I am going to look at a 68 Camaro to purchase tomorrow. The guy says it is a SS car but does not guarantee it. He says the only way to know for sure is if you have the build sheet. Can you not tell by the cowl tag ? Thanks

68's are tough. There is zero useful info on the cowl tag other than the body # and colors. With all the fraud surounding carfully done fakes, it gets even worse.

There are a number of telltales, but the only for sure one is a #'s matching properly coded 350 or 396 engine. The pad on the block in front of the pass side head is stamped with a 2 letter engine code, partial vin, and plant / assy daye stamp. Check over at camaros.org for the specifics.

Take pics of the vin, cowl tag, and engine stamp, and post them here. Also the casting number on the back of the block, drivers side, you can see it if you lool between the hood and the firewall with a good flashlight. If he'll let you, pull a valve cover and get the casting # and date stamp. 350 engines had 8" harmonic balancers, 327's had smaller ones.

Some other telltales are: Power brakes with front disks. proportioning valve in brakeline beneath drivers side rocker 12 bolt rear (get the code on the front of the pass side axle tube) reinforecment plate on frame, behind pass side rear tire, to mount dual exhaust.

Post everything you find, including the pics, and you'll have your answer in 24 hours or less. certain less than obvious things, like if the date code on the head is the right relationship to the body # and the vin, can tell a tale.

without any docs, and non original motor, don't pay silly money for a 68 "SS"

Check my weblink... and my numbers matching "SS" 327.... it's not real hard to make an SS.

Thanks Jim he says the car does not have original engine or trans just a nice 68 SS muscle car it is listed on ebay if u want to take a look item # 4601035749. Car is listed for $18,900 what do you think ? thanks Ron

Ron,

That is not an SS, most likely.
Other things I noticed right off the bat:
Camaro emblems on fenders are 1967, not 68.
No marker lights
gas guage is broken
doorjam paint looks a bit rough
something other than black leaking out around the inside door panels
gas guage is broke.

Also, no pic of trim tag, no pics of undercarraige, no word on restoration, rust repair, nothing. Seller is a dealer who most likely knows nothing about the car, just bought it and turning it. Seller only has 4 transactions.

Not that I'm saying yah or nay, it looks like a nice car, $18,9 is a bit steep tho, considering it got restored with mostly 1967 parts.

Don't buy nuttin off ebay unless it's been inspected by you or someone you know and trust.

Jim

Ron -

Jim beat me to most of it (waiting for all those daggone photos to load).

The car didn't have a cowl hood originally, because that is a mid-year 69 thing. Count the number of coils on the hood hinge springs (photos quit loading with an error with the engine compartment shots partially loaded). If it's 28, then they are at least SS hood hinges (different springs for the heavier, domed hood of the SS cars).

If the date on the 12-bolt lines up with the build of the car, I guess it could be an SS. Without a numbers matching 350 or 396 and no documentation whatsoever, you shouldn't pay SS $$. And that car is plenty molested/wrong. That bad bumblebee stripe and no side marker lights would be a deal breaker for me. $18,900 is way too much.

iam a little late here Jim, but a 68 SS did not have to have power brakes or disc brakes.

Jim,

Question for you--I had read earlier that the dual exhaust reinforcement plate was on 69 SS Camaros but not 1968's.

Was that wrong info? I'm not an expert, I just pay attention when you that are and want to keep things straight in my head...

Brent