Shipping information
Worldwide
Need Financing?
The 1979 Corvette marked another blockbuster sales year and the first time a base Corvette sticker cleared $10,000. Updates included halogen headlights, black fastback window trim, better column lock shielding, and carryovers from the ’78 Pace Car: lightweight high-back seats, front/rear spoilers (optional), and glass roof panels. Under the hood, both L48 and L82 small-blocks gained power, and it was the final year you could pair an L82 with a manual. Find all the info you need below plus our current 1979 Corvettes for sale.
Quick Links:
1979 Corvette Prices & Value
Values vary widely by condition, originality, and drivetrain. Here are some general guidelines to consider when shopping for a ‘79 Corvette:
- Milestone year: Base price broke the $10K mark, and ’79 set record sales for the C3 era.
- Desirable combo: It’s the last year you could pair the L82 with a 4-speed manual, a configuration collectors watch for.
- Option signals buyers like: Glass roof panels (CC1) and front/rear spoilers (D80) which were both inherited from the ’78 Pace Car.
- Year-over-year power bump: Both L48 and L82 gained output versus ’78, making ’79 a friendlier driver than earlier mid-’70s cars.
- Originality is still important: Matching-numbers drivetrains, documented colors/options, and unmodified examples still command the strongest interest.
1979 Corvettes For Sale
Just Arrived
1979 White Corvette Tan Interior T Top
350 engine, automatic transmission, 83,480 miles on dash (title is exempt for mileage), power steering, power brakes, A/C, tan leather interior, power windows, tilt &
Automatic
350
83,480 miles on dash
Just Arrived
1979 Red Red C3 Corvette L48 T Top
Numbers matching, L-48/350 engine, 80,690 miles on dash (title is exempt for mileage), automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, A/C, tilt and telescopic steering column,
Automatic
L48/350
80,690 on dash
Just Arrived
1979 Dark Blue L82 4spd Manual Corvette For Sale
Numbers-matching L82/350 engine with 95,291 original miles. Equipped with tan leather interior, 4-speed manual transmission, power steering, power brakes, power windows, A/C, tilt and telescopic steering
Manual
L82/350
95,291 Original
Just Arrived
1979 Burgundy Corvette Hot Rod For Sale
Numbers matching, automatic transmission, 93,721 miles on dash (title is exempt for mileage), black leather interior, power steering, power brakes, power windows, tilt and telescopic
Automatic
350
93,721 on the dash
Just Arrived
1979 White Corvette Red Interior For Sale
Numbers matching, L48/350 engine, automatic transmission, 82,832 miles on dash (title is exempt for mileage), A/C, red leather interior, power steering, power brakes, power windows,
Automatic
L48/350
82,832 miles on dash
Just Arrived
1979 Black Corvette 28K Miles Hot Rod For Sale
350 engine, 28,940 original miles, automatic transmission, original oyster leather interior, power steering, power brakes, power windows, A/C, tilt and telescopic steering column, dual sport
Automatic
350
28,940 Original
Just Arrived
1979 Dark Blue Corvette Oyster Interior For Sale
350 crate engine, 93,839 original miles, oyster leather interior, automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, power windows, A/C, tilt and telescopic steering column, AM/FM/CD radio,
Automatic
350
93,839 Original
Just Arrived
1979 Candy Apple Red Corvette For Sale
350 engine, automatic transmission, 43,173 miles, power steering, power brakes, power windows, A/C, alloy wheels, red leather interior, AM/FM/AUX radio, dual exhaust, and much more.
Automatic
350
Just Arrived
1979 Red Corvette T Top Hot Rod
Numbers matching, auto, 80,000 original miles, power steering, power brakes, power windows, tilt & tele steering wheel, rear window defogger, AM/FM/Cd player, alloy wheels, sport
Automatic
80,000
1979 Corvette Quick Facts
| Model | 1979 Corvette |
| Generation | C3 Corvette |
| Type | 2 Door Coupe (fastback) |
| Colors | Classic White, Silver, Black, Corvette Light Blue, Corvette Yellow, Corvette Dark Green, Corvette Light Beige, Corvette Red, Corvette Dark Brown, Corvette Dark Blue |
| Engine | 350ci L48 — 195 hp; 350ci L82 — 225 hp |
| Vin | 1Z8789S400001 – 1Z8789S453807 (coupe) |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual; automatic |
| Original Price | $10,220.23 (Coupe) |
| Units Produced | 53,807 |
Popular 1979 Corvette Colors
- Red/Red
- Classic White / Red
- Classic White / Black
- Silver / Black
- Dark Blue / Black
- Mahogany / Saddle
- Black / Red
1979 Corvette Engines & Performance
- L48 small-block: Street-friendly torque and drivability. Power increased versus the prior year.
- L82 small-block: Hotter cam/intake/tune with a bump up to 220hp. Final year offered with a manual.
- Year-specific intake and exhaust tweaks (including dual-snorkel intake) improved responsiveness.
1979 Corvette Aesthetic Changes
Chevrolet continued its trend of folding popular options into the standard package. In May 1979, the brand made several high-demand features standard equipment. These were some of the changes that pushed the base price past the $10,000 mark.
- Tilt-telescopic steering column
- Air conditioning
- Power windows
Exterior & Lighting Updates
- The popular fastback rear window from 1978 carried over.
- Fastback window trim changed from chrome to black for a cleaner look.
- Visibility improved with tungsten-halogen headlights.
Security Improvement
The ignition cylinder lock received additional shielding after Corvette was noted as the most frequently stolen car in 1978.
Carryover from the 1978 Indy 500 Pace Car Replica
- Lightweight “high-back” bucket seats made standard: better side bolstering, easier access to rear storage, about 24 lbs lighter, and seat tracks with an extra inch of travel.
- Front and rear spoiler package (optional): reduced aerodynamic drag by about 15% and improved fuel economy by approximately 0.5 mpg.
- Glass, mirror-tint roof panels (CC1): the most popular carryover. It was ordered on nearly 15,000 cars despite a $365 price tag.
1979 Corvette Options (RPO Codes)
| CODES | DESCRIPTION | QUANTITY | RETAIL PRICE |
| 1YZ87 | Base Corvette Sport Coupe | 53,807 | $10,220.23 |
| A31 | Power Windows | 20,631 | $141.00 |
| AU3 | Power Door Locks | 9,054 | $131.00 |
| CC1 | Removable Glass Roof Panels | 14,480 | $365.00 |
| C49 | Rear Window Defogger | 41,587 | $102.00 |
| C60 | Air Conditioning | 47,136 | $635.00 |
| D35 | Sport Mirror | 48,211 | $45.00 |
| D80 | Spoilers, Front and Rear | 6,853 | $265.00 |
| FE7 | Gymkhana Suspension | 12,321 | $49.00 |
| F51 | Heavy Duty Shock Absorbers | 2,164 | $33.00 |
| G95 | Optional Rear Axle Ratios | 428 | $19.00 |
| K30 | Cruise Control | 34,445 | $113.00 |
| L82 | 350ci, 220hp Engine | 14,516 | $565.00 |
| M21 | 4-Speed Manual Trans, Close Ratio | 4,062 | $0.00 |
| MX1 | Automatic Transmission | 41,454 | $0.00 |
| NA6 | HIgh-Altitude Emission Equipment | 56 | $35.00 |
| N37 | Tilt-Telescopic Steering Column | 47,463 | $190.00 |
| N90 | Aluminum Wheels (4) | 33,741 | $380.00 |
| QBS | White Letter SBR Tires, P255/60R15 | 17,920 | $226.20 |
| QGR | White Letter SBR Tires, P225/70R15 | 29,603 | $54.00 |
| UA1 | Heavy Duty Battery | 9,256 | $90.00 |
| UM2 | AM-FM Radio, stereo with 8-track tape | 21,435 | $228.00 |
| UN3 | AM-FM Radio, stereo with cassette | 12,110 | $234.00 |
| UP6 | AM-FM Radio, stereo with CB | 4,483 | $439.00 |
| U58 | AM-FM Radio, stereo | 35,730 | $52.00 |
| U75 | Power Antenna | 37,754 | $52.00 |
| U81 | Dual Rear Speakers | 3,405 | $21.00 |
| YF5 | California Emission Certification | 3,798 | $83.00 |
| ZN1 | Trailer Package | 1,001 | $98.00 |
| ZQ2 | Power Windows and Door Locks | 28,465 | $272.00 |
| ZX2 | Convenience Group | 41,530 | $94.00 |
1979 Corvette Transmission Codes
| CODE | TRANSMISSION |
| UH | Warner 4-Speed, Heavy-Duty Aluminum Case, Wide-Ratio (2.64:1 1st Gear) |
| UK | Warner 4-Speed, Heavy-Duty Aluminum Case, Close-Ratio (2.43:1 1st Gear) |
| TB | Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 |
| WB | Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 |
1979 Corvette Specs and VIN Ranges
| MODEL | 1979 CHEVROLET CORVETTE |
| GENERATION | C3 |
| BODY STYLE | Two-door coupe, front engine, rear wheel drive |
| MANUFACTURING LOCATION | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Original Price | $10,220.23 (Coupe) |
| Units Produced | 53,807 (the highest selling year to this day) |
|
EXTERIOR COLORS |
Classic White, Silver, Black, Corvette Light Blue, Corvette Yellow, Corvette Dark Green, Corvette Light Beige, Corvette Red, Corvette Dark Brown, Corvette Dark Blue |
|
INTERIOR COLORS |
Oyster, Dark Blue, Dark Green, Light Beige, Black, Red |
| CONSTRUCTION | Uniconstruction: fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP or “fiberglass”) body, backboned by a steel cage outlining the passenger compartment. Principal members – underbody, front and rear end assemblies, dash panel and hinge pillars are bonded, riveted, or bolted together and to each other. Hood is plastic with bonded plastic reinforcement. Coupe: two removable roof panels and removable rear window. Frame: all welded, full length, ladder construction with 5 crossmembers. Side Rails and intermediate crossmembers box section; front crossmember box girder section. Eight body-mounting points. |
| VEHICLE NUMBERS (VIN) |
1Z8789S400001 – 1Z8789S453807 (coupe) 1Z87L8S900001 – 1Z87L8S906502 (Corvette Pace Car) |
| ENGINE SUFFIX |
ZAA: 350 CUBIC INCH, 195 HORSEPOWER, MANUAL, EARLY PRODUCTION ZAB: 350 CUBIC INCH, 195 HORSEPOWER, AUTOMATIC, EARLY PRODUCTION ZAC: 350 CUBIC INCH, 195 HORSEPOWER, AUTOMATIC, CALIF. EMISSIONS, EARLY PRODUCTION ZAD: 350 CUBIC INCH, 195 HORSEPOWER, AUTOMATIC, HIGH ALTITUDE ZAF: 350 CUBIC INCH, 195 HORSEPOWER, MANUAL ZAH: 350 CUBIC INCH, 195 HORSEPOWER, AUTOMATIC ZAJ: 350 CUBIC INCH, 195 HORSEPOWER, AUTOMATIC, CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS ZBA: 350 CUBIC INCH, 225 HORSEPOWER, MANUAL ZBB: 350 CUBIC INCH, 225 HORSEPOWER, AUTOMATIC |
| ENGINE BLOCK NUMBER |
3970010: ALL 14016379: LATE PRODUCTION |
| HEAD NUMBER | 462624: ALL |
| CARBURETOR NUMBERS |
ROCHESTER Q-jet #17059202, 17059217: 350 C.I., 195HP, AUTOMATIC ROCHESTER Q-jet #17059203: 350 C.I., 195HP, MANUAL ROCHESTER Q-jet #17059210: 350 C.I., 225HP, AUTOMATIC ROCHESTER Q-jet #17059211: 350 C.I., 225HP, MANUAL ROCHESTER Q-jet #17059216: 350 C.I., 195HP, AUTOMATIC, AIR CONDITIONING ROCHESTER Q-jet #17059228: 350 C.I., 225HP, AUTOMATIC, AIR CONDITIONING ROCHESTER Q-jet #17059502: 350 C.I., 195HP, AUTOMATIC. CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS ROCHESTER Q-jet #17059504: 350 C.I., 195HP, AUTOMATIC., AIR COND. CALIF. EMISSIONS ROCHESTER Q-jet #17059507: 350 C.I., 195HP, AUTOMATIC., AIR COND. CALIF. |
| DISTRIBUTOR NUMBER |
1103285: 350 CUBIC INCH, 195HP, CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS 1103291: 350 CUBIC INCH, 225HP 1103302: 350 CUBIC INCH, 195HP 1103353: 350 CUBIC INCH, 195HP |
| ALTERNATOR NUMBER |
1101041, 1102394, 1102484: 350 CUBIC INCH 1102474, 1102908: 350 CUBIC INCH, AIR CONDITIONING |
| AXLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER |
OM: 3.36:1 RATIO OH: 3.55:1 RATIO OJ: 3.70:1 RATIO |
| PRODUCTION ENDING VEHICLE | AUG., 1978: 400770, SEP., 1978: 404612, OCT., 1978: 409292, NOV., 1978: 413389, DEC., 1978: 416891, JAN., 1979: 421182, FEB., 1979: 425115, MAR., 1979: 429500, APR., 1979: 433259, MAY, 1979: 437626, JUNE, 1979: 441770, JULY, 1979: 445884, AUG., 1979: 450434, SEP., 1979: 453807 |
Common Questions about ‘79 Corvettes
What should I look for when inspecting a 1979 Corvette?
- Documentation & originality: matching-numbers engine/trans, casting/date alignment, tank sticker/POP.
- Structure: inspect frame (rear kick-ups/crossmembers) and birdcage for corrosion. Also check body mounts.
- Systems: verify vacuum headlights, HEI ignition health, charging/grounds, and cooling/fuel after long storage.
- Driveline & suspension: trailing arms/bearings, u-joints, diff leaks, and brake condition.
- T-tops & glass panels: seal wear, wind noise, and stress cracks. Test window regulators and locks.
How reliable is the 1979 Corvette compared to other years?
It’s generally solid as a late-C3 driver. The HEI ignition is less fussy than earlier points systems, and parts support is excellent. Reliability often hinges more on care and maintenance history than on model-year differences.
What are common issues in a 1979 Corvette to watch out for?
- Frame/birdcage rust and tired body mounts
- Vacuum headlight leaks
- Aging wiring/grounds and window/lock switches
- Rear suspension wear specifically on trailing arms, bearings, bushings
- Emissions/exhaust: catalyst condition, heat-soaked hardware, carb tuning after long storage
- Weatherstrips/T-top seals leading to leaks or wind noise
How does the 1979 Corvette’s engine performance compare?
Both L48 and L82 saw power increases over the 1978 model, making ’79 a friendlier driver than the mid-’70s low-output years. It won’t match the early C3 high-compression cars, but a good condition L82 delivers great performance.
Where can I find the best deals on 1979 Corvettes?
Start with our 1979 Corvettes for Sale section right here at Hobby Car Corvettes.