sweethence

The only thing better than a 68, is a 68 with a new set of pipes

sarchevyman

Nice

DZRick

These guys are lying to you, they just want you to join our little club.




Tim, yours looks great! Can't believe that's a daily driver.

Rick

427SIXPACK

JUST JEALOUS !!!

James.70

Why not buy a 68??.....Well that is easy to answer! Because 70's are cooler than 68's Seriously though I realy like 68's and like alot have said...Most the kinks have probably been worked out. Oh and as far as it being a "trouble" year, well all these vettes turn into trouble eventually (cha ching). Do what ya want!!

James.70

Just gotta say Corey... I love your avatar!!! If that is your wife you are luky

sweethence

Every day, every where Baby

Thanks Rick, I finally did it, and the only thing I had to cut was the old exhaust

The brodix heads went in smooth as silk as well

427SIXPACK

While you had the motor 3/4 apart you should have cleaned up around it. Looks kinda weird a super clean motor with fresh paint & heads, & everything else around it looks like survivor status.........
Pipes look hot, motor looks great...............68' all the way !!!

sweethence

yea..... I still have th front of the motor and cam swap to do, ill do it then, but for now Ill drive it like i stole it
ahahhahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!



Tim

BIGsteve

Oh Tim.....that is so sweet ! ! I must get a closer look (and listen) to those. We must plan another get together.....I'm still dealing with that overheating problem.

sweethence

Big Steve!!!!!

Long time no speak friend, if you were anywhere near the lake yesterday you might have heard me, saw a few c3's and a mid year tooling around,
shoot me a PM,

well see if we cant sort out your problem


Tim

Q's 68

Sweethence,

Did you notice any HP gains or performance improvement over the stock 327/350 heads? I have been itching to replace the heads, but I didn't want to get bogged down in the project if it just wasn't worth it from a performance standpoint.

Thanks

Q

sweethence

I had the 327/300 heads so I went from teh stock 1.94ish heads, with worn valve guides and cast iron manifolds to 2.02 aluminum heads with headers, while running the stock 300 horse cam, with a DUI HEI unit at ..45 gap, and a 750 mech secondary q jet

and here is what i notice, immediate improvement in throttle response on the bottom end of the RPM band , definate torque gains, (trows my head back nice), as well as better power in the 3000-3200 rpm range ( pulls better in passing and on ramp acceleration.

I know its subjective, and I have no dyno numbers, but Yeah I say it was worth the 1000 bucks for the brodix heads assembled ( the sidepipes were 1040 from jet hot)

so add heads and headers and I like

cam is next

Now you could have still gotten better performance with a set of cast 2.02 heads much cheeper, espacially if you get em bare, but when i added it all up, plus my time for head assembly, the price of the brodix units was rigth for me.

also i use my car as a highway machine, not a street light brawler, application counts too

let me knwo if you have any other q's, feel free to PM

tim

bluesilver82

I would rather have the 69 but the 68 would be my second choice. If you have your eyes on one you like get it.

international blue

Any 68 owners that have not emailed me regarding their car, please do so, I am trying to collect a survivor list! Any 68 info on wrecked, lost or restoration projects, trailer queens and drivers...Hpw many are out there? I have about 850 cars listed now, and have stayed away from collecting numbers of most of the restored cars. In other words, no NCRS searches yet. There are very few consecutive examples as of now, but I have found the one before and after mine on the line. 1271, 1272 and 1273 are all survivors... for example...

The project gets more interesting each month...

Thanks in advance!

As for the previous post regarding first 3 months and then "late" 68's, this is untrue. The 68 went through several periods during production.

1. Pre production cars: Coupes #2, #15 ect, and verts, all pilot cars. Possibly up to #200-250. Unknown number of coupes. Coupe was found unsaleable due to leaks and discontinued. A friend has #267 and it had pilot car stamped all over it. A 435 International Blue vert!

2. Early production cars (convert only) to serial 7100 or so.

3. Dual production of coupe to vert, aprox 7100 to 15000, fwd mirror transition, numerous production changes to result in the "late" car.

4. Aft mirror cars were sporadic until vin 15000, then the norm.

5. Late 68's as early as 24000 vin! had 69 type frames. Changeover unclear but cars spotted with 69 style frames in the 23800 vin series!

There were many detail changes, but due to the way the cars were produced, restoration is seeing what you have vs. building to a "standard". A much more interesting process!

cosquare

What is "aft mirror" refer to?? - I own a '68 Vin 15085 - which I bought new. Its a mid-year (March'68 build) car with lots of one year unique parts as others have stated. Can't bring myself to sell it after all these years - too many memories.

Just bought an '05 which I enjoy but the '68 still turns heads.

sweethence

on early models the side view mirror was positioned a few inches froward of the later models

BritGreen68

I am new to the Corvette world so maybe an "out of the box thinker" when it comes to 1968 Corvettes. I have owned a 65 Mustang, 66 Mustang (still own), and a 68 SS396 Camaro (still mad that I sold it 13 years later). I have always loved pony/muscle cars from the sixties. Everyone sets goals in life for what they want to do and a Corvette was on the list of things to have. I started looking for something in my price range and found a 1968 Corvette that needs a restoration. Some people may have a problem with the 68 because it is a first year. My car is missing some things that are exclusive 68 but I can find them with a little research. I think the complaints about the car were made from the perspective of a person in the market to buy a brand new Corvette in 1968 and use it as a DAILY DRIVER and wanted something reliable. Also, when the 68 came out I'm sure many Corvette owners did not want to let go of there old body styles and embrase the Stingray.
Things to think about;
1) I like my 68 because of it's bodysyle, is the first year t-tops of ANY car, last year of the 327 motor, 4 speed, British green which is a unique color to that era, front and rear chrome bumpers, and the ergonomics of the guages.
2) I like that people of all walks of life are drawn to the shine and reflection of chrome bumpers (front and rear) as well as the sound of and unrestricted rumble of a 327 that these Corvettes offer.
3) Anyone who has seen my car has never had a negative thing to say even though I have the interior out for a restoration.
4) If you think there might be a problem with finding "odd ball" parts then buy a 68 that is complete and drivable and remember it is probably not going to be your primary form of transportation anyway.
5) Remember the car is what you want because of a past experience or just the 1968 just stands out to you. Everybody has an opinion but your going to find out all classic cars/Corvettes have there quirks and tweeks that have to be massaged. Just go to a car show and you will see the car show "think tank" huddled around your car trying to fix someones newly found idle problem/miss, mystery transmission leak, seat won't latch in place, seat belts just stopped latching on the way to the show, car now pulls to the right when I tap the brakes...you guys get the idea.
6) My car is made by Americans for Americans living the dream.

I appreciate my 68 because it is a unique piece of history that's still lives to remind us of the good things that America had in the 60's and it's a cool hobby that brings people together.
Have a good day, Joel

Here is a website of my 68 when I first bought it in 2006. http://www.mustangenthusiasts.net/1968_corvette.htm

bj1k

I have owned many corvettes over the years and the 68 has always been my favorite because of the tasteful simplicity including the in dash ignition, the four red taillights, and the very unique push button doors. I looked far and wide for another 68 and just found another convertible project that I am restoring now. THIS ONE IS A KEEPER !!

Kyle69-71 BBs

I have a love/hate thing going with my 68.
Anyone saying the 68 only parts is a non issue is not fixing a 68 basket case vert.I have had to buy things like the shifter plate ,early wiperdoor, vac can etc...These items are no joke.I have had 4 or 5 69 cars a 70 and a 71. The parts on the 68 have been alot harder to get for a fair price.
If your doors are bad (like mine) be prepaired to really get bent over money wise.Good luck trying to find the inside lights for the sail panels...door push buttons are made of unobtainum.
The cost of resto on this car will be about 1/3 more than a 69 vert maybe higher. My car is an early car and maybe that makes it worse.
These are great cars but a small part of their rep is deserved.
On the 327 vs 350 side of things I would run a 327 thats done right against a whole lot of 350s without a second thought. That is a non issue.The drive line is not very different from 68-72 to worry over.
I would not want anyone to try their first resto on a 68 but if you are looking at a car that needs very little 68s are great.
Also I dont see 68s staying cheaper than 69s for very much longer..
in time they will be the c3 to have.