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1973 L82 Engine
Finally, in 1973, consumers were left with only three available engine options, two of which were of a small-blocks. The third was the 454 cubic-inch LS4, would only survive for two years, serving as the final big-block to grace the Corvette’s engine bay. By 1975, the Corvette was only offered with one of two engines, of which, the 350 cubic-inch L82 was the most formidable.
1978 was significant because it marked the cars 25th anniversary of production. Recognizing the achievement of manufacturing a car for a quarter-century, Chevrolet commemorated this accomplishment by introducing two special-edition Corvette that year.  The first of these was known as the "Silver Anniversary" edition Corvette.  It featured a two-tone silver over gray exterior with special pin-striping and special "25th Anniversary" badging.
While the redesign gave the Corvette a fresh look for the new model year, Chevrolet also recognized the importance of commemorating the car's quarter-century of production.  For the first time in the brand's history, two special-edition Corvettes were introduced for the 1978 model year: the Silver Anniversary Edition and the Indy Pace Car coupes. On March 15, 1977, the 500,000th Corvette rolled off the assembly line at Chevrolet's St. Louis manufacturing plant.