The Corvette was 25 years old in 1978 and the celebration was on. All 1978s featured a commemorative badge (right) on the front nose. Above: A special two tone paint scheme consisting of dark silver on the lower body and light silver above separated by a dark silver stripe was offered. The production quantity was not limited and 15,283 were sold.
Corvette Style Upgrade
1978 was a year of significant changes to the C3 Corvette. A new "fastback" design which made for a smoother silhouette and answered criticisms of limited luggage space; owners now had storage similar to the mid-years Corvette coupes. Also like the mid-years coupes, access to the area was through the seats and inconvenient. A hatchback opening would be available in 1982. A retractable cover provided sun protection and security. One drawback to the new design was that the interior would heat up on sunny days, placing increased demands on the air conditioning.
A new temporary space saving spare tire enabled the installation of a new 24 gallon (previously 17 gallon) fuel tank, increasing the driving range between fill-ups, a previous Corvette complaint.
The interior, which was starting to look dated, was upgraded for 1978. The gauges, while still round, were set in a more squared off area. A glove box replaced the map pockets located in front of the passenger. CB (Citizens Band) radios were a booming fad in 1978 and a AM-FM stereo with CB (RPO UP6; $638.00 - ouch!) was available. One antenna was called on to provide for the AM-FM and CB functions, so its performance was compromised.
Corvette engine choices had been decreasing since the glory years of the mid year Corvettes and in 1978 it was narrowed down to two choices: The standard base engine which was a 350 cubic inch 185 horsepower unit and the L-82 ($525.00), which was a solid lifter version rated at 220 horsepower. 12,739 or 27.23% were sold.
Aluminum Wheels, RPO YJ8. They were an option starting in 1976 and were available thru 1978. Cost was $340.00 and only four were shipped with each Corvette; the spare was a steel wheel. 28,008 or 59.88% of the total 1978 Corvette production were sold.
