My first Vette was an "81, red/black, auto. Just clicked 100k in 2002. Paid $4k for it. Kept it a month.
My brother had an '79 a few years ago. He installed an Edelbrock cam/carb/ intake package, ACCEL Super Coil and distributor, polished stainless headers. I outran him in my stock '97 Eldorado.