Classic DREAMCARS Mount Dora, Fla. (352) 385-1945 www.classicdreamcars.com

 

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SORRY, YOU MISSED A GREAT ORIGINAL- SOLD TO B.C. CANADA

1968 CHEVROLET CAMARO RALLY SPORT CONVERTIBLE

THIS IS A REAL RALLY SPORT "SURVIVOR" CONVERTIBLE WITH 37,961 ACTUAL MILES. IT IS FINISHED IN A RARE COLOR CALLED: TRIPOLI TURQUOISE WITH MATCHING TURQUOISE BUCKET SEATS AND IS LOADED WITH FACTORY OPTIONS LIKE THE "RS" RALLY SPORT PACKAGE: WHICH INCLUDED BADGING, STAINLESS MOLDINGS ON WHEEL WELLS, BELT REVEAL MOLDINGS, (WORKING) HIDDEN HEADLIGHTS / SPECIAL BLACK RADIATOR GRILLE, PARKING LIGHTS IN THE FRONT VALANCE, RALLY SPORT SIDE BADGE, SPECIAL TAIL LIGHTS, BACK-UP LIGHTS IN REAR VALANCE, "RS" FUEL FILLER CAP, DELUXE "RS" STEERING WHEEL AND BLACKOUT ROCKERS. PLUS: IT HAS SUPER RARE (C60) FACTORY 4-SEASON" AIR CONDITIONING (SEE YOUR CAMARO RECOGNITION GUIDES: SELDOM , IF EVER, ORDERED ON A CONVERTIBLE OF THE SIXTIES), PLUS, A DELUXE INTERIOR WITH WOOD GRAIN TRIM AND "THIN-LINE STRATO" BUCKET SEATS, POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, POWER SOFT TOP (ACTUALLY ONLY ORDERED 50% OF THE TIME ON '68 CONVERTIBLES), 3:08 POSITRACTION, AM DELUXE PUSHBUTTON RADIO, EZ-EYE TINTED GLASS, CONSOLE WITH HORSESHOE SHIFTER, THE SHORTER MINI SUN VISORS, W.S.W TIRES, BUMPER GUARDS (FRONT & REAR), 327 L30 V8 WITH POWERGLIDE TRANSMISSION, RALLY WHEELS (ADDED LATER), AND SPARE WHEEL COVER . PLUS, IT HAS THE USUAL FACTORY ITEMS ONLY FOUND ON THE CONVERTIBLE: A SPECIAL SHORTER WINDSHIELD, SPECIALLY PLACED ASHTRAYS ( DIFF. THAN COUPES ), AND THE SPECIAL FACTORY FLOOR BRACE. THIS CAR SOLD NEW AT BOOK CHEVROLET, NEAR PITTSBURG AND WAS BABIED & GARAGE-KEPT IT'S ENTIRE LIFE. IT COMES WITH THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER DOCUMENTATION, INCLUDING THE ORIGINAL SALES ORDER, COPY OF THE ORIGINAL "A" TITLE, ORIGINAL WINDOW STICKER (NOT A RE-POP), ORIG. PROTECT-O-PLATE & WARRANTY BOOKLET, ORIG.MANUAL& SOFT TOP CARE PHAMPLET, POLLUTION PAMPHLET, ORIG. DEALER INSPECTION REPORT AND MAINTENANCE LOG/ STATE INSPECTION CERTIFICATES SUPPORTING IT'S ULTRA-LOW MILEAGE( ONLY 1,026 MILES PER YEAR) .

IT RECENTLY RECVD. IT'S FIRST PAINTJOB BUT, THE INTERIOR & SOFT TOP ARE EXCELENT ORIGINAL. SOME EXPERTS VALUE A 'SURVIVOR" WAY MORE THAN A RESTORED CAR BUT, THIS IS PRICED WELL UNDER N.A.D.A COLLECTIBLE BOOK VALUE AND PRICED TO SELL AT $45,950 FIRM

THE STORY:

Probably the most memorable occurrence in 1968 was the assassination of Martin Luther King...if nothing else but, because there are no Stadiums or Boulevards named after Robert Kennedy to constantly remind us. Soul Singer, James Brown, is most remembered for his drunken rampages and car accidents lately but, people tend to forget... The Good. He single handedly stifled the riots in Boston in 1968 by staging a Televised Concert. Faced with looting/ burning or watching "The God Father of Soul" in a free TV Concert, most people opted to stay home. Richard Nixon, however, will always be remembered, that year, making public appearances, shooting that "double V" Victory Sign, with that s___t oeating grin of his. People were glued to their "Boob Tubes" watching "Laugh-In", "Gun Smoke" and "Bonanza", as Color TV outsold Black & White ( 6 million to 5 million), for the first time ever. Sitting on the edge of their seats, people in Movie Houses all across America were watching Mia Farrow in "Rosemary's Baby", "Bullit" with Steve McQueen ( the second Car Chase Movie ever), "Dirty Harry" with Clint Eastwood, or The Very First Car Chase Movie Ever "The French Connection" with Gene Hackman. Sadly, Senator Robert Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles as he celebrated his victory in the California Democratic Party Primary, while just six weeks earlier, Chicago Mayor : Richard Daly, ordered Police "to shoot and kill anybody caught looting or rioting". It was a time of unbridled self-indulgence as even Iron Butterfly ( hard rock group) released a 17 minute version of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" ( the entire "B" side of their album)..the perfect tune for those who wanted to 'space-out' and experiment with blotter acid for the very first time. Just when you thought Elvis was "all washed up"- he staged his " '68 Comeback Tour" and flatenned his audiences all over again. Top singles though were, "Hey Jude", "I Heard It On The Grapevine" and "People Got To Be Free" (Rascals). If you were really coool, you found a way to mount one of those giant, 4-track tape players under the dash of your car and 'charm the girls' with your "4-track Stereo" or.... if you didn't have the money.....you mounted your girl, instead.

People call them 'The First Generation" Camaro's but, it was actually Bill Mitchell's Long Hood / Short Deck Design that was envisioned short term when it was introduced Sept 1966, as it is told, when all was 'said and done'...."he never liked them". This design yielded a low, chiseled profile and flowing body line for the "all new" 1968 Camaro. By that year, the "Camaro Convenience List" was expanded to 114 different choices (with another 41 "dealer installed" options available) making the Camaro more than just a 'tempting buy'. One could choose from a "Building Block System" of options" including Fold-Down Rear Seat ($42.15), a 396 c.i./375 h.p.V8 ($495.30), "Houndstooth Cloth" Interior joined the Option List ($128.05), Fiber Optics on the fenders ($26.35), AM/FM "Blue Dot" Stereo Radios ($239.15), Comfortilt Steering Wheel ( $42.15), and Electric Power Windows ($100.10),...all for a few pennies out of your monthly paycheck. In fact, the Coupe's were base priced at only $2,727 and the Convertible was $2,941. but, since you were nearing the price of a new Corvette at only $4,663, few people loaded their cars up with very many options. Some think 'there were no changes' from 1967 to 1968 but, close inspection would reveal a more Muscular Look in the body with Ventless Door Glass (a.k.a. Astro Ventilation), new front & rear Marker Lights, Wider Wheels, Strato Bucket Seats, Front Shoulder Belts, Outside Rearview Mirror and Courtesy Lights on the Convertible. 'Muscles' usually result in 'weight gain', as the scales show the 1968 weighed in at 270 lbs. more than 1967 for the Coupe and 135 pounds more for the Convertible.

Here's some more historical factoids for you to munch on:

1. The biggest functional change occurred in 1968 when Chevrolet introduced Staggered Shocks and Traction Bars to reduce Power Hop.

2. Performance Camaro's had Multi-Leaf Springs added while the "Coffee Cans" were retained in the trunk to add 100 lbs. to rear weight.

3. The Camaro was linked with the Corvette for the First Time in National Advertising, billed as "The Working Man's Vette". Ad campaigns also named it "The Hugger", for " it's ability to hug the road with the best of them". They later even coined the name "Hugger Orange", easily one of the most popular colors in 1969.

4. Though the Convertible weighed in at 160 pounds more than the Coupe, it offered more headroom.

5. Dave Strickler won the NHRA Super Stocker World Championship in 1968 driving a Camaro.

6. In the Automotive World of The Sixties manufacturers were convinced the public wanted "NEW" so, many cars, especially Ponycars", only got to keep their sheet metal 2-3 years. The Camaro fell prey to that theory. Despite the intention to keep the body the same, the sheet metal was changed in 1969... and, again in 1970.

7. Ordered solo, the RS Option did not have the stacked chrome outlets on the hood but, one could order BOTH the SS and RS options and end up with both packages together.

It is commonly believed that the Camaro was built as a "me-too" response to Ford Mustang but, in reality Chevrolet had started planning the Camaro years before introduction, after seeing the response to the Corvair Monza "Sporty car" market. Sadly though, Ford did read this market even earlier and exploited it first with the introduction of the Mustang. Today the "First Generation" Camaro is seen as The Most Collectible Car in America. Any Internet Site will boast they have more 'hits' on First Generation Camaro's than any other car, sampling ten's of thousands of requests daily. Investing in a 1967-1969 Camaro is like placing your money in Blue Chip Stocks.

Published stat's** show Chevrolet built 40,977 Camaro's with the RS Option but, it is now known, the majority were Coupes. Total Camaro production was 235,115 in 1968, with less than 9% built as Convertibles (20,440). This, in all forms, (6 cyl., 8 cyl., Plain Jane, Super Sport and Rally Sport). You do the Math ! (that extrapolates to 1,839 RS Convertibles). There are very few of these RS Versions remaining today ("real") on the streets...especially, a garaged original with Super Rare Factory Air and Low Mileage. A Great Keeper in a Great Color Combination.

**CAMARO-REGISTRY.COM,CAMARO RESEARCH GROUP, CAMAROS.CA,, 68CAMAROS.NET