At first glance, it appears that time hasn’t been kind to this 1968 Pontiac GTO Convertible. From its tired paint to its shredded top, it doesn’t make a positive first impression. However, the seller claims that there is only minor penetrating rust, suggesting that the GTO is a rock-solid project candidate. It features its numbers-matching drivetrain, adding to its appeal. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting the Pontiac listed here on eBay in Granada Hills, California. The seller set their BIN at $18,500, with the option to make an offer. If the listing statistics are an accurate guide, the GTO should find a new home fairly quickly.
Introduced in 1968, Pontiac’s Second Generation GTO remained in production until the end of 1972. This first-year Convertible is a project candidate that left the line wearing Verdoro Green paint. It is unclear when it changed color, but a close look at the photos reveals some of the original paint in isolated areas. There is also visible Bondo, and the soft-top is shredded. That all sounds daunting, but the news isn’t as bad as it might seem. The seller states that the underside and floors carry a coating of surface corrosion, but the only known penetrating rust is in the trunk pan. A car of this caliber probably deserves a rotisserie restoration, but at least that process won’t entail hundreds of hours of cutting and welding. The exterior is missing a few trim pieces, including the headlight covers. The top frame is intact, the glass looks okay, and the GTO sits on its Rally II wheels that the new owner could easily restore.
The first owner teamed the 400ci “HO” V8 with a four-speed manual transmission, a Safe-T-Track rear end, power steering, and power brakes. This combination wasn’t the rarest chosen by buyers in 1968, but it was far from the most popular. The motor would have produced 360hp and 445 ft/lbs of torque in its prime, cementing this Convertible’s muscle car credentials. Purists will welcome the news that this Pontiac is a numbers-matching classic. However, the news isn’t all positive. The seller indicates that the V8 spun a bearing and threw a rod at some point, and it is unclear whether this caused damage to the engine block. If it didn’t, it might be salvageable to protect the car’s originality. Otherwise, the new owner should have no trouble locating a date-correct motor to return the Convertible to its former glory.
This GTO is nothing if not consistent, because its interior requires copious amounts of TLC. Trimmed in Parchment vinyl, it is missing the console, pushbutton radio, and 8-track player. The Rally gauge cluster is intact, but the lenses are very cloudy and require a refresh. Putting it simply, the interior requires a complete retrim. However, teaming the Verdoro Green paint with this interior will create a striking classic once the new owner packs away their tools.
The 1968 Pontiac GTO Convertible is an inherently desirable classic, and the relative rarity of this car adds to its appeal. Pontiac produced 9,980 examples of the GTO Convertible in 1968, but only 766 buyers teamed the 400ci “HO” V8 with a four-speed manual transmission. The listing statistics are impressive, with Listing View and Watch List tallies of 496 and 54, respectively. That suggests many people like what they see, and it will be fascinating to see whether any enthusiasts take the next step by making an offer. Would you?
Top dollar and all beat up.
I like this car and think its a good project for someone if everything can be verified. The old, “so I was told” line is not a good stance when trying to sell. You need to have the answers if you want to get your price.
By the rust in the engine compartment the floors will be gone. Color change covers sheetmetal repairs for sure
really need to show the codes on the engine to back up the H/O claim. this thing is beat down hard. it will take another 50k + to bring this back. there is a 68 convert on BAT right now high bid is 31k. this need to have a price cut if they really want to sell it. buy a better example. pay the money it’s worth it in the end.
Would have been a sweet ride in its time. Wonder if it had hidden headlights before installing the ’69 grill.
The PHS breakdown says it did.
Steve R
This old girl was “ridden hard and put away wet”, as they say. Tired is the adjective I would use. The left rear quarter panel looks like it might have been repaired (poorly) thanks to the splashes of white “paint”, the headlight doors have gone A.W.O.L., The interior is dirty and missing pieces (passenger armrest) and the carpet is gone. Judging from the level of rust on the engine and shifter, this car has been sitting for quite a while! No mention as to if the engine runs or not. Still worth saving, but the BIN price of $18.5k is a pipe dream! Overpriced at half that number, $3k to $5k is closer to the mark. GLWTA in any case.
The shifter is a Muncie, and the manual trans hump has been hacked to get it to work. The BIN is ridiculous. I’m usually optimistic (especially for convertibles) but this is a true money pit.
$1800?
The car needs a lot TBH, it has 1969 fan shroud, unknown block damage, nothing about tac in the dash or gauges or idiot lights,far better price is needed to sell ,$6,000 is probably too much site unseen . I would probably say $3,000 to $4,000 on a good day.
The PHS breakdown says it came with tach and gauges. This was really well optioned car when it left the factory. I hate when “so I’m told” or something like it is incorporated into an ad, it’s short hand for “I think it’s incorrect or broken, but I’ll pretend not to know so someone will pay me more. It’s typically not hard to verify what the seller is hedging against. If you want to get paid, do the work. A good seller would either be specific and/or include pictures.
Steve R
If I was 20 years old Id do it. Im 60 so My life span and time is ticking. No time for this..
The only thing worse than column shifts and bench seats in performance cars is white interiors
Like any design decision, there are trade-offs. In a convertible, white or light-colored seats are harder to clean, yes, but they also don’t get as hot in the sun with the top down! I’ve owned three (3) convertibles. A 1996 Miata, black with tan seats and a tan top, a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata, with dark blue or black seats, and my present ride, a 2013 MX-5 Miata Grand Touring with a Power Retractible Hard Top, seats with black trim and chocolate brown inserts. It’s a tossup between the 2004 and the 2013 version as to which seats get hotter in the sun, but no matter which one wins the argument, pray that your shorts are longer than the bottom seat cover! My shorts aren’t longer than the seat base, because I have short legs, so sitting down on a hot seat is a “stimulating” experience, to say the least, and not in a good way, LOL!
Black seat are too hot in a Convertible period.