A highly original, unrestored time capsule, this 1979 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe has been driven just 490 miles since new, making it an excellent candidate for judging for the Bloomington Gold Benchmark Award, the most prestigious award available to Corvette enthusiasts. According to the Bloomington Gold organization, this is: “… the ultimate standard for unrestored vehicles. In 1991, Bloomington Gold introduced the ultimate and most difficult judging category—The BENCHMARK Award. To achieve BENCHMARK status, an unrestored Corvette must attain GOLD Certification and excel in all four categories of SURVIVOR during the same weekend. To date, fewer than 5 percent of the Corvettes that have been certified have received the prestigious BENCHMARK Award.” After several years of diminished performance, power was once again on the rise in Detroit, and the Corvette was no exception. The optional L82 small-block V-8 offered 225 net SAE HP and exceptional low-end torque, and it was available only with the Muncie M21 close ratio 4-speed manual transmission. This uniquely original example also features the optional 3.70:1 Positraction rear axle, just one element in a full range of desirable features that includes the original Corvette Red paint and black leather interior, power steering, SS power disc brakes, factory air conditioning, tinted glass, an AM/FM stereo radio, Gymkhana suspension, sport mirrors and power windows. The included Convenience Group added dome and courtesy light delay, a headlight warning buzzer, underhood light, low fuel warning light, floor mats, the intermittent wiper and a passenger side visor mirror. Also included are the front and rear spoilers and alloy wheels with white raised-letter Goodyear GT Radial tires made popular in the 1978 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Edition. Documentation for this potential award winner includes the window sticker, build sheet, warranty pamphlets, dealer invoice, MSO, dealer bill of sale, owner history, owner’s manual and sales brochure.