Belair62
09-20-2005, 08:41 AM
This car was pretty much found by accident. I had
done a frame off restoration on a 68Z in the mid 90's
and in early 2000 someone offered to buy the car, for
an amount that seemed unheard of at the time. The
same day that I got the offer on the car the Priority
Mail Hemmings arrived and I thought that I should
check out what 68Z’s were going for. I spotted one,
that was actually located close to where I live. The
ad said “68 RS Z, blue with white stripes, black
houndstooth, excellent condition”. It sure didn’t
sound like much to me based on the information in the
ad, but at least it was close by if I wanted to take a
look at it to compare it to what I was selling. I
promptly called on it, and at the end of the telephone
conversation, this is what I was told was actually
being offered for sale. A 1968 Lemans Blue, Black
Houndstooth, RS, Wood Wheel, Spoilers, Console,
Special Instrumentation, Deluxe Belts, Factory Tint,
410 Rear, plus the mandatory Z/28 options in a car
that had every piece of it’s original drive train, all
of it’s original components, including the original
smog system, complete original interior (including
carpets and dash pad) all of its’ original trim and
had been properly repainted once over its’ never
rusted body in the early 90's and was documented. I
wanted to look at it that evening but I couldn’t as
the seller wanted to get it out of storage and it
would have to wait to the weekend. The seller assured
me that I had first crack at the car. I looked at it
on the weekend and found it to be even better than
described. We agreed upon a price pending my coming
back to go through the numbers on the car to make sure
everything was in order. He wanted no deposit,
feeling a handshake deal was good enough. The next
day I spent hours going through the car. EVERY
component checked out with every casting and component
number correct and every date tight to the build on
the car. Plus my former Z had been a race car so it
was amazing to find that this car had not been hacked
with a mangled Trans tunnel, wheel wells that had been
pounded on for tire clearance and holes drilled
through sheet metal in every imaginable place. The
only modification to the car was a Hurst shifter, but
the original Muncie shifter was in the Hurst box. We
struck a deal (again with a handshake) pending the
sale of my car. I immediately sold my car and picked
up the car the following weekend. The seller of this
car was truly great. When we had the car loaded on
the trailer for the trip home I asked him why he had
been so accommodating to me. He told me it was
because I did not try picking the car apart to get the
price lowered, he appreciated that, and wanted me to
have the car and even lowered the price on the car.
There are a few truly great people in this hobby.
When I bought the car I was planning to take it apart
and do another sub frame off car. After driving it
around I realized that this would be a huge mistake.
This car is fast, tight, rattle free and a pleasure to
drive, and I continue to use the Hurst shifter. Show
cars are nice to look at, but I have learned that
nothing can compare to the way a good original car
drives. Future plans for the car consist of putting
on a set of restored original Torq Thrust “Crows Feet”
wheels that are sitting in the garage. G60 x15
Goodyear’s on 7" wheels rear, and E70 x 15 Goodyear’s on
6" wheels front, with the black side of the tire
facing out (no white letters) for the day 2 look.
Everything is here for this project except for the
front tires. I realize that this car is not supercar
status, but I consider myself extremely lucky to have
it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z039small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z043small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z036small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z046small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z047small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z033small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z055small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z007new.jpg
done a frame off restoration on a 68Z in the mid 90's
and in early 2000 someone offered to buy the car, for
an amount that seemed unheard of at the time. The
same day that I got the offer on the car the Priority
Mail Hemmings arrived and I thought that I should
check out what 68Z’s were going for. I spotted one,
that was actually located close to where I live. The
ad said “68 RS Z, blue with white stripes, black
houndstooth, excellent condition”. It sure didn’t
sound like much to me based on the information in the
ad, but at least it was close by if I wanted to take a
look at it to compare it to what I was selling. I
promptly called on it, and at the end of the telephone
conversation, this is what I was told was actually
being offered for sale. A 1968 Lemans Blue, Black
Houndstooth, RS, Wood Wheel, Spoilers, Console,
Special Instrumentation, Deluxe Belts, Factory Tint,
410 Rear, plus the mandatory Z/28 options in a car
that had every piece of it’s original drive train, all
of it’s original components, including the original
smog system, complete original interior (including
carpets and dash pad) all of its’ original trim and
had been properly repainted once over its’ never
rusted body in the early 90's and was documented. I
wanted to look at it that evening but I couldn’t as
the seller wanted to get it out of storage and it
would have to wait to the weekend. The seller assured
me that I had first crack at the car. I looked at it
on the weekend and found it to be even better than
described. We agreed upon a price pending my coming
back to go through the numbers on the car to make sure
everything was in order. He wanted no deposit,
feeling a handshake deal was good enough. The next
day I spent hours going through the car. EVERY
component checked out with every casting and component
number correct and every date tight to the build on
the car. Plus my former Z had been a race car so it
was amazing to find that this car had not been hacked
with a mangled Trans tunnel, wheel wells that had been
pounded on for tire clearance and holes drilled
through sheet metal in every imaginable place. The
only modification to the car was a Hurst shifter, but
the original Muncie shifter was in the Hurst box. We
struck a deal (again with a handshake) pending the
sale of my car. I immediately sold my car and picked
up the car the following weekend. The seller of this
car was truly great. When we had the car loaded on
the trailer for the trip home I asked him why he had
been so accommodating to me. He told me it was
because I did not try picking the car apart to get the
price lowered, he appreciated that, and wanted me to
have the car and even lowered the price on the car.
There are a few truly great people in this hobby.
When I bought the car I was planning to take it apart
and do another sub frame off car. After driving it
around I realized that this would be a huge mistake.
This car is fast, tight, rattle free and a pleasure to
drive, and I continue to use the Hurst shifter. Show
cars are nice to look at, but I have learned that
nothing can compare to the way a good original car
drives. Future plans for the car consist of putting
on a set of restored original Torq Thrust “Crows Feet”
wheels that are sitting in the garage. G60 x15
Goodyear’s on 7" wheels rear, and E70 x 15 Goodyear’s on
6" wheels front, with the black side of the tire
facing out (no white letters) for the day 2 look.
Everything is here for this project except for the
front tires. I realize that this car is not supercar
status, but I consider myself extremely lucky to have
it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z039small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z043small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z036small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z046small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z047small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z033small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z055small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Belair62/x%208-12-05%20%20BillD%20Z28/z007new.jpg