Vehicle Description
This 1968 Chevrolet Camaro is the kind of vintage beauty we'd all
love to build, given the time and money to do it right. With a
powerful 402 cubic inch V8 big block under the hood that's been
built to brawl, a quick-shifting Muncie 4-speed handling the gears,
and power 4-wheel disc brakes to help it stop on a dime, this is a
very exciting early F-body, indeed. Vivid blue paint over a
period-perfect black interior certainly kicks things up a notch as
well, elevating this RS into dream-car territory where it
rightfully belongs.
That head-turning Blue paint isn't what this Camaro was born with
(Code L Teal Blue was the original shade, whereas this is probably
closer to a LeMans Blue), but there's no denying that the change
was an upgrade, because when this car shows up, it gets everyone's
undivided attention. Punctuated with a cowl induction hood, RS-spec
hidden headlights, and a killer set of LeMans-style white stripes,
it looks clean and sleek with HUGE amounts curb appeal. Paint and
bodywork are well done to a strong driver-quality standard, with
straight, clean sheetmetal and a great gloss on the
basecoat/clearcoat paint. Panel gaps are great as well and the
doors latch effortlessly, indicative of not only quality bodywork,
but a car that hasn't been abused through the years. The two-stage
urethane paint is uniformly shiny, with only minor imperfections
and touch-ups to speak of, and the blue finish has a nice sparkling
luster in it that really makes it bling out in the sunshine. For
any Camaro, adding an ever-popular ducktail on the back should be a
no-brainer because the car looks practically naked without and
flat-out awesome with one. All the stainless has been polished, the
chrome is fresh, and you'll note that the badges on the nose read
'396' which is a cool tip of the hat to the original design while
advising potential competitors that this Camaro packs a little
something extra under the hood.
Inside, the black interior was nicely restored and sticks to the
factory look. Black vinyl seat covers closely reproduce the
original upholstery on the front bench (which is rather rare in an
original V8 car like this) and matching rear seat, and all the
supporting parts like the door panels and headliner are in great
shape too, showing very little signs of use. Black carpets offer
the correct weave and pile and insulates the cabin from the outside
world, and the dashboard was fully restored and includes a thick
dashpad, slick-black paint, and bright accents that add a little
flash to the entire presentation. Factory-spec gauges ahead of the
driver are as sharp and crisp as they would've been in '68,
augmented with a trio of AutoMeter units that better cover all the
engine's vitals. A base-model steering wheel feels great in the
hands of the driver and works in concert with the chrome Hurst
shifter jutting out from the floor, and it comes topped with a
cue-ball knob that practically taunts the driver to bang through
the gears. There's no A/C and no radio, but those amenities aren't
the point of this vintage Camaro, which instead was born to go fast
and look good doing so. Out back, the spacious trunk was neatly
finished and protected with a reproduction plaid mat, further proof
that no details were overlooked in the restoration of this
beauty.
It's obvious that the big money was spent under the hood, where a
powerful 402 V8 was nestled in between satin black inner fenders
and dressed for show. It's a '71-72 block, so the '396' decal on
the chrome air cleaner isn't necessarily incorrect, as the
differences between a '396' and '402' big block had more to do with
GM's classifications (and to be fair, negligible differences like a
slight .030 overbore) than any major internal differences.
Nevertheless, it's a truly powerful big block that runs incredibly
well, pulling the rather lightweight Camaro F-Body with ease while
displaying a tremendous torque curve. Chevy Orange engine enamel
covers the intake manifold and the block itself, polished valve
covers add bling at the flanks, and all of the plumbing, wiring,
and accessories are super-clean and neatly organized - ready to be
shown-off with great pride. With a big Edelbrock 4-barrel
carburetor, Holley intake manifold, and a set of jet-coated
long-tube headers, it makes big power up and down the throttle. An
HEI ignition system and modern alternator help the Camaro crank
right on cue, while a big aluminum radiator means no worries when
you're sitting in traffic. The transmission is a Muncie 4-speed
manual that spins a heavy-duty 10-bolt rear end, all framed by a
beautifully finished undercarriage that features a fresh dual
exhaust system with Flowmaster-style chambered mufflers that sound
deep and throaty. Power 4-wheel disc brakes provide drastically
improved stopping power that is much-welcomed in a muscle car this
fast, and the Camaro's sporty look is turned up to '11' with a set
of staggered Coys - 18"s up front and 20"s out back - wrapped in
225/45/18 front and 245/40/20 rear performance radials with plenty
of grip.
This beautifully restored big block Camaro RS gets just about
everything right. Only thing missing now is a new owner, could that
possibly be you? Call today!
