[TravisPnAZ]

Hey guys - I have found a 68 SS Vert, #s matching 325hp that I am thinking of buying, but I need some help with the value.

I had the car inspected, and they called it a solid 3+ car. The hood and front fenders have some minor alignment issues, the dealer claims he will have those fixed for me.

The car was born as a Grecian Green with a black bench. It had a re-spray to red, and the paint is in average to good condition. The interior has been changed to buckets and a console, and is in average to good condition.

The car has FACTORY AIR CONDITIONING that works!!! This has to be a rare option on a 68 vert. It also has a power top (that is not working), power steering and power DISC brakes (not sure if these are original or not).

Hard to tell, a supposedly frame off 68 L78 convertible car went for 43K at Silver in Reno in August, but I dont know if that car was ##s matching or how good the resto was.

Please give your opinions!!! The more input the better!!

 

[1966_L78]

Hard to tell without seeing it (or pictures at least)...

Myself, I'm always leary of "resale Red" paint, and really any fresh paint from a dealer (my glass is half empty)...

Automatic or manual? Correct floor shift steering column? 12-bolt rearend?

Naturally, the 325HP, incorrect color and interior, will reduce the value somewhat... Then again, almost any decent straight rust free SS convertible with matching numbers 396 will be worth $15K and up (lets assume paint and interior are beat, and needs top work)... Decent paint and interior, assuming it looks nice and isn't hiding a bunch of rot, Bondo and "street-sign" patch panels, good frame and floors, probably looking at $20K-$25K... Although I bet the dealer is asking much more (maybe $35K?). I think 1968 is also one of the lower valued years for BB Chevelles, but not significantly less...

375HP car at auction... First of all, a 375HP convertible (if documented as original engine) will be significantly higher priced than a 325 HP car of the same condition (IMO, 30%-40%+ higher, all else being equal). Frame-off can vary in quality, but still that means most everything was at least repaired... A respray may just be covering up stuff...

This is an area to be real careful... It usually costs more to buy a car and restore it than to buy something completed. And at this level (decent driver and $$$) might be worth it to get something completed...

 

[FameSS-396]

Do you have the vin number and trim tag info?
If it is a real SS vert, vin starts with 138678.

 

[Thad]

I wouldn't be bothered by what a different car brought at auction.
For one thing a 375 hp convertible has got to be really rare, like less than 180 made.

If memory serves 2286 68 SS-396 cars were made, so I'd make sure this one was born an SS-396, or expect a substanially lower price.

As asked above is it a 4 speed, a turbo 400, or a power glide ?

If its a real one, I'd guess 12 grand for a rough driver and up depending upon how nice it is and not seeing the car makes me want to error low than high.

It would need to be pretty spiffy for 25 grand and really nice for over 30 grand, and awesome for 35 grand.

I want a 68 SS-396 convertible myself, but these days everybody wants big bucks, and cars are bringing more than I think they are worth.

I don't think I could by a collector car from a dealer. They might not all be crooks, but they do make their money by getting more from you than they have invested.

If the brakes are factory disc they will be the 4 piston design.

 

[136679ss]

just my personal opinion... avoid dealers, mostly for the reasons listed previously. On a side note I saw a numbers 68 vert in very much the same condition as your potential buy, only factory colors, buckets and auto on floor with console for 13 asking two years ago. would of, should of, could of; now thanks to BJ everyone who owns a rust bucket thinks it's worth it's weight in gold. :sad: JN

 

[TravisPnAZ]

I might as well just throw the link out there...

Link


Yes, it is a numbers matching 138 car. The pictures on thier website dont show it, but the hood doesnt line up well, and both fender to door gaps are less than perfect, but not too bad. No significant rust or bondo on the car, inspector said it drove well.

Here is the tag info:
06B 123881 190104
ST 68 13867 BAL01262
TR 766- H2 PAINT

I just realized that i mis-read the chart. 766 was black buckets, right? If so, the interior is probably stock (maybe there is a build sheet in there somewhere!).

I need to make a decision between this and another car in about 2 days, keep the opinions rolling in! 2286 of these made, how many are left with the original motor and ac?

 

[Rainer]

$39,900 is pretty high if you're saying its a 3+ car. I would expect it to be a 2+ at that price. Hard to tell what "no significant rust or bondo" would consist of, but at almost $40k the body should be pretty nice. I think this dealer has had this for sale for some time in the NW.

 

[TravisPnAZ]

yes - the car has been there a while. I think I can get the car for around 28k.

 

[JWA]

They will knock $10k off? Wow! legendary motorcars had a really nice in pictures 68 last year for $30k. For $28k on that one you have listed I'd almost be interested. Heck if it was spring I'd offer to haul it down to AZ for gas and a couple burgers in my enclosed trailer

http://www.legendarymotorcar.com/sold_inventory/tns0046.jpg

 

[1966_L78]

Nice looking car, but IMO, nowhere near $40K... $28K, maybe... Why $28K, did the dealer mention something? If they mentioned $28K, then you might be able to offer a little less... "I can spend $26K but that has to include shipping" etc...

Hard to tell from the pictures, but the engine compartment doesn't look too nice... Booster, alternator intake and air cleaner look pretty sad (but it might just be the photos)... I would think that anybody even "asking" $40K would have at least detailed the car... Actually, for $40K, I'd expect a full frame off with nice options, but then again, its a dealer...

Not to side with the dealer, but sometimes its a consignment deal, and if the owner wants a high price, and then the dealer wants a commision on top, that can really drive the prices up...

What did the inspector say about bondo/rust? did he find anything significant? or did he just say it looks good? If the inspector thought it was #3, then IMO, its not worth the $28K (unless its the car you have been looking for... 1968 SS convertible)

 

[TravisPnAZ]

28 is a hunch. I offered them 25 for it, and they said they would fix the fenders, blah blah and what would I give them for it then. We had originally settled around 33k, but I came back with 25 after I saw the inspection. I havn't emailed them back yet.

The inspector found some surface rust on the frame that was painted over, and a tiny bit of bondo around the trunk, but he said overall there was no significant rust or bondo on the car.

I really have been looking for a #s matching 68 vert in driver or better condition, but I am probably going to pass on this one.

Actually I am trying to make a decision right now on a c2 vette with like 40k original miles. If the vette doesnt work out, then I will probably offer these guys 27.

The car doesnt scare me that bad, and I see plenty of 68 bench seat column shift hard-top SSs going in the mid to low 20s right now. Thats 55,000 cars vs 2200. I am looking for an investment car to hold for around 7 years minimum. I have found around 4 68 SS verts with the original engines, and all of them have been advertised in the mid 30's or higher, 3 at dealers, and one private sale. None of the others have AC.

 

[TravisPnAZ]

Well, I seem to have bought a 64 vette with 41k documented miles, 365hp 327, and it is pretty much dead mint.

If anyone is interested in the 68 vert, I would be happy to forward the inspection report I paid 350$$ for. I really believe you can pick this car up for 27-28k, and like I said above, most of the hard top guys think thier one of 55 thousand SS cars are worth that - plus this is an AC car - but you all can figure it out. Hit me up if you want the report.

Thanks for everyone's input!!

 

[JOHNNYLEG]

I See Thad Thinks That There Were About 180 68 Ss396 Convertibles Made With The 375hp Option.i Own A 68 396/375 Convertible With Documentation And I Am Told Far Less Numbers Than 180.from What I Have Read And Heard Over The Years That In 68 There Were 10 Made With That Option,69 There Were 32 Made And As We All Know There Were Only 6 Made In 1970. If Anybody Knows Differently Please Let Me Know As This Is A Subject I Always Am Interested In. In All The Years I Have Looked For 68 375 Convertibles I Have Only Seen 3 Of Them.

 

[Rainer]

We're all told there were far less of certain types of cars built. In most instances, its sellers (including dealers) and owners spouting off these low numbers, and they begin to be taken as fact. The 180 number quoted by Thad is most likely based on the figure of 172 total 375hp ragtops in 68 listed in Dan Carr's production totals poster. We will most likely never know the exact numbers on some of these cars, but Dan's statistics are the best attempt to date to provide estimates on these production totals.

BTW, when you mention 6 of the 1970 L78 ragtop models as something "we all know," its a perfect example of a figure thrown around as fact that is not so (most notably by a dealer in Il who had one for sale for the longest time). Best estimates on the number of these cars produced is 46, not 6, based on Dan's numbers.