In 1968, the thought of a 375 HP big-block V8 in a car the size of Chevy’s Camaro seemed like a recipe for enormous fun… followed by almost-certain death. Today’s super-muscle cars offer the buying public options of up to 700 HP and more, all wrapped in safety and performance technology designed to enhance the fun and reduce the likelihood of meeting your maker. Restoring a car as rough as this 1968 Camaro SS396 in Ortonville, Michigan might be impractical to farm out as an investment, but the $9500 Buy It Now price may leave some meat on the bone for someone with plenty of free time and a love of big-block Camaros. Thanks to reader Patrick S for spotting this powerful pony car listed here on eBay.
Hints of the original Ash Gold can be seen just below the blacked-out tail-light panel that adorned SS models. If there’s any undamaged sheet metal on this Camaro, it’s certainly not evident.
Flintstone floorboards lurk just out of site of this picture. Plan on plenty of metal work and replacement parts if you’re calculating the ROI of this SS. You can just see the clutch pedal as well. The original owner clearly believed that real performance cars were meant to be shifted manually and not by a bunch of fancy hydraulic do-hickeys and check-balls, and certainly not by a presumptuous computer.
The potent 375 HP 396 cid Mark IV big block V8 vanished to an unknown fate, but the seller notes numerous authentic big-block-specific tidbits that remain. If you have a date-correct 396 and Muncie four-speed in your garage, this could be your lucky day! The sight of so much brown metal and the word “Michigan” may strike fear into some finicky restorers, but unrestored SS396 Camaros don’t sell for under $10,000 every day. What’s your top bid for this one?
Another ruffian Camaro. You guys think its worth that Kind of coin? Sad to see in this condition.
Good luck!
I think I would go down to the Chevy dealer and buy a ZL1… cost about the same as restoring this one… maybe even less.
And you would get a by far better car in all respects for far less money. With the money you would save, you could take that shiny new comfie car on a multi-month road trip. Thats why we love cars, right? To drive them, enjoy places in our cars. Certainly not to make a buck via an unsuspecting dupe, right?
I agree I am into my 69 El Camino SS 396 restoration @ 50k but with a numbers matching block with 2018 alum heads , etc to bring 600 hp sleeper, oh ya! Fun fun fun !
The seller offers evidence, but has no proof. This car is really rough and has already cycled through one eBay auction without any bids.
Steve R
Had one of these in the early 70’s but was a RS/SS convertible. Paid $1,395 and it was perfect. Those were the days.
Yeah, but you made 90 cents an hour, that is what I made in those days.
No Billyoo7 actually I made $2.85 and hour working as a trainee machinist for a company that made replacement piston pins for the big three along with Detroit Diesel and I was working 6 days a week 8 hours a day.
I just gotta say: Enough Camaros and Mustangs already! Hasn’t enough been written about these cars?
No :)
$9,500 and no drivetrain?!? Bwahahahahahahahahahaha !!!!
I’ll offer the $200 he picked it up for.
Ok, $250.
I like the tag line, if you follow cars, you’ll know these cars are worth 80 k and rising.
Theres no motor ( 3500 ) no trans(1500 ) no bellhousing (another 200 ), the body is rough as hell (25 k-35k depending on paint)and no hood ( 300 ). Interior is ano th her 5000, So in all, only half the original car is there. It may even be missing the driver side door
Good points but even worse than what you have stated. Motor 3,500?!? Good luck getting a complete refurbished dated coded L78 396 for 3500!
Nope, not date coded, just a fresh rebuild from a local machine shop. Date codes motor would be 10k +/-
Basically you are paying for the firewall. So it’s your choice if you want to pay 9,500 for that because you’re not getting much else that is useable if the original 12 bolt positrac rear end is gone since it’s not announced, which if it was still there the seller should have included it in picture and description. Not for me.
Sounds like some good old fashioned fraud is soon coming to an unsuspecting buyer, but then again, should we be surprised? After all, that is what our hobby has become.
Well, I guess I can’t blame a guy for trying.
But I’d like to anyway.
No thank you ..
go buy the 33 k clean 67 Camaro listed earlier as the one is so rough and not validated to me a true 396!
By the time one sinks another 35-50 grand it’s over priced
I think the proof is that the seller dreamed it up
👀😮🙃🙃🙃🙃😜
I’m curious to know. If anyone of us were this guy (or many others), what would be your asking price? Perhaps that could be a new feature here on BF? “If it was yours, what would you be asking”.
I like that the seller did not seem to do any clean up. Noted by the piles of rust rot on the heater core cover, among other things. However, why is the production tag so clean. I imagine it was painted to bring out the detail of the info?
Disposed of the hood, due to damage? Other than a couple holes where it appears hood pins would have been, it looked as good or better than most of the other panels on the car & what about the “ice cube trays”? I suspect the hood & drivers door were salvaged for his personal project? Dunno, just a guess?
Odd that even though the gauges remain intact, there’s no mention of original mileage? Not that it really matters, by the time all is said & done. Just seems like a detail that is generally mentioned. Regardless of relevance. On this one it may as well be a million+.
In all honesty, I’d put a rusted hulk like this, as is in a no reserve auction, starting bids at 2500. I know what’s in store to restore it, if you read my other post. So I know the buyer is not going to strike it rich if they restore and flip. Besides, that’s what capitalism is all about, able to buy something, make it better, sell for a profit
Yes, I agree about the hood – I don’t think the seller is being honest on that point. He should have either removed it from the photo if he had no plan to sell it with the car, or included it with the sale and let the purchaser decide if it was repairable. The hood looks pretty good to me…..
MB,
Ebay add does state that the car retains its 12 bolt rear end.
Non matching numbers. It’s scrap metal. It’s sad but without matching numbers you might as well build a clone.
Save yourself time, money, aggravation.. buy a 67 that’s already done, or stop in to your local Chevy dealer and order a new ZL1
Good price if the trailer comes with it!! Still has the original radio!!
the tail lights are not right for SS car
When is this Camaro madness going to end? This big block four speed car has the right pedigree but has degraded into a rusty overpriced husk.
I would not even consider this piece of scrap iron! Literally nothing to work with! Run don’t walk from this pile of junk.
Well the seller reduced $2K off the BIN price. So now “only” $7500 takes this heap home. Wouldn’t take it if it was free.
I think the comma is in the wrong place. $75 maybe.
Without a matching numbers drivetrain in this condition to me $250 bucks tops . You have nothing really that doesn’t need restored. Why would anyone want to restore this unless you own a body shop and have all the knowledge and tools and a spare drivetrain
The irony behind the comment that they threw the hood out because it was
damaged and couldn’t be repaired is too much…lol
Currently $7500 w/ 2 bids and NO BIN, So, unless buyer or seller flakes out it WILL sell as there is NO RESERVE.
But once again the passive-aggressives are out in force on another project car calling for it to be scrapped.
WTH??? Dont like it? Pass on by! Personally I think its rough, but salvageable, and once again I dont know where many of you guys go shopping, but if paint jobs and body work are costing 25-35K then you SHOULD go out and buy a new car and leave the old cars for the rest of us. But I do my own paint and body so,,,,(just boggles the mind someone spends that kind of money on P&B, I would be afraid to drive it!)
However, Myself??? I would be very tempted to make something this rough into a tribute race car for the street. Seems like the best solution, and can be done on a very reasonable budget. You will of course get a lot of attention and hard to stop for gas or at the market without gathering a crowd.
Something like this,, There is epic history in the Muscle car trans am wars and SCCA
The VIN, Dynacorn, and Art Morrison, then add a connect and cruise, plus interior from the big resto catalogues and voila!
A beautiful cruiser to be driven, not hoarded away! Must buy Lottery today!
Leave it to us with means and knowledge to fix her up..not for the faint of heart or wallet.
It’s actually in better shape(?) than some of the rusted out mopars being sold for more money, if that’s anything positive to say. Camaros will Always draw interest from car builders/enthusiasts, always have.