Oct 18, 2017 • Uncategorized •

Update 10/18/17 – I’ve heard from the seller and they sent over photos to verify that this Camaro is in fact an L78 SS 396! They also clarified what the switch on the shifter is and it is a line lock, so this beast is ready to race if necessary. Thankfully, it hasn’t been chopped up to fit wider tires though and looks to be in good shape overall. Returned to original, it would be worth considerably more and the seller feels like it wouldn’t take much to get it there! I’ve add the photos of the VIN, body tag and engine number below, so be sure to take a look! If you’d like to have a real L78 parked in your barn, be sure to make the seller an offer.

From 10/13/17 – If you love American muscle cars, then first generation Camaros likely have a place on your “want” list. The styling is sensational, engine options ranged from inline sixes to big blocks, and they handled well for a car of that era. Unfortunately, it seems that these Camaros have found their way onto everyone’s shopping list, and they are buying. Prices for good, rust free examples are rocketing skyward, and even clapped out rust buckets are being advertised at more than $10,000. Is this a bubble, or is it the new normal? Let’s take a look at one car for sale here on eBay and see what it has to offer for the price. This 1968 Camaro SS, packing a 396 cubic inch big block L78 engine, is currently being offered for either a buy it now price of $45,900, or you can make an offer.

As you can see from the pictures, the car looks pretty good from about ten feet away. When you get closer, you can see that the paint has some age cracking and chipping, and the finish is dull in places. The seller says it is a late 1970s re-paint of the original color. I assume the color is Rallye Red, but Matador Red is very close, just a bit darker. Reds are hard to determine by just a photograph, especially when the sun and shadows come into play.

Other than the issues with the paint, the seller claims that the car is virtually rust free, and most of the parts are original. Even the floor pans! The panel gaps are good, and the doors open and shut easily. All the trim pieces look to be there, and the glass is good as well. The only noticeable blemish is a dent in the passenger quarter panel, but it is not a major one. Looking at the pictures, you just have to wonder if the designers ever thought their work would still look so good fifty years after the car was introduced.

Up front, we can see that everything looks to be in good shape. The traction bars are more prominent from this view, but we have all seen them on first generation Camaros so much they almost look like they were a factory option. I know they weren’t, but these cars were a weapon of choice for drag racers in the late sixties through to the point that their rising values began to curtail this behavior.

Inside, we have some clues to help us understand this car’s life. The vinyl bucket seats look to be the originals, and the carpet and dash are in very good condition. However, another picture shows a small rip in the portion of the driver’s seat next to the seat hinge. We also see that it is a four speed car, and that a Hurst shifter has been added. If you look closely, there is a red button attached to the shifter. I think I know what that button was for, and I wish there was a picture of the inside of the trunk to confirm my suspicions. I am also curious as to why there are a number of buttons or lights under the dash, a red light under the radio, and a row of gauges in the same place. A tachometer with a red line set to 6500 RPMs is fastened to the steering column along with a vacuum gauge.

Under the hood sits the numbers matching 396 cubic inch big block Chevrolet engine complete with a set of Mickey Thompson valve covers. We can see that this was not an air conditioned car, and that some sort of catch bottle is attached to the passenger side inner fender. The seller says that the transmission is a M-22, commonly known as a “Rock Crusher,” and that the rear end has 3.73 gears with Positraction. The engine is said by the seller to run strong, and is absent any strange noises, smoking, or major leaks.

Above is one of the pictures the seller has placed in the eBay ad. I assume this is what the car looked like when it was found. I am sure you are thinking what I am thinking, and you are likely right. However, the right options were checked off many years ago, and the body is in great condition.

Here’s the engine block number, which shows as being an MQ code 375 horsepower 396. We also see that the block’s numbers match up with the car’s VIN number! The seller says all the other key parts are present, including the car’s original carb (a different one is currently installed). Knowing that this car is a real deal L78 certainly makes things more interesting and we want to thank the seller for sending this over to us!