem with too many people these days is their expectations are too high, and they live way beyond their means.

If things in my life changed again, and I had to get rid of my Corvette and drive that pos Chevette, then I would. I wouldn't be happy about it, but I would live with it.

 

[webby]

Over a Yugo?

 

[KennyGS]

OK, I admit it would be better than a Yugo.

 

[webby]

There was a yellow-ish Yugo for sale near my house when I was in HS. They wanted $500 for it.