Black Beauty: 1968 Chevrolet Camaro SS 396

It’s hard to go wrong with a color combination of black and gold on a classic car. This 1968 Camaro SS 396 would seem to prove that point. However, this isn’t the combination that it wore when it rolled off the production line. The buyer is going to have to make a decision on that front. They can choose to either return the car to its original configuration or drive it as-is. The Camaro is located in Booneville, Mississippi, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding on the SS has been spirited and has pushed the price along to $25,000. However, the reserve has not been met.

There’s no doubt that the Camaro makes a bold statement finished in Tuxedo Black with Gold stripes. It wasn’t always this way. The seller purchased the vehicle off the original owner, who is now 80-years young. It was that owner who had the change performed, as this Camaro originally wore Matador Red. When the seller purchased it, the SS had been tucked away in a barn for more than 18-years. He has revived it, and the news all seems to be good. The paint has a great depth of shine, and the panels appear to be straight. The original hood has made way for a ’69 Camaro Z28 hood, which still looks good. The car currently doesn’t have any carpet fitted, and this gives us a decent look at the floors. What we find are floors that appear to be rust-free, while the same is true of the trunk pan. It is hard to be sure, but it looks like the panels are also clean. The trim and chrome seem to be in good order, and there are no apparent flaws with the glass.

The mechanical configuration of the Camaro is nothing to be sneezed at because it comes equipped with a 396ci V8, a 4-speed manual transmission, and a Posi rear end. It isn’t clear whether this is a numbers-matching classic, so that is a question that would be worth asking. There is also no indication of which version of the 396 this is, but it should be pumping out at least 325hp. If this is the case, then a ¼ mile ET of 14.5 seconds is there for the taking. When the seller purchased the vehicle, it wasn’t running. However, he has gone through the process of reviving it and seems like generally good news. He says that the Camaro now runs well. I’m not sure whether it is roadworthy, but the owner gives the impression that it is.

When the original owner performed the exterior color change, he also upgraded the interior. The original trim color was red, but it is now black. It seems that the Camaro needs a new rear parcel tray and a carpet set, but the rest of the interior presents well. The upholstery appears to be free from problems, while the same is true of the dash, pad, and console. The interior features the console-mounted gauges, along with a Tic-Toc-Tach. There is an aftermarket radio/cassette player slotted in where the radio would have been, but the rest of the interior is unmolested.

This Camaro’s buyer is going to have some decisions to make. However, these decisions will need to be guided by several factors. It would be easy to install the few missing interior trim items, and then drive the car as-is. If this was an original numbers-matching car, then it could easily command a value of $60,000 or more if returned to its original color. We don’t know whether it is numbers-matching, because if it isn’t, then that will impact its ultimate value. If this Camaro is numbers-matching, would you return it to its Matador Red, or would you leave it untouched?