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Hi, Just joined. Lots of great stuff here...trying to digest it all! So I, like others, here are looking at my first purchase of a vette. So I always liked the pace car, and found a 80K milage in nice shape with a lot of work done to it for $14-15K but mostly all original-With a lot of receipts and documentation. Its is the smaller L48 engine. I also found a 79 with less miles and the larger L82 in it with less miles and the interior completely redone, along with badging, paint and basic engine upgrades...new carb, brakes master cylinder etc. For 13K. In my reading the Pace car is the more valuable of the two....cause of the limited production run. I am planning on garaging it and using during the summer/weekends etc. Thanks for your input in advance....
Hard to give any real advise without detailed pictures of the two cars. The engines are the same size, the L82 has more power and is a better platform for modifications.
Seems like getting a car with less miles and for less money would be better than more miles and more money but there may be other factors that cannt be addressed without more information.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
buy the one you want , if you want more get up and go, then youre doing engine mods anyways. If its a real pace car and you want the big PACE CAR logo, buy the pace car. Otherwise you could buy just any vette. Dont buy what you think someone else would think is a good deal, buy what you want. All the motors are the same block, just different pistons, cams heads and intakes. You can add aftermarket parts to make it faster or buy a crate motor further down the line.
buy the one you want , if you want more get up and go, then youre doing engine mods anyways. If its a real pace car and you want the big PACE CAR logo, buy the pace car. Otherwise you could buy just any vette. Dont buy what you think someone else would think is a good deal, buy what you want. All the motors are the same block, just different pistons, cams heads and intakes. You can add aftermarket parts to make it faster or buy a crate motor further down the line.
Thanks for the input...the Pace car VIN number matches and looks clean. And was the one I always wanted, even if the wife says the letters on the side look gaudy
You do realize that there are a number of modifications to that engine? See if they have the original parts.
Air cleaner assembly.
Headers.
Valve covers
Master cylinder cover.
Possibly intake manifold
Alternator
Steve...Pictures would help.
I sense a conflict between rarity and value and fun.
Pace-cars are great and they have that wonderful Silver interior. They have that 'recognizability factor'.
The 79 sounds like a better car...even tho that is the highest most common year (54,000 made), The L-82 is a fine engine. 79's are also the heaviest ever made.
The L-48 is probably the best 'cooking' engine ever made by anyone and is reliable and trouble free and runs on bat-**** gas. (Don't kick an L-48 outta bed!)
DETERMINE THE 'MISSION' FOR THIS CAR AND THAT WILL HELP YOU DECIDE.
either way...you're going to have fun!
edit...my #$^% browser....now I see the pix....Pace-car!
Unkahal