The concept of the Chevy Camaro Z/28 was developed as a track-only car for SCCA competition. But once the car went through the channels with GM brass, the car went into production for public use, too, and saw 7,199 copies in 1968. This one spent 43 years out in a field, surviving a mudslide before eventually being rescued for what will hopefully be better days. The interesting story of this once forgotten Chevrolet can be found here on Motor Trend and hats off to Larry D for the tip!
For an extra $400, RPO Z28 got the buyer a 302 cubic inch V8 that had an advertised output of 290 hp, but 400 was easily obtainable. These were cars that could break 14 seconds in the quarter mile and bury the needle on the 120-mph speedometer. The current owner of this Camaro found it through a Craigslist ad and was able to determine its history through a fair amount of research.
As it turns out, this Z/28 was built in July 1968 and would be one of the last units built for that model year. It was sold new a few weeks later through a dealer in Pennsylvania with a 4-speed manual transmission, front disc brakes, white stripes, and a rear spoiler. Otherwise, it was low option automobile, with no center console, tachometer, or gauge pack. It was only one of 697 Z/28s built with power steering.
Fast forward to 2019 and this car was up for sale after having spent 43 years exposed out in a field. Apparently. it had been running, parked, and forgotten about while Mother Nature did her best to take it over, including a mudslide. When the current owner found it, it looked really rough, but once extracted and taken to its new home, it turned out to the more solid than first thought and the frame rails are in great shape. It’s not numbers matching, as the original engine was swapped due to a warranty claim. And a Hurst shifter was added later.
The LeMans Blue Camaro is no longer in Pennsylvania where it started out. It’s now in Oklahoma where parts are being collected to restore the Chevy. That includes NOS quarter panels, a new tail section, grille, fenders, and so on, with real GM parts at the top of the priority list. The owner promises a full photo expose once the restoration is done, and we look forward to seeing how it turns out!
Quite the mudslide, from PA to OK. Or, NOT ok.
Hard to see this bruiser in such condition, complete no less. Good luck to the new owner. Wonder if it was stolen. Friend of mine buried a 65 rustang years ago, dug it up and I took it for scrap, got 10 cents a pound for it. Who says american cars depreciate?? Cheers and happy motoring!
Cheers
GPC
Thank you and this car has not been stolen. I have tracked this car down to each own from when the car was new tell now.
There is NO WAY to determine how many of the 1968 Z-28 production had power steering. Fantasy number and shouldn’t be printed as someone might take that as gospel. The only hard fact is that 7,199 1968 model year Z-28’s were built.
And of those 7,199 only 10,000 survive today.
I loved Tim S’s comment.
Only 10k survived out of 7199.
I’m still laughing!!!!
The 697 with power steering is listed on CRG.
Sounds lime you need to read CRG.
@JB
I am very well aware of CRG, I’ve contributed to it over the last 40+ years. As I stated prior, any number is pure fantasy speculation. Chevrolet records has no way to determine how many of what option head how many of this option
fsc66’s post from 2018 is utter bs
Belive whatever you like. I am not going to argue with you about a car that you do not even own. Have a great day Sir.
Parts are being collected to restore it? This one should be a donor for others to live on
Too many 68Zs are gone, this one is coming back.
If the brake pedal is original, it has the somewhat rare disc brake option.
Patrick, every Z/28 made had disc brakes standard, including the 68’s
I missed the fact that it was a Z28. I was drawn to the pictures. Next time I will read before commentating. What a shame to see this though.
Ran when…interred?
Is that an A/C vent I spy on the driver’s right hand side of the dash?
No, the new for 1968 flow through ventilation system: Astro Ventilation
No sir, this is not an AC car. You are thinking of a 67 dash.
NOPE! easy answer!
That is astro ventilation all camaro had.
should buff out no problem
Of the few Chevies I’ve owned, one was a ’69 Camaro that had been totaled twice by the time I got it. Even I’d pass on this one.
Glad to hear it will be saved. Ton of work and time. He is gonna spend $100,000 easy. The parts alone will be a ton. Why do idiots leave any car to rot, especially a 68 Z? I have sold cars I regret because I lost garage space due to divorce and job changes. Could not bear to see them fall apart so they had to go.
Maybe so if I sent the car out to get restored. I will be doing all the work myself, and done got a lot of NOS parts to do the restoration on it. I did talk to a few shops about doing the body work, but after trying to talk to 3 different shops and not liking the way the way they wanted to do it, I decided to do it all myself. I know it will take me a bit longer to do the work then a shop but this way I know it will be done the way I want ot to be done.
You are a brave person. I know you won’t regret your decision when it’s all done. Keep us posted w/pics!
Sure , you’re glad. If it was a Charger you’d call the buyer a fool and say it wasn’t worth restoring
Would not call anyone a fool for going after the dream car. If it makes them happy, I wish them all the luck.
My mother owned a ’69 Z-28 RS , my father successfully buried the speedo on occasion. Hers had the dual carb option, claimed to be a bolt on 100hp.
I have inspected this car it belongs to a guy I know and is located just across the highway from my house. He bought it because he always wanted a real ’68 Z-28. However, IMHO if he does complete the restoration, it will resemble the old comedy skit about the restoration of the hatchet Gorge Washington used to chop down the cherry tree. ….”what you see before you takes up the exact same space as the original hatchet Gorge Washington used to chop down the cherry tree”.