Original Paint: 52k Mile 1968 Chevrolet Caprice
We are lucky enough to see some stunning survivors crossing our desks at Barn Finds, and this 1968 Chevrolet Caprice 4-Door Hardtop sits up there with the best of them. Faulting its presentation is almost impossible, from its sparkling original paint to its spotless and unmolested interior. It is a car that is guaranteed to receive positive comments wherever it goes, and the bidding history suggests plenty of people would like its next journey to their home. Considering its mechanical health, the winning bidder could fly in and drive this classic home.
The Caprice badge first appeared as an options package on the 1965 Impala, with Chevrolet granting it model status in 1966 as a full-size offering. The First Generation remained on sale until 1970, with the first owner ordering our feature car in 1968. They chose a classy combination of Grecian Green Metallic with a Black vinyl top. The seller claims the paint is original, and its condition is particularly noteworthy if that is true. The shine it exhibits is impressive, with no significant flaws or defects. There are a few minor dings from when the car was a daily driver, but none require attention if the winning bidder wishes to protect the car’s survivor status. The Caprice has been garage-kept since Day One, with the lack of exposure to harsh UV rays and adverse weather preventing deterioration and allowing the car to remain rust-free. The vinyl hasn’t deteriorated, and there are no nasty bubbles suggesting it might conceal unwelcome surprises. The trim sparkles as impressively as the paint, and the glass is crystal clear.
I was slightly surprised when I first looked at the supplied interior shots because I initially thought the Caprice featured mismatched seatcovers. However, they have been protected from wear by plastic covers for the car’s entire life, with the plastic removed from the front seat base due to cracking and splits. The strategy was worthwhile because the seats are in as-new condition. The carpet is equally impressive, and there are no issues with the dash or pad. The seller confirms that the door trims exhibit some staining on the top panels, but feels that careful work with an appropriate cleaner would eliminate this. They haven’t attempted this themselves, leaving it to the buyer’s discretion. The AM radio is inoperative, but that is the only interior functional issue.
Buyers faced a wide selection of V8s to power their 1968 Caprice, including a big-block option for those seeking a perfect combination of space and performance. This car’s original owner teamed the 327ci V8 with a three-speed Turbo Hydramatic transmission and power steering to provide an effortless driving experience. The 327 generates 250hp and 335 ft/lbs of torque, giving the 3,977 lb Caprice respectable performance. The seller confirms this classic is a numbers-matching survivor in excellent mechanical health. They fitted an HEI distributor, but the original is in the trunk. The Chevy kicks to life at the first turn of the key, settling immediately into a smooth idle. It runs and drives perfectly, and is ready to head into the sunset with its new owner behind the wheel.
The seller listed this 1968 Chevrolet Caprice 4-Door Hardtop here on eBay in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Twenty-one bids have pushed the price to $14,100, which is below the reserve. Considering its originality and overall condition, I believe the price won’t need to rise much higher before that occurs. It deserves a new home with someone who will continue to treat it with the respect it has already received. Are you up for that challenge?
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Comments
Adam,
Fantastic write up and bingo, you really summed up the single biggest responsibility of owning a classic car as its caregiver:
“It deserves a new home with someone who will continue to treat it with the respect it has already received. Are you up for that challenge?”
Well done.
Hope this gem goes to a great Home!
workhorse of a car, right there
Wow, haven’t seen one of these (4 door) in ages. Very sweet ride.
a hard top at that !..
just as beautiful as its couple cousin; maybe even more so
this find is the finest
My SIL bought one as her first car at
the age of 16. And like any other 10 year old Midwestern car, it was severely rusted and nearly used up.
Like this car, hers had the 327 V-8 that in her car’s case, put out more smoke than horsepower. And because it has holes in theufflers, it
roared like a freight train. But, she
was very proud of her purchase no
matter how much work it would need
to make it a regular car again. So when she drove from Peoria to Bloomington to see her grandmother,
I rummaged in my toolbox for a better
set of plugs than what she came to town with. Along with the plugs, I cleaned and reset the points, put 2
nearly new cable ends on the battery
cables as well. After a fluid check, she was good to go for a safe trip back home. Sadly though, that Chevy
met an awful ending when my BIL
forgot to add antifreeze to the radiator which as we know, is one
sure way to bust a block. And that’s
what happened there. I’d love to buy
this car so that my SIL could relive
driving her first car again– without the
smoke and noise she had with her car. Just add a decent stereo, tint
the windows, then drive and enjoy.
Nothin’ could be finer!
It’s a true beauty worthy of a museum. Wow!
Crisp. You can almost smell the “new car” in the pictures. Those Fingerhut seat covers really did their job. This car deserves a steward who will continue to care for it into the future.
Better than any junky SUV on the market. Can repair what little breaks with my Craftsman tool set dad bought me more than 50 years ago. Snows a ton in central PA, used to live in State College, close to this car. Would like to see photos underneath. That’s how I buy a car. Stunning good Chevy when GM was the real GM.
Took my drivers ed training in high school in a car just like this one, identical! Boy, talk about bringing back memories! The local newspaper took photographs of us in driver’s education. My photo in that 68 was on the front page of the newspaper. If I were a paying member of Barnfinds I’d upload it. You don’t see many cars of that era in that kind of condition. It’s obvious the owners loved that car.
Looks pretty basic. No A/C, P/W and no power brakes. I know that back then cars could be ordered in all sorts of configurations like power seats and locks but no power windows. Although, I really like the car…at least it has the 327.
Sixty years ago a lot of the things you call out were relatively new and costly. People didn’t all gravitate to the latest and greatest being satisfied with what was known to them. Buying a Caprice with a vinyl top, power steering, radio and powertrain upgrade was a pretty snazzy ride.
Nowadays you can’t even get a basic VW without power everything, but it wasn’t considered unusual to crank your own windows in the sixties.
The only thing missing here for me is A/C. The only other issue is NO MORE room for any more toys. Two COMPLETELY ORIGINAL TOYS is all i need.
Remember “there only original” once.
As has been mentioned, not every car came “fully equipped”. My family owned a 1965 Chevrolet Biscayne wagon, and a 1969 Chevrolet Impala. Both were used cars. The Biscayne was IMO oddly equipped, especially for the bottom tier. It had a 283 V-8, power glide transmission, p/w, p/b, and am radio. The Impala was a 4 door sedan. Vinyl top, 350 V-8, turbo hydromatic transmission a/c, p/s, p/b and I believe an am/FM radio. At 70 years young my memory can be a little fuzzy. My 16 year old brother was driving the Impala, when it overheated. When it cooled down he put in water instead of antifreeze. Drove it about 20 miles and cracked the block. He joined the Army 2 years later and was trained as a mechanic. Lol.
Wow, what a clean machine! And the ’68 I see as one of the prettiest Chevys ever. Kudos to whoever kept this so pristine for so many years. Would love to bring this one home.
Just toured a field of cars that have to be removed. There was about 4 of these. I brought home a 1972 Caprice with a 400 engine and a gutted out 1957 Chevy wagon.
Nice to see factory wheel covers for a change. I hope there aren’t flowmasters underneath.
Interesting that a ’68 2 door caprice coupe has a much more formal roofline in back than the 4 door.
Oddly, astroventilation/ventless door glass not available on 4 door caprices – in ’68.
Very difficult to find that delux steering wheel these days w/o cracks.
I wonder if you could get a Caprice with manual steering.