Hi all,
Yesterday, I was headed out the door,when a friend called and said he was given the phone # to a guy that wanted to sell a 68 Camaro that had been sitting in an old garage since the late 70's, He wasnt interested so he passed the # on to me. I wasnt even going to call as the last thing I needed was another car but with all the Barn Find storys lately I coulndnt resist.

I called the guy and he gave me directions to his shop in Santa Fe NM which is about 45 minutes away and I ran up there to see the car. The man told me how this was his brothers car and he had moved to Virgina years ago and was unable to take it with him and then Life happened and he will never get to it. They are losing the building it was stored in and the car just needs to be sold. He opened the building and took me back to see the car and I was shocked. The car was not as described it was better:hurray: the car is a 68 RS with a set of 67 standard front fenders and a chunk of a 68 standard grill. Unfortunatly it has had the 70's home made fender flares but heck most of these old cars need new metal around the wheel openings anyway so i wasnt real disapointed. Now I look under the car and see a QK coded 3.31 posi 12 Bolt rear end from a 67 Camaro as it has the bracket on the passenger side for the factory traction bar.:hurray:

The Black standard interior is all there but very dirty. The car was Corvette Bronze with a White Vinyl top.

Well like I mentioned earlier the last thing I needed was another project car right now but I couldt resist. I stuck a deal and came home with it on my trailer. I did get to mess with it for about an hour today and got it fired up with a hose into a gas can and a new battery and the motor sounds good but does smoke a little. i figure the valve seals are probably dried up and gone by now but no knocks of bad noises:thumbsup:

Now for my question..... The car has all four of the vintage torque thrust wheels as the rears were in the trunk. what are these old wheels worth? i had a guy at the carwash try and tell me they were worth more than the car:rolleyes:

Here are a fewpics I snaped of the car before we dug it out of the old garage and a pic of one of the wheels

Thanks in advance,
Nick

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/x77d80/HPIM0716.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/x77d80/HPIM0717.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/x77d80/HPIM0718.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/x77d80/HPIM0719.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/x77d80/HPIM0720.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/x77d80/HPIM0721.jpg

I bet that cleans up quick, with solid floors too im sure. Mine is from new mexico with very low miles. It was ultra clean. I do wonder what kinda deal you struck but I dought you will loose on that car.

...always neat to see photos of gems in the rough : )
I have no idea what the rims are worth, ...but the car does look pretty solid. Looks like it might have '69 (or later) calipers, ...and isn't that a deluxe '68 steering wheel?

Cool find! Thats a 3 spoke 1968 Camaro/Nova steering wheel.Have have the same 3 spoke Steering wheel on my 68 Chevy II Nova SS L78 4spd car.Mine has a small SS in the center of the wheel....

Now for my question..... The car has all four of the vintage torque thrust wheels as the rears were in the trunk. what are these old wheels worth? i had a guy at the carwash try and tell me they were worth more than the car

QUICK! Get back to the car wash, find that guy, and get him to make you an offer on the rims!
He either does not know the value of old Camaros, or, old wheels.
I see original Torque Thrusts frequently at swap meets and on ebay. A nice set of 14" go for about $300-$500. 15" are more desireable and go for a little more. Either way, the car is worth alot more than the rims

Great Find !!!
Sometimes cars are like strays and you just have to take them in.

Thanks, It is cleaning up fairly nice. I did drive it yesterday up the street in front of my house and did small burn out in the driveway, burned out glass packs and all:D Boy my neighbors love me;)

So far every thing but the gas gauge and the horn seem to work. It has a very nice original console that I may need to swap out with the one in my 68:yes:.

68Ragtop,

I agree!! I wish I knew who that guy was and I would make his day with those old wheels:D He was a old guy, oh wait, I am a old guy:D ok older than I am.:yes: Anyhow I think the wheels are 15x6. Does anyone know what came on the Yenkos? I assume 15x7??

Very cool .. So, are you gonna tell us what kind of deal you got ? Ball Park ? .. or is that insulting .. like the Thread " do you get mad when people ask you how much you paid for your car ?" .. :D

Thanks, It is cleaning up fairly nice. I did drive it yesterday up the street in front of my house and did small burn out in the driveway, burned out glass packs and all:D Boy my neighbors love me;)

So far every thing but the gas gauge and the horn seem to work. It has a very nice original console that I may need to swap out with the one in my 68:yes:.

68Ragtop,

I agree!! I wish I knew who that guy was and I would make his day with those old wheels:D He was a old guy, oh wait, I am a old guy:D ok older than I am.:yes: Anyhow I think the wheels are 15x6. Does anyone know what came on the Yenkos? I assume 15x7??
Yenkos came with Firebird wheels

Yenkos came with Firebird wheels

I'm sorry, I had a 69 Yenko on my mind.:D Any Idea??

Thanks,
Nick

I don't know 69 Yenkos very well, why don't you check the Yenko board?
http://yenko.net/
Maybe your wheels will have a magic date code that will make them more valuable than other torque thrusts.

I'm thinking (dangerous) that those are the ones that won't clear front discs. Probably worth something to the early Vette guys, the 15" is a great added value, 14" really aren't desirable at all. Anyway, really, really cool score!

Hard to believe people put trailer hitches on those cars back in the day

I'm thinking (dangerous) that those are the ones that won't clear front discs. Probably worth something to the early Vette guys, the 15" is a great added value, 14" really aren't desirable at all. Anyway, really, really cool score!
Look close, its has front disc brakes, albeit a manual drum brake master cylinder.

Yes, The car already has disc brakes on it although not original to the car. The more I think about it, I might just get a set or the repo goodyear E 70 15's and have these wheels cleaned up and put them on my 69 Z. It might really give my Z a nostalga look.

But then on the other hand if they are worth a lot of $$;) I would just try and sell them so I would not have so much invested in the car. It would sure make it easier to justify to my wife setting on the car for a few years till I had the cash to retore it. Bottom line is the next Camaro that gets restored in my house hold will be my 68 SS/RS 396. The poor old car always ends up taking the back burner to all my other projects.:(

Yenko sold Atlas wheels as a optional mag wheel.
They were close to the Americans but was not the same.
The Atlas wheels were cast in PA

Yenko sold Atlas wheels as a optional mag wheel.
They were close to the Americans but was not the same.
The Atlas wheels were cast in PA

Thanks. At least now I know they arnt fron a Yenko:( just kidding:p.
:beers:
Nick

hello nick,

your new 68 looks like a decent body to work with.

you also have 68 chevelle that you added to your collection too.

also hows everything going on in your neck of the woods,
i hope everything is good.

thanks for your time
mark b

Hi Mark,

It's good to see your still around. Not much going on around here, same old boring place.:D Yes the new 68 has a decent body to start with. It will need quarters on both sides and the and a deck lid for sure. I think the front fenders can be used. Just tring to convince my wife;) what a real treasure this car is and how we should set it aside for a few years till we can get to it, but I am not sure I have her convinced yet:D.

I picked up the 68 Chevelle a few months ago from a friend. it was just a body and basicly needed everything. I figured I could build it fairly resonable as it is just a plain Jane car. Well you know how that goes I have already spent more:confused: than I hoped to have in the finished car and its only half done.:( Maybe someday I will learn:D

hey nick,

my 68 needs quarters too because one of owners of the car
cut to fit bigger tires also had a 56 olds rear end which was
a spool with a 513 or 538 gear.(ex racer)

the car was a bear on turns (it sucked).

my main issue is my trans tunnel area and the area where the
rear passengers feet would be due to welded ladder bars.
(which been removed before i got the camaro)

my interior is in decent shape,trunk floor is good and i have
a set of new GM fenders for the car as well plus a reproduction
cowl hood.

my original drive train is long gone but i have 67 396 bbc that
was in the camaro when i brought it.

it just takes time and some money but one day like you said.

thanks for your time
mark b