“Barn Find” Rescue: ’78 Pace Car Goes From Tired To Great… Part 1

Welcome to the continuation of our DIY series, where I showcase unique restorations and builds from around our community. There’s something to be said for enthusiasts who take these neglected relics from our Corvette world, (stuffed away in barns, garages, and buildings), and bring them back to life.

Meet John G. from Newburyport, MA, who says he had been planning on building a custom ’78 Pace Car for a while, but the right car never presented itself. When John recently finally found the one that grabbed him, she had led a rough life. This L48 automatic with 40,000 original miles and a clean title was thrown outside for nearly a decade, then left to rot on an old loading dock at a salvage yard.

As far as John could tell, everything original was in place, with the exception of the radio, and as you can see the paint is shot, but the body is great. John notes the frame and birdcage are “super solid”, which is all he really cared about. If you would like some more information on the iconic 1978 Indy Pace Car, our Scott Kolecki did a feature here.

The Story

Here is the tale directly from John: