If there’s one aspect of the Indy 500 which is just
as iconic as the race itself, it would have to be the official pace cars used
to lead the field every year since 1911. Throughout the decades, dozens of
different cars have been used as Indy 500 pace cars, and perhaps one of the
most iconic was the 1978 Chevrolet Corvette C3. Coincidentally, one of these
prized cars is heading to auction this month from GAA Classic Cars.
While some of the pace cars used at the Indy 500 are
one-offs or standard production models, the 1978 Corvette pace car was distinct
from typical C3 models and was also put into production. Chevrolet initially
intended on building just 300 replicas but ended up producing 6,502 examples to
ensure all of its 6,200 established dealerships at the time could have at least
one to sell.
At the time of its launch, the Corvette Pace Car
Replica had a starting price of US$ 13,653, or US$ 53,626 in today’s money. This was
approximately US$ 4,300 (US$ 16,889) more than a standard ‘Vette, meaning it
was far from cheap.
Limited details about this particular car are known,
but it appears to be in superb condition. In fact, it still features the
original window stickers, original Goodyear tires, and plastic across the
seats. The listing makes no mention of the car’s mileage, but a look at the
odometer on one of the interior photos indicates it has only 4 miles under its
belt! There is no auction estimate listed, though we expect it to fetch more
than US$ 50,000.
