11,152 Actual Mile Corvette Coupe 350 V8 4 Speed

The trouble with spending half of your retirement fund on an investment grade C3 Corvette is the amount of poorly restored cars that are readily available for next to nothing. With every NCRS grade car that shows up to a Corvette show there are 15 more hacked together, low budget builds which keep both prices and exclusivity in the lower end of the market. So, if you don't want a pile of parts held together with a hassle, you have two choices. The first, of course, is to cash in your blue chip stocks and buy a high dollar restoration from a reputable Corvette shop. The second is to find a cool old survivor like this 1977 C3 that you can both drive and show. Fully documented and recently appraised, this rare black on black '77 Corvette is all original from its lacquer paint to its custom interior, has 11,163 carefully chosen miles on its odometer and is loaded with many highly desirable low production options.

Here's how the original window sticker breaks the car down:

CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2DR COUPE: $8,647.65

STANDARD ITEMS WITH NO EXTRA CHARGE:

* 350-4 V8 Engine
* Power steering
* Power 4-wheel disc brake system
* Steel-belted radial ply tires
* Positraction rear axle
* Custom interior
* Special instrumentation
* Tinted glass
* High energy ignition system
* Freedom battery
* 4-wheel independent suspension system
* Anti-theft audio alarm system

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT:

* A31 Power windows ($122)
* B32 Color keyed floor mats-front ($23)
* C60 Four-season air conditioning ($568)
* D35 Sport mirrors LH rem & RH man ($38)
* FE7 Gymkhana suspension ($38)
* G95 Highway axle ratio ($14)
* L48 350-4 BBL V8 engine ($00)
* M20 Four-speed manual transmission ($00)
* NA2 Standard emissions system ($00)
* N37 Tilt-telescopic steering wheel ($165)
* QRZ GR70-15/B S/B radial W/lettered ($59)
* U58 AM/FM Stereo radio ($281)
* YJ8 Aluminum wheels ($321)
* ZX2 Convenience group ($22)
* 19C HBB2 Black cloth/leather bucket ($00)
* 19L Corvette black ($00)

Built in St. Louis Missouri and delivered to Burt Greenwald Chevrolet in Akron Ohio, this exclusive '77 Corvette still carries every bit of its original GM code 19 paint. Under that newly reintroduced for 1977 black lacquer the cars sinuous fiberglass body presents as factory correct and has never been completely disassembled or received any major modifications. Despite being a true survivor of 34 years of Midwest weather, this car has never been damaged in any way. It's a clean, well maintained all original car that still proudly displays its factory panel alignment and provides a level personality and character that just can't be found in fully restored trailer queens.

The monochromatic black on black color scheme combines with minimalist bright work to provide a rather ominous presence in our showroom of bright muscle cars, and presents a more consistent appearance than most of the survivor C3s that come through our doors. At the front of the car, an original but still pliable bumper cover incorporates black bumper guards at the inside edges of plastic grilles with clear marker lights. Below the bumper, a subtle black chine spoiler flows with the tumblehome of the car's front fenders and above the bumper, perfectly functioning vacuum actuated headlights sit at either side of a chrome trimmed Corvette crossed flags emblem. At the sides of the car, exaggerated front fenders rise above the cars peaked hood and incorporate two more chrome crossed flags emblems above open air extractors and square silver trimmed marker lights. On the cars doors, flush stainless door handles sit behind new for 1977 body matched sport mirrors and complement good looking original stainless rocker trim. At the top of the car, new for 1977 black window frames hold original glass windows below stainless trimmed painted T-tops. At the back of the car, two more exaggerated fenders house matching silver trimmed marker lights and sit at the sides of a fourth great looking C3 Corvette crossed flag emblem which is mounted on the fuel door above the cars original “Unleaded Fuel Only” decal. Behind those fenders, an angled rear valence incorporates black bumper guards below traditional deep set and chrome trimmed Corvette tail lights to perfectly balance out the cars angled front bumper.

Tilt the black fiberglass hood and you'll find an original L48 350 cubic inch V8 that's topped by an original Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor and a pristine single snorkel satin black air cleaner. Below that Quadrajet, the car's engine block, intake and valve covers sport GMs new for 1977 corporate blue paint scheme, and reproduction GM hoses carry coolant back and forth to the radiator. At the back of the motor, a chrome covered HEI distributor sends fire through fresh chrome shielded plug wires, and at the front of the motor, fresh V-belts spin the cars factory Delco AC compressor, a correct alternator and a correct fan. At the sides of the block, the cars original factory manifolds send gases into the cars ORIGINAL dual exhaust system! The throaty 350 fires up instantly, idles quietly and unlike many survivors, it's actually clean enough to be used for showing. That said, this isn't just another trailer queen; all of the original and reproduction parts are clean, completely reliable and ready to hit the road. If you're like me, you know that the best part of owning a cool classic car is taking it out for weekend drives, and that's an essential part of keeping a true survivor in tip-top condition.

Whoever was checking the options boxes for this slick black Corvette obviously had a plan because they equipped it with a one of only 2,060 M20 Muncie transmissions and a one of only 972 optional 3.08 highway gear packages built for the 1977 model year; all black, with a 4-speed stick and smooth cruising gears? Something tells me this car was meant to have a cool, sinister demeanor all along, and that certainly adds interest to its tough survivor personality. Equipped with the Gymkhana suspension option, the factory double A-arm front end carries thicker springs, better shocks, a bigger sway bar, standard power disc brakes and new standard for 1977 power steering. Out back, a factory independent rear suspension carries, a beefed up seven leaf transversely mounted leaf spring, better shocks, a new sway bar and factory standard power disc brakes. As mentioned earlier, the exhaust is indeed the cars factory equipped system and the floors display a light factory undercoating that suggests this car has never suffered an impact or had any accident damage. The car retains its handsome 15 inch slotted aluminum Corvette wheels, which wear 225/70 Firestone S/S radials and chrome Corvette center caps.

Inside, this Corvette's all original custom leather and cloth interior is a well maintained time capsule that presents much better than you would expect after three decades of use. The great looking no cost option leather and cloth seats are exceptionally comfortable and show virtually no wear at all. Below those seats, like-new black carpet runs from under the dash to the cargo hold and is protected by cool carpeted floor mats with rubber “Corvette” scripts. In front of the seats, the black dash wears a padded top that looks as good as the day it left the showroom floor and a correct passenger's side map pocket. In front of the driver a large round speedometer and tachometer sit behind a newly repositioned tilt and telescoping steering wheel that features a new for 1977 satin spoked steering wheel. At the center of the dash, gauges for the cars vitals sit above a correct AM/FM Delco stereo, slider controls for the cars HVAC system and switches for the cars optional power windows. At the sides of the seats, great looking door panels feature pristine stainless trim around chrome door handles with small fully detailed C3 Corvette emblems and correct twist style door locks.

Documentation included with this sale is two original window stickers, a short owner history, an original 1977 Corvette sales brochure, a fresh 2010 appraisal and a small foam core display board.

If you've been looking for a fun summertime cruiser that you can enjoy immediately without worries, you won't find anything better than this 1977 Corvette. It's a fantastic looking car that has a ton of eyeball appeal and provides plenty of enjoyment on the open road. Better still, with all original paint, a matching numbers drivetrain and a roster of desirable options it'll age like fine wine, becoming more rare and valuable by the year. Call today!