The year 1979 was a memorable one for pop culture news. Among the items introduced at that time were the Sony Walkman, McDonald’s Happy Meal, and Burton snowboard. ESPN launched that year, too.
Last but not least, the Chevrolet Corvette was on a roll from a sales perspective. As I shared in a prior story on a 1979 Corvette, that year was the car’s most successful of all time (with 53,807 units being allocated to lucky new owners).
The following is one of the cars that was sold to its original owner that year. Featured on AutoHunter is this 1979 Chevrolet Corvette L82. It is being sold by a private party in Maricopa, Arizona, and the auction will end Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 11:45 a.m. PDT.
One of the magazine advertisements for the 1979 Corvette called the car, “The one and only.” It went on to say, “This year, Corvette engineers and designers continue to refine one of the world’s impressively responsive cars. New flatter-folding bucket seats endow Corvette with a more practical carrying capacity. New dual-snorkel air induction air cleaner, new anti-theft steering column ignition lock, and standard Delco AM/FM radio help to make it one of the world’s well-equipped cars.”
The sleek black exterior features color-matched removable T-tops, hideaway quad headlights, sport mirrors, and 17-inch polished aluminum American Racing wheels. In the cockpit, niceties include factory air conditioning, a Delco stereo, and power windows. All in all, it’s a well-loved C3 that could easily be enjoyed during all four seasons if desired.
The “L-82” badging on the hood is a clue as to what’s going on with the powertrain: Power comes from a numbers-matching L82 350ci small-block V8 mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Chevrolet rated the engine at 225 horsepower when new, but this car may pack a few additional ponies thanks to an upgraded Edelbrock Performer intake manifold, an Edelbrock air cleaner, and a side-mounted dual exhaust system. Maintenance-wise, the power steering pump was replaced in 2021. The odometer reads 27,331 miles and the Arizona title reads actual miles.
The seller has provided two videos, one of which is an exterior walk-around and an overview of the interior. The second video is a start-up and engine rev demonstration. The car sounds like an absolute beast.
And while the 1979 Sony Walkman has become largely obsolete, the 1979 Corvette remains attractive – even 46 years later.
The auction for this 1979 Chevrolet Corvette L82 ends Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 11:45 a.m. (PDT).
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery
