1977 Corvette – Vette-net

For Chevrolet, however, the 1977 model year marked a significant manufacturing milestone – the production of their 500,000th Corvette. It had taken Chevrolet 15 years to build the first 250,000 Corvettes, but only an additional eight years to build 250,000 more.

While it was true that the Corvette’s performance had certainly dwindled – especially over the past couple of years, to a modest shadow of its big-block older brothers from the 1960s, there was no question that the car’s appeal had only grown with each passing year.

Pricing: $8,647.65 (Coupe)

Engine options: 350ci, 180HP Engine (standard) 350ci, 210HP Engine

Transmission: 4-speed manual (standard) 4-speed manual (close ratio) 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic (optional)

Top speed: 132mph

Units Produced: 49,213

Available Colors: Classic White, Silver, Black, Corvette Light Blue, Corvette Dark Blue, Corvette Chartreuse, Corvette Yellow, Corvette Bright Yellow, Corvette Orange, Corvette Tan, Medium Red, Corvette Dark Red

Highlights of the year:

The 1977 C3 Corvette arrived with only a few, modest modifications from its previous year. Outwardly, the car was virtually identical to the 1976 model, save for the introduction of a reworked luggage and roof panel rack (RPO V54) that could be used to transport the car’s T-tops (instead of placing them in the Corvette’s lidless trunk.)

With regard to the T-tops, glass roof panels were introduced as a new option at the start of the model year, though General Motors later canceled the option because of a reputed dispute with the supplier over sales rights. The most notable change from 1976 to 1977, however, was the removal of the Stingray nameplate from the Corvette’s front fenders. It was replaced by Corvette’s traditional crossed-flags insignia.

Mechanically, the 1977 Corvette went essentially unchanged from the 1976 model year. As in 1976, the 1977 Corvette came standard with a 180 horsepower, 350 cubic-inch, small-block Chevy engine mated to a 4-speed, wide-ratio manual transmission.

Also, like the 1976 model, the new Corvette could be ordered with an optional 210 horsepower engine (PRO L48), except in Canada where the base engine remained the only available option due to higher emission standards.

The 1977 Corvette set another new sales record at 49,213 units. The popularity of the Chevy Corvette throughout the 1970s was proven time and again by the year over year increase in sales numbers despite the dramatic increases in cost.

Photos of the 1977 Corvette: