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Body Shop Find: 1968 Camaro Z/28

1968-camaro-z-28-project

We’ve heard plenty of stories about projects being abandoned or forgotten at body shops. It’s really not a surprise when you consider what body and paint work costs. This Z/28 project has been parked at the body shop for the past 25 or so years and the owner has realized they just aren’t ever going to be able to finish it. It’s being auctioned off without a reserve, so if you don’t mind finishing it, it could be a great buy! You can find this project here on eBay in Rochester, New York with a current bid of $11k.

1968-camaro-z-28

I’d want to check this one out very carefully to see what work has been done, what needs to be finished and what might need to be redone. 25 years is a long time to be sitting without any kind of rust protection on bare metal. One thing is for sure, there’s still a lot of work to be done here. Thankfully, the original engine is still here and looks complete. It will definitely be interesting to see how much this one goes for!

Comments

  1. Avatar Stephen

    isn’t it either a RS OR a Z-28, not both?

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    • Avatar Dean

      It can be both RS and Z28 my question is, if the block has been decked how can he say it’s the original block?

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      • Avatar Steven

        There is absolutely no way of knowing that’s the original block. You can’t even say it’s a 302 block anymore.

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      • Avatar Tom Member

        I hate to admit I don’t know this but what does “Block has been decked” mean exactly?

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      • Avatar Bobsmyuncle

        Tom it’s when the mating surface where the heads bolt on is machined. Normally this is done to square the surface for an excellent seal, but would result in a very minor compression increase as well. Normally done in conjunction with boring the block.

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  2. Avatar tmc_61

    RS was the appearance package of hidden headlights. Z28 for the powerplant and probably a few other goodies. So if you see a Z28 with hidden headlights on 67/68/69 then its an RS Z28. Just like you can have an RS SS. The SS and Z28 packages trump the RS so it gets those designations.

    70 to 73 was the split bumper treatment and extended nose as well as relocated parking lights to make an RS. But it could be a Z28.

    I was lucky enough to own the latter for several years.

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    • Avatar Tom Member

      Power plant was a side bar. Z28 was a performance suspension package designed primarily for road racing, specifically the Trans Am circuit in that era. The 302 was the only engine a Z28 came with as the CID for Trans Am, I believe, had to remain at or under 305 cubic inches. Pontiac Trans Ams in the race circuit had 303 and Ford had the 302. cobras were running 289’s and so on. But the Z28 was a road course suspension package that is why the wheels, disc brakes, springs and shocks were all specific to the package.

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  3. Avatar newport pagnell

    NOM 350 with a (original?)decked 302 block. ’68’s were available with the Rally Sport package. Original color here would have been Butternut Yellow/black vinyl, top-black stripes, black custom Houndstooth interior. Z/28 fender emblems indicate a later build date,as the earlier ones had 302 badging.No way of telling from the VIN tag if a genuine Z/28. Looks legit tho,would be a fun project. Look for the 4-leaf springs and 15×6″ Ralleys(DP)

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    • Avatar 68 custom

      the tag in the glove box does state 15 inch wheels which is another clue to what is probably a nicely optioned RS/ Z-28 optioned Camaro with the deluxe interior. the decked block really would not add much value however. the casting number was also used on 327s and 350s for 1968. I would much rather have a 68 Z than a 69 with the very rare (607 built?) 67 being my first choice.

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  4. Avatar Rik

    Wouldn’t a true Z have the gauge package in the console?

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    • Avatar 68 custom

      gauge package would have been optional. all 67-69 Z/28 had mandatory 4 speed, 12 bolt rear end, front disc brakes and the 302 chevy motor plus some better suspension parts, pretty much every thing else was optional.

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      • Avatar 68 custom

        forgot to mention mandatory 15 inch wheels.

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  5. Avatar RoughDiamond

    Definitely looks lke the real deal and an honest ’68 Z/28 project. Rarer than a ’69 for sure, but to me the ’69 Z/28 is still the iconic Z/28 in first generation Z/28 looks with the cowl induction hood and aggressive non-RS front end treatment. Owner and Body shop owner must have been good friends or imagine the owner was paying storage fees because I don’t know any body shop that would allow a car to stay and take up space for 2 years much less 25 years.

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    • Avatar Bobsmyuncle

      From the listing it appears the cars was abandoned, and the body shop has taken ownership. Quite common actually.

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  6. Avatar JW

    When I still lived in Illinois I had a bodyshop down the road from me that I knew the owner, he had a 65 GTO, same color and options as my first musclecar that all work was complete and painted but the guy couldn’t come up with the cash to get it back. It sat for a few years and I tried to buy it for his bill but the bodyshop owner liked it and said if he didn’t pay soon it was going to be his car. I would have loved to have had that car. Being as I’m not a purist when it comes to cars I wouldn’t mind this car if it didn’t get too high as I had a 68 RS/SS convertible back in the day.

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  7. Avatar rod dooley

    this is a steal,if it is legit..i own a 67,a 68 and 69 Z..no better factory road car was ever built

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  8. Avatar KeithK

    Shame to see another project stalled by mounting body shop costs. A good friend of mine had his 76 Monte held hostage by a shop that gave him a bogus estimate then finished the project anyway knowing full well he didn’t have the funds. I agreed to pay the balance in return he would sell me the car in a month or so when he got a van to move to Colorado. You guessed it. No van,no friend,no Monte. Not a word since September of 1983. Still looking. Last I heard , Mexico. Not joking (big surfer) . Haven’t seen the inside of a body shop since. That’s why most of my projects end up in primer, rat rod,or original paint /P word. Beware of the “estimate” . It’s exactly what the word implies.

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  9. Avatar Stephen

    thank you for explaining the the Camaro option packages.

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  10. Avatar Fran

    I found that most “body shop” people say they can do and never deliver. Here is my car, it has been through 4 local shops, none of which knew what they were gettinto, but all were happy to steal my money and do minimal work so they could say they did something but really didnt. Then I decided to stop messing around and take it to a real restoration shop. The end result was tops!

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  11. Avatar RoughDiamond

    @Fran-Been there and done that too. A hard painful and financial lesson learned.

    Like 0

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