1978 Pace Car

[Richard J.]

Hello All.

I have just purchased a 1978 Corvette Pace Car with 279 Miles still on the MSO and all original documentation. The car was stored correctly by a collector of new cars and the only thing not original is the battery. This car still has most of the original air in the tires. I would like to know how I can establish its value for insurance purposes. I would also like to know how may L-82 4-speed cars were produced in the 1978 Pace Car. I would also like to take the car through all of the possible judging steps and would not mind a little advise on Duntov, Bow-Tie and Performance Verification, I have gone through 2 Flight judgings in the past so I am comfortable with that part. What order must I go in? There is a regional in Flagstaff in April and then the nationals in SA in August. I will miss having the car judged at my local chapter by 3 days because of delivery delays. Is it possible for me to get all 4 of these awards at these 2 events in the same year? Thanks for any information you can offer.

Kind regards,
Rick

[Doug F.]

Re: 1978 Pace Car

Rick,, big hello to another 78 pc owner!!! i have two myself,, one to drive and one as a collector as is yours,, mine has 8 documented miles with plastic and cardboard etc just like it rolled off the assembly line,,,,, i just last week took off the original tires as they were cracking and i wasnt comfortable anymore with them on,, i just last week also had my car re-appraised for insurance purposes too,, we all agreed on 45,000 dollars,, as far as judging goes, i havent gotten to do anything yet,, so cant help you there,, have fun with it,, doug

[Kevin M.]

[Dave S.]

Re: 1978 Pace Car

Rick,
You will need at least 2 Regionals and one National to achieve the 3 awards. That is the minimum. First off you will need bring the car to a Regional for a 97+ point Flight and a Bowtie sign off by the team leader. Next will be the PV at a regional event. Last will be a trip to a National with Bowtie judging on one day and another 97+ point flight on a different day. The NCRS is well aware of the time committment and difficulty of attending National events so they are willing to do the Bowtie and Duntov at the same National Convention. The Bowtie sign off is good for 1 year so you need to plan accordingly. It's also nice if you have a Regional back-up for the PV in case the first attempt doesn't materalize.

Good Luck and enjoy the process.

[Michael W.]

Re: 1978 Pace Car

Far too many questions for one post!

- Have a local professional car evaluator establish a value. Buy agreed value insurance, not stated value.

-'75 and up C3 Corvettes would earn a McLellan award, not a Duntov

-I don't think anybody knows the stats on combinations or multiple options

[Donald M.]

Re: 1978 Pace Car

Rick, Some thoughts on the '78 Pace Car: first, I believe that the L82/4 spd. combo was the rarest in the PC series. It is, in my opinion, far and away the most desireable powertrain although I don't know the actual production figures. Secondly,as stated in this thread, it would be wise to remove and store the original tires after judging for PV, Flight, Duntov, etc. I have seen a tire on a PC blow out with the car parked in the showroom. This was about 10-15 years ago, also in a climate controlled situation.Also, there has been some debate regarding the correctness of installing the PC decal set for judging.The consensus was to not install them. The '78 Pace Car was under-appreciated for the longest time, bringimg barely the MSRP on stored,"delivery miles" cars. But,within the last two or so years, they have have been recognized for their uniqueness and historical value. Next is the '82 Collector Edition!

[Doug F.]

Re: 1978 Pace Car

rick, my figures as mentioned above are based on internet research, auction results and research and first hand .. Low milage, stored 78 pace cars are selling in the low $40k's last year in the Chicago area,, at bloomington last year(first hand) i saw one with 33 miles on it sell with commissions etc.. for about $37k,, hope this helps,, later,, doug

[Tom R.]

Re: 1978 Pace Car Decal Judging

Not much debate anymore on decal application. Decals were delivered in the box to the dealer and therefore for full point credit...this is what the judges expect to see. There's a standard deduct for decals installed. Judges like to see both decals and the boxes for full credit. If decals are installed...show the boxes and earn some points.