Unrestored Survivor: 1968 Chevrolet Camaro SS
As you gaze upon the straight panels and the gleaming Rallye Green Poly paint on this 1968 Camaro, reflect upon the fact that what you are looking at isn’t a restoration, but a 100% original survivor. This is a stunning car that is located in Columbus, Indiana, and the owner now needs to part with it due to a lack of space. Listed for sale here on eBay, bidding has reached $20,000, and I’m not at all surprised by the fact that the reserve hasn’t been met. There is a BIN option available, and this has been set at $45,000.
The Camaro is striking looking, but it isn’t perfect. The owner says that it does have a few marks on it, which is to be expected when you’re talking about an original car that is 51-years-old. This is the worst mark on the car, and I’m sure that a tear or two was shed when this happened. The rest of the car is clean, and it doesn’t look like there’s a spot of rust anywhere on the Camaro. If you aren’t completely convinced about just how clean the car is, then scroll down to the bottom of this story and have a look at the photos that were taken of the underside of the car when it was up on a lift. It is extremely impressive.
As you would expect from an original and unrestored car of this age, the interior does have a few flaws. What is amazing is that these seem to be confined to not a lot more than some minor stretching of the upholstery on the driver’s seat. The rest of the interior trim looks flawless. What I do find impressive is the fact that the carpet has survived with little fading. This is one area that usually starts to show its age, but the carpet in there looks great. The only real deviation from original is the fact that a previous owner did have an alarm fitted to the vehicle.
Okay, now it’s confession time. Maybe this Camaro isn’t 100% original. After all, it has had a new exhaust, a new battery, and new brakes. Seriously, that is all that the owner claims has ever been changed on the car. That glorious, numbers-matching 325hp 396ci V8 is lurking under the hood and is backed by the original 4-speed manual transmission. Even the smog pump has been left in place. You can see part of the alarm system on the driver’s side of the engine bay, but the rest of it looks stock and original, except for a couple of stray wires that I can see. The owner doesn’t mention how well the car runs and drives, but he does say that he has the original Order Form, Owner’s Manual, Protect-O-Plate, and even the original keys for the Camaro.
When I first looked at the listing for this Camaro, I wasn’t convinced by the BIN price. When I read about the car and saw that this wasn’t a restored car, but a numbers-matching survivor that still wears its original paint, that changed my thinking. That makes this a special car, and I think that it fully justifies the price.
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Comments
I have said this a lot recently, but I will say it again. What is the story of a car like this having so few miles? I guess curiosity killed the cat, though this kitty is so old, doesn’t really matter anymore. Meow.
Many of these cars were parked/mildly driving after the 1974 Oil embargo and subsequent raise in the price of gas as well as cost to insure. I have a ’69 Camaro Z/28 I bought in 1990 with 72,000 miles on it. It was pretty much parked after 1980 when it couldn’t pass smog tests and due to the horrendous fuel economy – 6-8 mpg. We laugh at EV’s with 80 miles range. Well, my Camaro requires a fill-up every 125 miles!
With a carb adjustment & fresh tuneup, it technically should have passed emissions at a reinspection station(unless it was burning oil & there was visible blue smoke). A ’74 v8 non california pontiac is 1 of the hardest to pass emissions, since there is no air pump or converter & ppm emission limits are a lot lower for ’74 than for ’69. I can only imagine the mpg if your z28 was fitted with the over the counter dual 4 barrel setup. Or was it? Otherwise i can’t see a small cube motor getting such terrible mpg.Your z28 must have not had very friendly highway rear axle gears.. Or it needed a tuneup. Pertronix would have helped. & dare i say quadrajet would too – on emissions & mpg.
The car had headers and the smog system removed, which prevented it from passing the CA Smog test. It has a 4:10 rear-end. Going 70 mph, it spins over 4000 RPM! It has a 780 Holley on it (original carb). I suppose if you tender foot the gas, it might get over 10 mpg, but trying doing that in a Z/28!
Fortunately, since it’s a ’69, it no longer has to pass CA smog tests!
I know it isn’t quite the same, but I own a 2011 Camaro SS that I bought new in September 2011 and after 8 years, it doesn’t even have 20k miles on it. It’s not my daily and it is never driven in rain or snow, so I can see how this is possible.
Been a good week for Chevy survivor fans. The ’66 BB Vette,the ’68 Z/28 now this. Some of my all time favorites! Just love original!! Nice Adam
This is a great package all original 68 with the big block and 4 speed!!
Beautiful car! Probably be a static display, although not in my hands. I never get the ” need to sell because I need the room, but I’ll trade for another car”.
While not a barn find , this is the exact car that should be on this site . Wonderful survivor
The ad says It’s painted Rally Green. Sure doesn’t look like that to me.
https://images.app.goo.gl/V4RdgSj7HHKEAPsr9
Very nice Gen. 1 Camaro, a survivor, it should be kept that way. Whats puzzling is that it is for sale due to an incoming ’69 Camaro and the seller needs the room but at the end of the listing there is the possibility of a trade + cash for K/5 Blazer or other vehicles ?
It’s green, but it sure doesn’t look like Rallye Green Poly to me.
I wonder what is with the different tires on it from the underside pictures than the above pictures with the red lines ?
It does seem strange that these Chevy 396 engines got such terrible gas mileage and the 400 in Firebirds could get 21 mpg. I owned a 69 Firebird 400 with 400 turbo trans that got 21 mpg on trips from Redding, California to Sacramento and back and from Redding to Seattle and back and that included going over the sciscayou mountain on I-5 between California and Oregon. At any well in the dessert, this Camaro is a nice car which I would love to own.
God bless America
Depends on the carb(no doubt yours had a quadrajet vs holleys in many chevy big blocks), state of tune, type of mufflers(big heavy silly sideways one or 2 turbo mufflers), rear end ratio, extra weight on board?, & driving habits(you put your foot down & open the 2ndaries a lot, forget it).
Also, the 396 is heavier than the tin indian 400, probably with bigger valves & many with more aggressive cams & more HP. All chevy big blocks came with the air pump which also hurts mpg. Unless your bird was a Calif car, it had no air pump. Or you removed it.
Does the above advertised front heavy 396 ’68 camaro have power steering? lol
I have a ’69 Chevelle SS396, 325HP. Quadrajet carb, 4 speed, 3:31’s posi. I estimate I get around 12-14 mpg combined. Nowhere near as bad as the solid-lifter, Holley carb’d, 302 with 4:10’s in the Camaro!
I had a 68 in what looks like to be this same color.British green.was a awesome car..had to make a deal with local cops..after 7 tickets and even more warnings in one early spring/summer.they followed me to my house ,I pulled it into front yard and parked it.deal was I got to keep my license so I could finish and graduate college ..it was sold in 6 days.i had just bought an 82 suzuki katana..need for speed was not given up.i miss that car and the 70 chevelle that was my next purchase too.
It’s so rare to see a car like this Camaro in the condition it’s in, especially a 4 speed 396. That Z was clean yesterday but this looks practically new. Save the driving and tuning for all the clones out there an put this in a museum.
Looks like an auto not a 4spd…
Isn’t that a ‘67 steering wheel?
Thought the ‘68 SS was a fat, plastic, graduating tri spoke with a very small SS emblem in the center.
Do we still call it original paint if it’s been touched up a bit ?
Looks like the wd40 wipe down on the trunk wasn’t completed.
Actually an even better less expensive choice is [only “red”?] auto trans fluid! – an old used car salesman trick, tho on very smooth faded surfaces it will wash off after a good rain. AsTOUNDing tho how ATF can bring back colors on faded surfaces like magic!, even on fiberglass & plastic trim. & can even be applied in the hot sun, tho always best in the shade. & best applied with a sponge that has a smooth surface. & can sometimes even “hide” clearcoat peel & scratches, to an extent.
Are the wheels 14″ ?
🏁
It’s located where I live. I wonder if the seller would mind an ogler just to have a look-see ? The damage on the fender flair is not terribly serious, but the paint may be a stinker to perfectly match. Not really a bow tie guy, but I have a soft spot for these 1st gen Camaro’s. Wonderful example of the quintessential American muscle car.