So I have been in the market for a nice early c3 for a while. Craigslist yielded an interesting car a few hours away but there are some ****les with the car I would like to flesh out with the C3 know-it-alls that surely grace this forum. Here is the deal, 1968 convertible, car runs/drives, but hasn't ever been "restored" from what I can tell, only a mediocre respray probably 20 years ago and side pipes were added. Owner says it was a big block car, but it has an aluminum head small block in it now, said he has owned the car for 12 years, but never did anything to it except maintain it. First thing my eye sees is no big block hood, he has no answer to that. He just shows me the engine data plaque on the console that says 427/400 horse. Which gives me zero confidence. Then my eye catches a pic of the tach and I see the tach has a 6500 RPM redline (Orange line, it's kind of faded) this tells me its an original 427/435 horse tach...but maybe not original to this car. I exercise my googling skills further and see that big block cars had sway bars and caps on the ujoints instead of ubolts. I request pics (not specific, just told him send me some suspension pics) and it has a rear sway bar and caps on the joints. So, I have some big block credibility here, whats throwing me off is the hood. Why would someone get rid of that hood for a small block hood? I guess is there anything else I can check for (other than the build sheet which may still be there) to see if this was big block car. Also, car has no a/c, appears to have a heavy radiator. I appreciate anything else I can check with general ease. Thank you all.

 

My guess:

Original motor blew up and was replaced by a small block.

At a later time the car was wrecked and needed a new hood. Small block hood was cheaper so that's what they put on there. That also explains the bad respray (they repaired it as cheap as possible).

 

Very possible, but it was a color change, painted it from white to resale-red, my guess about 20 years ago...Looking for some tell-tale signs for big block other than what I've checked. Were those engine data plaques even an option on cars then or are those purely aftermarket?

 

On the hood, it had an accident, small block hood was cheaper to find. So even if it had a big block in the distant past what does that matter at this point. You will never find the original engine and at best you could install a period correct engine. So as far as what price he is asking it should be for a small block with not the original engine. Here is another thread on the topic
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ease-help.html

 

The plagues were installed at the factory based on engine type not an option.

 

I concur, however a nicely restored car with a period correct engine is still worth a lot of money, imo its worth more than a "tribute" car. This is a trade deal, I have a bike worth about 13k he is asking 12,500 for the car. Its all there, cranks runs drives, but needs a complete restoration. He has graciously provided me with dozens of photos and I plan on going and looking at the "bones" personally this weekend. I have been fiddling with classics for 20 years, just never a c3. If it's a small block car originally, I'm just not going to be interested in a straight up trade, imo its worth about 10k in its current condition but if its a legit 427.435 horse car....I think its worth a trade, provided its not completely rotten.

 

a 1968 427 400 hp would have a red line starting at 5600 rpm. I would be more concerned about rust!
Dean

 

Yeah, I have the tach redlines all scribbled down here. Of course the tach could have come from anywhere as could the data plaque. I am looking at that link you sent me to, thank you for that.

To add to this, I have a 502 just sitting in my shop needing a home. My plan was, if this car is a real big block car (looking at the production numbers and other "tell tale" signs it could easily be). My plan was to slide this 502 down in and then start the long search for a "period correct" engine to rebuild eventually.

 

the front sway bar would be 3/4 " for small block and 15/16 " for both Big block and all with the F41 option
Dean

 

Very good, that's the kind of info I am looking for. Says the car has been in his garage for 12 years. I see some surface rust on the suspension components, but nothing looks bad, the rubber isn't all rotten either, just some cracks in the body busings, but not big chunks falling off. He claims the bird cage is solid, but my eyes and handy-dandy scope will look at that.

Is 12,500 a good price for a running/driving 68 convertible? Provided its solid of course. The car will need a total tear down, but fortunately it appears the main parts can be refinished. The interior is actually in decent shape too, needs a new top, and lots and lots of sandblasting small parts etc, nothing new to me, just not sure if I want to give this guy my Street Glide for this car....

 

I feel your pain about the StreetGlide/I'm in a similar situation---$,$$$ needed to finish the resto-mod.

 

If it still has the original differential in it the code on the bottom of the housing will tell if it was a bb or sb.
Mike

 

There were no engine data console tags on 68's. That started in 69. It may have started it's life as a big block but since the original motor is gone, it is what it is and will never be worth what an original motor big block is.

 

check for a single gas line,no return line to tank,tri-power car or l-88 although 1 of the 350's with a holley might only have one line. I'm sure somebody will chime in on the 350.

 

Well if there was no engine plaques in 68. Id say that would be a big issue if this one had one thats for sure.

 

They are 15 bucks on eBay. Or when the shifter plate was replaced at one time. If I know the engine data plaque is bogus then I can focus on the other details like the tach, fuel line, radiator, sway bar size, diff code, etc.

These cars were relatively cheap and not hot collectibles 25 years ago. That's about when it was painted and freshened up, I don't see why someone would attempt to fake it then put a small block in it. Going this weekend to crawl all over it then make a "to do" list and budget it out, see if it's worthwhile.

 

I wanna say that non A/C(possibly all) BB cars in 68 did not have a coolant reservoir so should show no evidence of ever having one(holes in the right side inner fender).

Regarding the fuel lines, 400hp and 435hp cars had the single fuel line but the 390hp had both.

 

Thanks i had read that, asked for pics of the engine compartment so maybe I can see that in the pics. Thank you

 

Also, brake lines on the trailing arms should have armor wrap on them.

 

25 years ago these cars were VERY hot, not cheap at all. 1991 was when the muscle car craze was in full swing. I paid over $20k for my 69 427 in 1991, these were already very collectible in the late 80's.

As far as thinking this car would have any value to restore you would be making a big mistake. To restore this thing hoping to get your money out of it would be a waste of time. Even if it had the original motor you would most likely be on the losing end. Finding a correct big block will be at least $7-10k built. Paint will be $10-15k. Finding the right interior one off parts for a 68 will drive you nuts and cost you money. Big block hood $1k. Everything else maybe another $10k maybe more depending on what it needs.

If you want to have a car to have fun in and drive around then go for it. But I wouldn't drop too much money into this.