The auction process is generally pretty simple. You rock up in person or online, select the car of your dreams, and enter the bidding war to pay the lowest possible price. You set an upper limit, and if bidding soars past, you cut your losses and walk away. Silent auctions are different and far more challenging for potential buyers. You must assess the object of your desire and submit a single bid for your maximum price. If yours is the highest offer, you become the new owner. The downside is that you have no idea what others have bid, meaning yours could be far higher than needed. If you’re willing to take that risk, that is the opportunity provided by this 1968 Camaro SS 350. It has spent years in storage and is being auctioned to settle an estate. You will find it listed here on Craigslist in San Francisco, California, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Tony P for spotting this unusual sale.

The history of this Camaro is unclear, although the seller indicates they are selling it to settle an estate. It seems the deceased previous owner placed the SS into dry storage more than thirty years ago, and it has remained in the current location on stands ever since. The Black paint isn’t original, although the supplied shots make it difficult to determine what shade it wore when it rolled off the lot. Cars from this location generally aren’t plagued by rust problems, and this Camaro’s recent history has helped its cause. The panels look rock-solid, with the seller not mentioning any problems in their listing. They encourage in-person inspections, and with the car on stands, climbing underneath to have a good look won’t be hard for most people. The trim and chrome look restorable, and the wheels aren’t original, but there are no apparent glass issues.

If this Camaro packs a surprise, that honor falls to its interior. It isn’t perfect, but there are no rips, tears, or signs of appreciable wear on the upholstered surfaces. The seats have mild stretching, but the condition is acceptable for a driver-grade vehicle. The dash looks nice, and the console shows promise. Everything requires a deep clean, which would be an excellent starting point. It is almost inevitable that some parts will need replacement, but careful cleaning might eliminate some items from the shopping list. The solitary interior shot leaves much to be desired, making that in-person inspection more critical.

Chevrolet offered the ’68 Camaro SS with a choice of 350ci and 396ci V8s, and since this is obviously a small-block, it must be a 350 if this car is mechanically original. It would have sent 295hp to the road via a two-speed Powerglide, allowing this SS to cover the ¼-mile in 15.4 seconds. Potential buyers are flying blind on this classic because the seller provides no information on its mechanical health beyond the fact that it has hibernated for over thirty years. It is unclear whether the small-block turns freely, but revival may not pose many challenges for the new owner if it does. If the engine requires no significant work, a few days in the home workshop with some high-quality cleaning products should have it and its surroundings shining like a new penny.

Some people will look at the silent auction process and immediately consign it to the “too hard” basket. That attitude is understandable because submitting a bid involves a leap of faith. The risk is that the winning bidder might pay more than necessary to become this Camaro’s new owner. However, the seller’s willingness to allow in-person inspections allows potential buyers to form a realistic view of the car’s relative worth and submit their bids accordingly. With those thoughts in mind, would you consider rolling the dice on this classic?