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1968 Chevelle: Low Mileage Survivor

1968 Chevelle

This 1968 Chevelle is said to have only 51,000 documented miles. They don’t provide many details or any other pictures. This could be a great survivor if it’s anything like the seller wants us to believe. The owner does say he is the second owner and it has always been garaged until he bought it. It’s a 307 with the automatic, so don’t expect it to be much of a performance machine. The asking price of $16,000 seems really high to me, but if it’s in exceptional original condition it might be worth it. It’s in the San Jose area and listed here on craigslist. Do you think this is worth checking into?

Comments

  1. Avatar TJP440

    HMM 16K for an unmolested California rust free 68 Chevelle ? I’m in, Although the color looks a bit bright for butternut yellow, Definitely worth A look IMO

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  2. Avatar hhaleblian

    Short answer? Ahhh no.

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  3. Avatar roger

    Nice car.
    My favorite year of chevelle,but now way is it worth more than 5000-6500 tops.
    People see car auctions and expect to get those show car prices for plain models in unrestored condition.
    very silly seller

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  4. Avatar Fred

    I’m seeing rampant pie in the sky pricing on Craigslist, Ebay, Hemmings, etc. These sellers learn quickly that if they don’t get realistic on price they will be looking at the car for a very long time.

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  5. Avatar Leon

    I wonder why so many people buy lifelong garaged cars and can’t be prepared to give the same protection to these cars when they decide to buy them especially if they expect top dollar to sell them

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  6. Avatar GeeBee

    50,000 was about the lifespan of a 307, wasn’t it?

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    • Avatar geomechs Member

      Hi GeeBee. When I worked for GM I saw a lot of them get well over 100K miles. I overhauled one in a ’70 pickup that had 150K, most of that on gravel roads. It only had .004″ taper on the cylinders. An exception to the rule? Probably. But a lot of them lasted a long time, especially in a mid-sized car. A pickup tended to get worked to death. Personally I never cared much for the 307 because I thought it was somewhat of a boat anchor compared to even a 283.

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    • Avatar Bill W

      My first car a 69 malibu 307. was told the odo went over twice. It was using 2-3 quarts of oil a week. Drove it over a year and when I knew iw as getting another car soon I did not add oil. drove it about 2 weeks with the oil light on all the time, finally i checked the oil, none on the dipstick, car was still running, not good but running, only had half a quart oil added that and kept driving. My point? that boat anchor of a engine did not quit

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  7. Avatar booya

    @GeeBee: I think 50K counted as high-miles on just about anything up to the mid-80s. Certainly the engines with carbs that leaked gas into cylinders, sparked by points-based ignitions would count each mile far more impactfully than what we run now.

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  8. Avatar TBall

    $16k for a driver Malibu with a 307 auto is a pipedream. Now, were it a Chevelle SS with a big block and 4-speed in great condition, we’d be getting there…

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    • Avatar Bill W

      16K for a SS big block 4 speed in great condition? Thats a pipe dream

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  9. Avatar Luke Fitzgerald

    Are you guys for real? – the price is always negotiable – and if it’s not it’s either the real deal or supremely unrealistic – if it’s real – then it may be the best preserved on the planet – people go on and on about it being this or that – it’s here, it’s for sale and I guarantee it’ll go to someone who knows how good and rare it is ( now )

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  10. Avatar Another Bob

    To me it is all about if the paint is original and it looks mint on a hoist. That would make a great bolt on project car. I like the colour….lot’s of potential.

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  11. Avatar blindmarc

    Mecum is on right now, and you could get a lot more car for what the seller is asking.

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  12. Avatar BRAKTRCR

    If it were an SS 396 in this shape it would be well over 30K probably closer to 40. The seller doesn’t mention any options like ac power brakes etc, but I don’t think that is an unrealistic price. Might be a bit optimistic, but not a lot.
    As far as performance, I have been surprised by some 307’s. Just like a 283, cam, headers, intake, and a carb, and they wake up. No they don’t outperform a 350, but you always make due with what you have. It used to be called “Run What Ya Brung” I think it’s a nice car. The Power Glide is indestructible, and a Bracket Racer’s best friend. But, that’s just my opinion, worth what it costs you

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  13. Avatar RoughDiamond

    Worst engine I ever experienced besides a slant 6 that kept vapor locking in traffic was a 307 in a ’70 Chevelle Malibu I owned. It got terrible gas mileage plus wouldn’t fall out of a tree.

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  14. Avatar RoughDiamond

    I owned a ’70 Chevelle Malibu with the stock 307 engine and 70K original miles. That motor was the worst GM V8 I have ever experienced. Not only did it get terrible gas mileage, but power wise it was a joke.

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  15. Avatar geomechs Member

    Damn! If it was a ’69 I’d be all over it. If it was a 300 I’d really be all over it. Finally, if it was a ’69 300 Deluxe with a 6cyl./3spd. I be on my way to get it right now. In reality I’d settle for a ’69 with the same options as this one but ’68 just isn’t my year…

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  16. Avatar novadude

    first traffic ticket i ever received was in a 68 chevelle with a 307, had a two barrel carb, it was a pretty fast car back then.

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  17. Avatar Doug Towsley

    That is upper end retail for what it is, but NOT out of line, do a SEARCHTEMPEST check and you see pretty quick some pretty high prices on these, 68-69 especially. For many, especially east coast guys who see the rust, a clean machine like this is instant drool factor. I know people who export clean muscle cars like this to Asia, Australia, NZ, & Europe. If you want sticker shock, look up NZs version of eBay (eBay is not popular there) its called “TradeMe.NZ” and see what muscle cars like this go for. It will make you start searching for shipping containers in a heart beat. The largest autoswap meet west of the Mississippi is here in Oregon in April. 5000 booths. Droves of overseas buyers show up. Cant swing a dead cat without hitting an Aussie or Kiwi, Japanese buyers as well. I know 3 Germans who come every year. $16,000? Seems like a lot, but it will find a new home near that price. If you dont like it, all these TV shows are not helping. Better start complaining to Velocity, and all those other channels.

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