This is a subject I have trouble understanding why people complain so about the 68 being different. It should be different it is a different year car, why do so many want a car to be the same for years? If you just bought a new Vette do you want it to be just like last years?? Oh well I love my 68 with all its uniqueness.

 

Beats me chief, part of why I got my 68 was its uniqueness, that and its the same prodution year as me

However having said that, if you are restoring a 68 having a list of one year, part year, and limited year interchange parts is helpful sicne some of said parts can be hard to source or pricey



tim

 

Your right some parts are hard to find. And then trying to know for sure what the 68 really came with because of all the changes it had during the year is a problem also. My car is a very late one built during one of the last two days of production and I find all kind of "69" parts on her, @ "they" claim that 68's only had 7" wheels, maybe so but I got 8" wheels on mine and a date code of almost a month before my car was built! So are they wrong? A number of things like that can drive you nuts if you really want to know what was really on any car. Well part of this just makes one or me just like the car that much more and finding what might of been on her when new. I have had six other Vettes though out the years and this one is the most intersting to me even if she has no real collector value except to me.

 

Your right some parts are hard to find. And then trying to know for sure what the 68 really came with because of all the changes it had during the year is a problem also. My car is a very late one built during one of the last two days of production and I find all kind of "69" parts on her, @ "they" claim that 68's only had 7" wheels, maybe so but I got 8" wheels on mine and a date code of almost a month before my car was built! So are they wrong? A number of things like that can drive you nuts if you really want to know what was really on any car. Well part of this just makes one or me just like the car that much more and finding what might of been on her when new. I have had six other Vettes though out the years and this one is the most intersting to me even if she has no real collector value except to me.

 

The 1967 steering columns were not the same as 1968. They look the same sticking out of the instrument cluster, but the mounting under the dash was different. (The third mounting capsule on the 1967 column is on the driver side; the third mounting capsule on the 1968 column is on the passenger side. The entire capsule bracket on the 1968 column is attached about one inch further down the column away from the driver.)

The 1967 columns had a loose toe plate that was assembled at the car assembly plant. The 1968 columns had a welded toe plate which was an integral part of the column supplied by Saginaw.

Jim

 

Also cuts down on the "bad buys" along the way.

Even though I am a major chrome bumper fan, at a glance, I can't tell the difference between '70-'72. As far as I know, there is no significant change to the exterior appearance during these years. I would be happy to be corrected if I am wrong!!!

 

Welcome to our "club within a club"! It sounds pretty daunting at the beginning, but it is not that bad. There are plenty of 68 guys around that are ready, willing, and able to help with parts and questions. I have been 4 years next week on a similar situation to yours, but my time is pretty limited. This forum has proved invaluable, and I have made many friends in the process. 68's are like beautiful, bit%hy women- we put up with them because they are gorgeous
You will hopefully fall in love with the year. Pics ASAP.

 

the 68 rims were all 7" AG rims, you cant go by date code because the rally rims were used on multiple GM models, that and the4 fact that is has been 40 years its not hard to imagine changes along the way



An interesting point Jim, so I belive that the wheel and the signal internals are a 67 carry over, but is it just the mount points that were changed, or the entire shaft and bearing assy as well?

great thing about my 68 is I am always learnign new stuff




takes a trained eye to tell the diff so you are right, the signal lamps, the egg crates the front grill have sublte changes in the 70 - 72 years from an exterior poiunt of view

 

I agree. You need to find what you want and if you settle for a half-*** ***/ride you'll always regret it. Considering there is nothing perfect, you need to pick a ride with such imperfections you know you can handle, plus anything perfect is just plain boring... In a longer run. (I am a woman ;-)

 

Things I've found on my early 68.

Side mirror location was changed around during the year.
Flasher location was changed from center console to pass side dash panel. Ask me how I know.
Inner fender splash sheild were changed from stapled to push pin.
My car also looks like it never had firewall splash sheilds or tunnel insulation installed. Still looking into that.
Compartment doors are spring hinged.
No hood insulation.

Not sure if anyone mentioned that gas lid emblem is riveted on and the lid is riveted also.
Spare is also mounted on a ralley wheel. Not sure if they did that on a 69.

 

1967 Standard (non-telescoping) Columns Comparison to 1968

There were two and possibly three standard (non-telescoping) steering columns used throughout the 1967 model year. Dimensionally (overall length, mounting points, steering shaft location, etc) they were all the same. The earliest column had a snap ring retained lower bearing. The earliest column had a steering shaft that had a snap ring groove. It was campaigned to replace that shaft with a steering shaft without a groove which used a clamp with a nut and bolt to hold the lower bearing in place.

The later revised second and third columns used during the 1967 model year had a different lower bearing design and a clamp with a nut and bolt that pushed against a plastic spacer to hold the bearing in place.

The 1967 columns had a mounting bracket that curved under the steering column jacket and was welded in place. It had three aluminum mounting capsules on the bracket. The third mounting capsule was on the driver side of the column.

The 1967 column assemblies had a dash closeout that was part of the steering column. The 1968 column did not have a closeout.

The 1967 columns had a lower toe plate that was assembled to the column by the St. Louis assembly plant.

The 1968 column had a steering shaft of exactly the same length as the 1967 columns (36.77 inches overall length.)

The mounting bracket was quite a bit different. The 1968 bracket was welded in place and curved over the top of the column jacket. It had the third aluminum mounting capsule on the passenger side of the column. The location of the first two mounting capsules was 2.07 inches further down the column from the steering wheel than the 1967 column.

The lower bearing package and the clamp, nut, and bolt on the 1968 column was the same as the later design 1967 columns. The plastic spacer on the 1968 column was 0.55 inch longer than the 1967 column
(1.80 long versus 1.25 long.)

The 1968 column had a toe plate that was welded in place at Saginaw and was shipped as part of the steering column.

The turn signal switch looks the same between the 1967 and 1968 columns. I cannot verify if they are the same by part number however.

Jim

 

HMMMMMMMMM how about front corner lenses are white as well as the front turn signal lenses.........and most forget this one, in 1968 the leading edge on rthe front black plastic grills were painted SILVER....

 

Thanks for that Jim, added to the files


tim

 

Being that this is my 3rd 68' vette i can assure you that from past experience that the reason you see so many 69' parts on 68's is when people put them back together or restore them :

1. they dont know the difference between 68 Only parts & 69's

2. they can't find the 68 only part & settle for 69's

3. unless you have lots of documentation or your the original owner noone will ever know 100%

 

The brake light switch, activated by the pedal arm, is 100% unique to this car. Delco's are still available for $110.00, I bought a repro from Zips for $55.00. Also referrred to as a stop light switch. You will find a condenser in the circuit as well, designed to stop the brake lights from making the radio click or buzz.

Should you need to replace this part, unless you are a contortionist, you will need to remove the steering wheel. You will also need a 3/8 box wrench with about a 1" straight offset. And patience. And bandaids.

 

Hi

Was the missing dash braces ( A-frame braces ) in early 68 convertibles already mentioned ?

And the softtop/hardtop front corner receptacles being 2 piece units versus single piece units on 69 and up.

Interesting thread, thanks for that.

Rgds Günther

 

I have a 68 corvette and I would say parts are harder to find and when you find them they are 3x dollars more. For example, the center bezel for 1970 and later is $99. If you want a 1968 bezel it will be $300. On top of that, there's two types of bezels.

So, they even changed things mid production year in 1968. i.e. early 1968 vs late 1968.

But, I like my car so much it is worth trying to find the right parts. Doubt that I will ever sell it.

 

I know for a fact that the 68 brake light is NOT unique to our cars. After having my original switch and it's OEM replacement go bad after a couple of years, I converted mine to the 69-up plunger type. One day at a Chevrolet parts counter, a guy put one on the counter and wanted a new one. After standing on my head, upside down in the seat, using the box that the switch came in on top of my head to push in on the brake pedal to adjust it, I recognized it right away!!! He said that he had an old Chevrolet truck!!! That is where they got that horrible switch from. Lou.

 

No one listed the Prozac dispenser on my early production 68 convert to calm down the driver after searching for some peculiar replacement part.