I'm going to look at a 68SS 138 car tomorrow. It is discribed as follows (phone conversation only) no motor or transmission, original 4 speed car. Very original car with original paint and interior. He said for 40 years old its in pretty good shape.

Need to know what to look for to verify originally a 4 speed and any other good 68 info. For 8K what should I expect to see. I know you cant tell me what something is worth without pics, but you can tell me what you would need to see for 8K without motor or tranny. He is a car guy and has many nice gm cars, I've seen some of his restored cars.

Chris

The obvious things to look for is rust, dents, frame damage, signs it was hit (hard). The best way to tell it's a 4 speed, is to look for the clutch bell crank bracket on the frame. Take lots of pics, and post all the numbers and show paper work, and it will be easier to put a value on it. The $8000 sounds good to me if it is what he said it is.

8K for a car with NO motor or trans ??
what's this guys name BJ ???
the only things left to look for would be options...
roll tack U14
AC C60
Power Brakes & 4 piston Front Disc's J50 & J52
Bucket seats A51
am FM multi plex
there are many many more but these are some of the more desired options

I think the price is too high at 8k. Look at the tranny hump. If the trim tag says its a bench seat car the hole for the shifter should be square looking. If the trim tag says its buckets it could be either square (no console) or more of a rectangular slot if it was a console car. Also the console car would have a little metal box like mount welded to the driveshaft hump towards where the rear of the console is mounted. Also there should be no auto indicator in the bezel above the steering column. The column should have no provisions a shifter.
For 8k I would expect a rust free car that could be made a driver (not show quality) and not need any major body work. $5k would be a more realistic price. 68s just don't have the demand for prices to be that high. There was a 68 SS on craigslist here not too long ago as a roller that was $3500 and it took a couple weeks of posting before the seller gave up or it was sold.
Some more info: 68s could be had bare bones as an SS396. my first 68 SS396 was a bench 4spd with a 325hp engine manual steering, manual drum brakes, idiot lights and no toher options. Generally in 68 the only things an SS396 guaranteed was the 396 engine and a 12 bolt.
Check the trim tag for color. An ash gold, butternutt yellow or one of the goofy green colors ;) don't command the resale value as a resale red (R code) or black, blue would.
If the car had a vinyl top the trim tag should have a number/letter code for paint. For example Old Blue is an L-2 car which indicates teal blue with a black V-top.
So more stuff to think about. If you are looking at the car as investment or something to flip you probably should pass. By the time you got paint, drivetrain, and all the little things a typical roller project needs you could be driving a nicer already done car. 68 SS396s are still priced reasonable in some areas and the ones that are priced high stay for sale for a long time.

Of course all the above stuff is just my opinion or perception. Others may disagree :)

Thanks for the information.

My idea of pretty good shape for 40 years old varies greatly from this guys opinion. I was thinking drop in a motor and go, I was wrong. I'm glad that I went and looked though and still may make him an offer on the car. I feel like its an L78 car after looking at it (JMO and I'm no expert), I brought that up to him and he said it is definitely an L78. Says the original owner who drag raced the car (see tow mount on front) still has the original heads and intake for this car.

I took alot of pictures. I'd like to get feedback on the value and possible L78 status (I know without engine its not significant). The body is very strait but has rust behind all four wheels and in rear window trim area, along with trunk pan. The floors look solid and no problems with the frame. The big hole in the grill is from a quicky cam change at the track (wasted a nice grill). The interior is all there but is trashed.

It's rearend show a CI correctly dated to trim tag, 3:73 posi.
It's Medium Teal with a Teal vinyl bench interior, 755 FF.

I checked a K97 T1204EG block that I have and it's VIN stamp (8A139804) is very close to this cars VIN number (138378A134708). Just thinking out loud.

Anyway here's the pics and would love some feedback.
http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f26/ccarney69/68SS%20Conway%20AR/?start=all

Chris

Chris.....couldn't view the photos. It's asking for a password.

The proper name for FF is Island Teal Metallic on Chevelles.
Yep your pics are not available for public viewing. Even tried a search while logged in on p-bucket and nothing comes up. IIRC this was an FF car:

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r167/jwamod/68ss.jpg

Here is a good shot of the shape of the no console setup from another TCer's (F1) car :

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/Picture_060.jpg

Was playing in photobucket and must have selected private account. You should be able to see them now.

Chris

Too much $ for that car even if you could prove it's an L78 car.

Agreed, but if he were to get to 4K I'd buy it.

He's asking way too much for a 68 (IMHO) but as stated; for 4K it would be a pretty good find.

I'd say that guy's description of condition leaves a little wiggle room........ for a bus!

I would say walk away. Even at 4k you would have a lot of money in it to get it up to par. Like 8k and a lot of work to get it to the condition described by JWA. If you have the money. You can buy one in a lot better condition.

I would say the body is shot, a lot of these bodies that look better then what you have on here are shot.

Because there spot welded together, you have the area between the spot welds that will build up with a heavy scale.

If you look close, real close at the floor supports on a 35 year old car you will see this scale.

What happens is the metal will get thinner around those areas, and when you go to weld in new metal you have a hard time welding it.

In a few days I'm going to take some pictures of some floor pans that are shot, I have been wanting to do this.

These pictures will give you a pretty good close up of what the normal person, including myself would think by looking at them.

Then i will take it the next step, and see whats under those really nice looking pans, you will be very surprised at what is really there.

We see pictures of cars that are on ebay, and we guess at what we think its worth, even with some under side pictures.

Well, hopefully I can clear some of this up.

I might be hanging myself out on a limb here, but is there an original 35 year old car out there that doesn't have a build up of rust inside those floor supports, I highly doubt it, if there original body panels, I would have to see it to believe it was not rusted.

Now if you take an original car with original panels, and take it out and drive it like you would any other car, you will probably start seeing flakes of rust on your garage floor starting to show up.

Rob

Was playing in photobucket and must have selected private account. You should be able to see them now.

Chris

That's interesting a fourth week of Jan. car with the early SS badges. I thought they were gone by then, but these look original.

I would say the body is shot, a lot of these bodies that look better then what you have on here are shot.

Because there spot welded together, you have the area between the spot welds that will build up with a heavy scale.

If you look close, real close at the floor supports on a 35 year old car you will see this scale.

What happens is the metal will get thinner around those areas, and when you go to weld in new metal you have a hard time welding it.

In a few days I'm going to take some pictures of some floor pans that are shot, I have been wanting to do this.

These pictures will give you a pretty good close up of what the normal person, including myself would think by looking at them.

Then i will take it the next step, and see whats under those really nice looking pans, you will be very surprised at what is really there.

We see pictures of cars that are on ebay, and we guess at what we think its worth, even with some under side pictures.

Well, hopefully I can clear some of this up.

I might be hanging myself out on a limb here, but is there an original 35 year old car out there that doesn't have a build up of rust inside those floor supports, I highly doubt it, if there original body panels, I would have to see it to believe it was not rusted.

Now if you take an original car with original panels, and take it out and drive it like you would any other car, you will probably start seeing flakes of rust on your garage floor starting to show up.

Rob

West coast cars don't rust like East Coast cars.
I have several Chevelles that do not have the rust you speak of !!!:thumbsup:

Anyway to get me a close up picture.

Rob

Nate, I just looked up where you live, you're about 25 miles from the ocean, are you telling me you don't get a breeze off the ocean on occasion.:)

Lets see here, ocean, water, salt water, two .38 thousands of an inch pieces of steel spot welded together every inch and a half, with a little salt and humidity in the air over a 35 year time span.

But, if you have good clear pictures of that panels edge and there isn't any rust, then I will admit that I'm wrong.

Panels can look good, but its that rust under that overlap that will get ya.

Rob

whether its a L78 or not in pointless to ponder. First off no documentation, 2nd off no motor. No drive train period. Rusty low option 68 SS. one of those rare one of 55,000 kind of deal.............. personally no matter what you pay for it, heck even if he GAVE it to you, in the end you would have more money in it than you could sell it for. Missing parts, some very hard to find for a 68.
Only way to approach one like this is frame off. and then you are getting into a major ordeal money and time.
Just for kicks, Paint and body work plus panels needed, 10-14 grand, engine, tranny, rear end rebuild, if you can locate a 396 then probably 5-8 grand with rebuilds.
your at 15-22 grand roughly IF the guy gave it to you. and you haven't done anything to the suspension the frame, the brakes, the interior, money for parts missing, and on and on. And you can find one that is pretty nice for this kind of money already done if you hunt hard enough.
Personally I wouldn't give you more than $1500 for what is there. But I am sure there are people that think the 138 HAS to be worth more than that, I just don't happen to think so. I would give $3500 if it had the motor and transmission, without those its not worth much in my opinion.

Nate, I just looked up where you live, you're about 25 miles from the ocean, are you telling me you don't get a breeze off the ocean on occasion.:)

Lets see here, ocean, water, salt water, two .38 thousands of an inch pieces of steel spot welded together every inch and a half, with a little salt and humidity in the air over a 35 year time span.

But, if you have good clear pictures of that panels edge and there isn't any rust, then I will admit that I'm wrong.

Panels can look good, but its that rust under that overlap that will get ya.

Rob

Rob,
very rarely do I smell the ocean from here.
We are on the other side of the mountains.
In the summer it will be 105-115 here and 75 on the coast.

I guess I need to send you some pictures of our 35-40 year old sheetmetal.
The climate here is very dry.

Looking at all the pictures I would say 8K is at least eight times what it's worth.
Except maybe for ebay where it would probably sell for even more than 8 K.