The 1968 model year would be the fourth for the Chevy Caprice and its third as a standalone series. It was introduced in 1965 as a gussied-up version of the Impala, just as Ford did with the Galaxie and LTD. For those who wanted a dash of luxury but didn’t want to step up to a Buick or Cadillac, the Caprice was a great choice. This beauty from 1968 has the 396 cubic-inch big-block V8, so you could go fast in style. Located in Montavilla, Oregon (Portland), the seller is asking $21,950 here on craigslist. Thanks, Pat L., for another of your great finds!
This ’68 Caprice has called the Pacific Northwest home from Day 1. It was purchased new in Boise, Idaho by a man who lived in eastern Oregon. The seller came into possession of the car in 2014 and has continued to keep it well-maintained. The odometer reading is 90,000 and both the seller and his mechanic believe that to be actual. Its 396 engine is original and there’s no indication that it’s ever required a rebuild. We’re told the car runs well with no known mechanical issues.
The seller has not been shy about putting money into the car to keep it in top shape. Throughout his ownership, work performed includes rebuilding the 4-barrel carburetor and the factory air conditioning system. New stuff includes a tune-up, electronic ignition, water pump, wiper motor, gas tank and sending unit, brakes, shocks, belts, transmission gaskets, exhaust system, and new tires Coker red-line tires, just to mention a few.
On the rust-free exterior, the car has been repainted in its original color, Ash Gold, which looks fantastic. No apparent issues can be found in the photos provided. The interior comes across equally as nice and the materials are said to largely be original. Bucket seats with a console are a nice touch for the luxurious Caprice. The seller replaced the basic AM radio with a retro stereo with speakers in the same places the originals were/would have been.
Extras that the buyer will receive include the original owner’s manual and Protecto-Plate, two sets of keys (including the originals. a heavy-duty car cover, and a few odds and ends. This looks to be a great vintage cruiser and was one of 115,500 built during 1968 and far fewer than that would have come with the 396 or its big brother, the 427. But production data doesn’t dive that deep.
Nice car! We all see alot of comically overpriced clunkers here on Barnfinds but this certainly isn’t one of them.
Very Nice…
Oh my god i love this car
I agree. Further evidence that not all sanity has been lost in this hobby. I’ve always liked the ’67 & ’68 Impalas and this one is a gem.
I’m a total sucker for the formal roofline of the Caprice. This is a beautiful car, in a great vintage color combo. You can see the seller’s pride for the car, in his CL posting. Sounds and looks to be very well maintained. Fair price, too.
Great write-up, Russ!
Different strokes for different folks, I guess. I vastly prefer the sloping rear window version. One of the things I dislike about the formal roof is that it used the same trunk lid as the fast(er) back, leaving that enormous flat panel between the rear window and the trunk lid.
Like you, I was not a fan of the long rear deck on these, so when I ordered a new 68, I ordered the Impala fastback instead of a Custom Coupe or Caprice. However, the deck lid on these is entirely different than the deck lid on a fastback. Those are angled upwards to meet the slope of the roof. THEY ARE NOT FLAT (I washed it too many times to not be 100% sure about that).
There are lots of enormous flat panels on this car. I’ll take it anyway. What a beautiful machine!
I agree. Always loved the notchback look of the Caprice over the slope back Impala
I bought the neighbors 67’ Caprice when I was 17 years old the car was 10 but needed mechanical work. Interior was immaculate with big black buckets and a floor shifter, and paneling on doors. I rebuilt the front end with every new part even if it didn’t need it. Then new tires, shocks and alignment that car could be steered at 80 mph with one finger. Triple black looked like batmobile. I sold it to a guy who’s dad said no so I took the car back and he let me keep $50 for 2 days of use.
20k is worth the motor trans and rear-end. Drop it in a 68-69 Camaro or Chevelle
Yeah Steve, do something stupid like that to that beautiful car. What a moron.
Not keen on the flaming, but I do agree with the sentiment. That would be a very bad decision from both financial and sentimental standpoints.
Had this car, only with a 307 & Turboglide.
What a pooch!
What a beautiful survivor!! Big block and all! Just not my favorite colors.
I agree the fastback is nicer
My first car at age 16 in 1980, identical to this one. What a trip down memory lane to see the exact same light green bucket seat interior. Mine had the factory AM-FM 8 track stereo that flowed from the dash into the console, Super cool setup. This car also has very rare dial temperature air conditioning system like a Cadillac. Seller has a very nice example representing the car way we wish all of these would be….
This Caprice has the Comfortron Temperature Control
Comfortron was quite rare on a Chevy due to the added cost (if I recall, it was nearly $100 more, which was a lot then). I’ve had a number of cars (mostly Cads) with it, and I loved it. However, they weren’t ‘old’ cars, so they were reliable. I know that they can be problematic when they get old and neglected (just like me!).
Wow, my Granddad had one exactly like this when I was a wee lad. That was about when my uncle worked for the Chevrolet design studio just before he transferred to Pontiac, so he got great deals, pretty much at wholesale cost, on any new GM model he wanted and hooked up Granddad at least a few times I’m aware of.
My mother’s had a 327 only issue was that I frequently broke her motor mounts the mechanic finally put in a steel rope to keep me from breaking any more of them 😳
THat was the GM recall for motor mounts. Had a 67 Impala with those.
My father ordered a 68 Caprice Wagon in white with the 396. Great car and fun to drive. Replaced it with a 72 Olds Custom Cruiser. He said the Olds doesn’t run like my Chevy. I told him that that was true. Low compression smogged 455.
Yea absolutely can’t beat the late 60’s, 70+71 cars for big inch torque and HP! My family had a 68 Chrysler Town&Country Beach Wagon, that Dad had special ordered, because he was being forced to trade his beloved Imperial Crown Coupe in on one after the news Mom was expecting! That Beach Wagon had a honking 440/4brl TNT engine, along with the factory towing package, that most importantly included a 3:09 posi rear, that really woke that big car up over the standard 2:73 rear! That car was an indestructible beast! All six of us learned to drive in that wagon! I used it as a daily driver after my honorable discharge from The U.S.Army, when I came home on a bus in 76. By then Dad had prospered more with his trucking company and had bought Mom a new Mercury Montego Beach Wagon, plus his own Lincoln Town Coupe. But that Chrysler! Man what a highway flyer!! On more than one occasion I had that car going so fast the speedometer needle was past 120, into the clock just past the speedometer!!