I've been looking for a chrome bumper car for a while now. I was looking for a big block but now I'm finding myself very tempted by a '68 small block with a 327 I just looked at. In the past I've seen a few posts about '68s being a pain because they have too many one-year specific parts. How true is this, and what kind of powerplant is that 327?

JB

 

Let me begin by saying that I think the chrome bumper sharks all look awesome...( mine is a 74 :cry )
I have also heard that 68 has many 68 only components which tend to be more difficult to find and more importantly, cost more as well.
Personally, if it were me, if the car was a project car I would pass on it. On the other hand, if it was in good driver shape and you could work on it gradually while still enjoying driving I'd get it.
Incidently there is nothing wrong with the 327.
Stew

 

From what I know about 68s there are many one-year parts but the availability is pretty good from the aftermarket distributors. For instance, the door panels are specific for 68. They don't have a pull strap but a "reverse ledge" used to pull the door closed. The console has pockets for the seatbelt buckles. The doors have push buttons and the list goes on. Again, I think all the major distributors like Eckler's, Zip, MidAmerica, etc. all the parts for a 68 that they do for any other year so I don't think it would be any more of a pain to keep in the road. One specific thing that I don't like about 68 verts is that they have more body flex than 69 verts. This is because the frame is different. GM added 2 braces to the risers on the frame just in front of the rear wheels in 69 to correct this flex problem. I didn't see in your post whether or not you were looking at a vert or a coupe. If you buy a 68 vert, don't be alarmed if the body twists considerably on occasions. I know that my 74 vert will twist and I have those braces on my frame.

As for the 327, I love those little engines. They are high revving and will last forever if built with an attention to detail. I abused one all through college in a '55 Bel Air 2dr Hardtop. That engine is still going strong as far as I know.

Hope this helps in your decision and if you buy a 68, have fun with it. I think they are very cool because of their distinction of being different.

dl

 

I bought my 68 conv be cause I loved the chrome bumper cars. I thought the 68 to 69-71 differences were only cosmetic items. But there were A LOT of improvements. I've also heard that early 68 quality control was about as bad as it could be. Given what I know now, I would have bought a 69, it would have been a lot less work.
Gary

 

I personally would stay away from '68s. Differences include: steering wheel is large (16" as compared to folllowing years 15"), ralley wheels were 7", as compared to following years 8". Interior lights behind t-tops are also a one year phenomenon. I recently tried to buy replacement lenses for these, and they are not available yet. No map pocket that following years had on passenger side. Much wiser to pass this one by, unless of course, it's something you can't resist. :smash:

 

68 is a great year! However - if you want a "all original" car in great condition it will
cost you a lot more to fix it up than for example a 69'. If you don't care too much
about originality - you can replace many parts with much cheaper 69 parts. For
example: I use a 69 center gauge bezel. The 68 bezel would have cost me 3 times
as much as the 69 bezel...

Olivier

 

I own a '68 and I love her. They can be a PITA because of the many one-year-only parts and a great deal of things are not being reproduced. The '68s were the FIRST of the Sharks and I would not discourage you from buying one. The regular cautions apply: buy as much Corvette as you can afford and buy as much of an original car as you can find. Others may argue the point, but I feel it's critical to look for originality in a '68. Since there are so many one-year-only goodies on a '68, replacing missing parts is not particularly what you want to do. Buy a '68 which has most of everything already on it.
My '68 has the base engine 300hp 327, 10.25:1 compression ratio. The only emissions gadget on it is the PCV valve. No AIR, no EGR, no ther-mac, no vapor cannister. Clean and pure. She was built for leaded gasoline and does not have hardened valve seats, but I have never had pinging problems burning no-lead. I run a fuel additive about every other tank full to keep things on the up and up.
:)
:seeya


[Modified by Easy Mike, 12:09 PM 3/28/2002]

 

I love my '68 for it's personality. It's the little things that sets it off from the other chrome bumper cars. If you going all original go with a '69. I have my '68 updated to the advances to the '69 (rims, badges, etc).
I wouldn't have it any other way than a '68.
:cheers:

 

I have a '68, and have never regretted the purchase for a minute. I guess if the car you are looking at needs a full restoration you should think twice, but if it's in decent shape it's a non-issue.

I've never understood the "it's not a '69 so it's not desirable" mentality around the '68s. Have you ever seen how many parts are hard to find for a rare midyear? For some reason, that doesn't deter people one bit. Go figure...


[Modified by Flareside, 1:35 PM 3/28/2002]

 

I bought my 68 because it had everything I wanted at a great price. I wouldnt want to restore a 68. All else being equal (condition and options) a 68 should be cheaper than a 69. Dont overpay! I have come to enjoy and appreciate the "specialness" of the 68 like many of the comments above. If you are going to own a 68 you will need the strength of character to ignore the people that will tell you what a crappy year 68 is for corvettes! MJ

 

I used to own a 68 vert and I loved it......I woulkd still have it if I had not totalled it :cuss

 

I owned a 68 vert before I bought the 64. As far as parts availability the only thing I can remember not being able to get is the shifter console plate, everything else is available from the aftermarket suppliers. I liked the fact that the 68's had some one year only parts, it made it just a little different.
I do agree with the comment about the body flex. Whenever driving over rough roads, it sounded like I was riding inside my toolbox. :lol:

 

Hi
I also own a 68 , big block convertible. :cool:
Nothing wrong with the car, mostly everything can be found easily.
I just had 2 problems to find original parts, this being the door outside push button and the windshield upper corner locating brackets for the soft top positioning pins.
No big deal as both can be converted to later year style.
The quality problems, this cars had when they left GM 34 years ago, are mostly solved over the years and 68 are just as good as later Vettes.
If you find a good car , don't hesitate.
Be proud to own the first year C3 , the best looking Vette ever made. :D
Everything later is been doctored and plastered. :crazy:
Gunther :seeya

 

Go 68!:chevy

Realistically, tho its been said before on and off, its probably the price/condition that makes the real difference. If you plan to have an NCRS car, take bloomington gold, etc, then the 68 will definitely cost you more than any of the other C3s. However, if what you want is a fun, cool looking, with its own personality car, then none of the other chrome bumper C3s are as cool. If you plan to throw sidepipes on, do gofast goodies on the engine, etc and don't mind having to look a little harder to find correct parts (not always more $$, the 68 doorpanels are cheaper than 69 other than the :( !@#$@#$ chrome strip which I don't have) do the 68. Most of the one year parts are interior too, the mechanicals are pretty much all the same (other than front spindles) till 77.

All the quality control stuff is complete BS, it was meaningful in 68, not now. Pretty much any component on the car has either been replaced, or needs to be replaced during restoration anyhow. Or it was adjusted, etc sometime in 34 years...

Heres to the first of the breed.... :cheers: Good luck! Let us know!

 

'68 has so many firsts and lasts that are very unique and in my view, very desireable. Last 327 (a truly legendary Corvette powerplant), last ignition on the dash and the first of the shark bodystyle. I didn't realize '68 and '69 convertibles were different in terms of body flex, but I have not noticed any undue flex that wasn't the norm for cars of that era. Which 327 is under the hood, the base or the L79? The former is probably better for day to day driving, good pull off the line, the latter is more the high winding, rev it up and dump the clutch kind of motor that is lots of fun. All depends what appeals to you more.

Yes, there are some unique items but most are either available or can be replaced with non '68 components if you aren't overly concerned about correctness. I note the new Vette magazine price guide has '68 and '69 vert's fairly comparable in price, slightly higher or lower, depending on condition. As with all cars of this age, condition of the vehicle is the single biggest factor to consider. You will hear it again and again "check the frame...check the frame..."
Good luck!!

 

I love mine! Parts have never been a problem and the many unique characteristics only make it the better! Can't speak for the small block.

Steve

 

just wanted to add that the complaining in my sig is because she was completely bubbafied before I got her, so she's 1977 inside, 1968 outside.. sigh

Fun as hell to drive either way tho!

 

1968 .... ahhhh, the year & birth of the beloved C3

That's the BEST year to have but the worst as far as 'quality' & 'parts'.
Maybe if I did it all over again I'd go for a '70 or '71, maybe.....nah, I'm fine with the '68 -----> it's 34 yrs. old & all those poor quality items have given way to age. :chevy

Just check to make sure it's been well-maintained..... usually most work done on these cars later on was just as good or better than the factory - correcting any problems (misalignments, etc.) Also, keep in mind that the '68s got a lot of BAD press. They aren't THAT bad, just a little quirky :p:

BUT.....as for the 327 - if it's a driver, that's one of the smoothest engines available (rumor was that 327's were discontinued since they lasted so long)
300hp or 350hp - the 327 is just as respectable as any Big Block. Your gas bills will be better, too ! - GO FOR IT ! :cheers:

 

I bought a '68 after I had examined and driven a number of chrome bumpers. I thought I'd end up with a '70-'72 with tilt, etc. I found two kinds of cars- abused cars that would've taken way too much money and time to fix, or fine rides that were priced beyond my budget. I even considered a C-4 for similar bucks. Then I found my '68. I wasn't even that interested until I started checking out the engine, tranny, frame, etc. Had everything I wanted except tilt. Was in better condition for less than I had expected to have to pay. Is she perfect? No. Is she perfect for me? Absolutely! I've only replaced two things- tires and the headlight switch. (Okay, five things counting all four tires.) So if the car you want is in good condition and within your budget, go for it!

 

I have two '68s. And I love them both. However, the coupe is in kinda bad shape right now. But I plan on rebuilding her. When I was looking for a replacement for the Coupe, i mainly looked at only 68's. There is something about a 68 that makes it so special in my mind.

There are a lot of one-year only parts, but many of them can be replaced with other rear parts. The only part I could not find were the interior courtesy light covers. Those are not being reproduced that I know of.

wayne h.