Value of 68 L78

[427king]

1968 L78 camaro Blue/black 37K miles,paperwork car[window sticker and POP] with nom motor. gauges, tilt, am fm ,m22,373 posi,buckets,vinyl top ,frame off 1999,few miles since. Not a 100 point car but a complete rust free body. any ideas on value??

[Hylton]

Zedder would know. He's been keeping an eye on the market for these.

[csx289]

Chuck,

I bought a similar 68 about 4 months ago. L78, M22, red/red, POP, tons of docs, console, gauges, awesome survivor type 40k mile car with original drivetrain and sheetmetal. Smog and original manifolds in a box where they have been since March of '68. Orange paint still on manifolds! Paid $75k. Had crappy old 1980's repaint so it is out getting stripped and painted correctly and detailed.

I paid up because of the red/red combo, M22, docs, and original drivetrain. Probably going overboard on the cosmetics as well so may have passed up the TMV of the car by the time I am done?

So imho perhaps a NOM car is 20% less? Paint color a deduct of 5% over red (debatable of course)? Call a nice older frame-off comparable in value to an unrestored car? So I'm saying in the 60k range, but really in the end it boils down to are you buying it for future profit (ie, need to buy it "right"), or buying it because you like it and want to have some fun with it and don't care if you get all your chips back when you sell?

My $.02... let us know what you do!

Colin

[AutoInsane]

Colin, I would think being fully restored car would be a bit nicer than a car with a "crappy paint job". I know that I have a 74 CJ5 in my garage that was restored (yes, really restored not just painted!!) in 1995 and it looks 95% as good as it did the day it came out of the shop! (Few miles, dehumidifier, dry garage, cover). Kind of sounds like the Camaro in question car has been treated well since its resto 9 years back.

I kind of can't believe a 68 L78 that needs a paint job and some freshening up went for $75 K!! Aren't the 69's a bit more in demand than the 68's?? Shouldn't a 69 L78 be going for the kind of $$$ you are talking about?? Just curious...

I must admit, you probably know more about car collecting than I ever will so if you are paying up I will be looking for a value increase in 68 L78's in the near future!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

[jus4funn68]

This is an interesting thread since I'm just now finishing the car I started 6 yrs ago. If color truly has any influence on the value, does Corvette Bronze hurt or help the value? It seems to me that the people in the hobby seem to be fond of the color but the Sat. night crusin' crowd has not been. Just curious. Kevin

[camarojoe]

I take Corvette Bronze over red personally.

[Charley Lillard]

68 is the softest year and a non orig engine hurts. I think 60K is high. Red red is really cool especially if it is red deluxe. Corvette Bronze is one of my favorite colors.

[Hotrodpaul]

Three or four years ago I got a response from a gentleman that had a 68 L78 survivor Corvette Bronze original paint 20K mile car he was looking to sell. Here are some pics:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/Hotrodpaul86/68SSL781.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/Hotrodpaul86/68SSL782.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/Hotrodpaul86/68SSL783.jpg

I ended up bying the Lemans Blue car but this one sure was beautiful. Does anyone know this car?

Paul

[mrrec]

[ QUOTE ]
Colin, I would think being fully restored car would be a bit nicer than a car with a "crappy paint job"...........I kind of can't believe a 68 L78 that needs a paint job and some freshening up went for $75 K!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Colin's red/red L78 M22 car is one of the best documented 68s in existance with bulletproof history (it was mine!). With the all original drivetrain, carb, smog (even orig to the car mint wheelcovers!) and low documented miles, it is worth more than any restored similar non-numbers car. Think about it. Can Colin's be restored? Yes. Can a restored, non-numbers, no doc car become documented and get it's orig drivetrain (waiting for the stamping and microwave comments.......)?
Dave

[mrrec]

Paul:
I think the Corvette Bronze car is one I looked at in Ohio in about 2000. Nice car. I think engine had been fluffed and had been out - a little too much detailing for me to consider it a true survivor (I'm picky that way). That seller was not happy I didn't buy the car at about $35k - a premium at that time.
Dave

[csx289]

[ QUOTE ]
I kind of can't believe a 68 L78 that needs a paint job and some freshening up went for $75 K!!


[/ QUOTE ]
Chuck asked what others had sold for, so I reported what I paid- good, bad, or otherwise! See below for further explanation:

[ QUOTE ]
I must admit, you probably know more about car collecting than I ever will so if you are paying up I will be looking for a value increase in 68 L78's in the near future!!


[/ QUOTE ]

What I do know about COLLECTING (note: note flipping, trading, or dealing) is that the #1 cardinal rule is buy what you like first and shop by price second. Notice my comments in my post about value really boils down to whether you are looking to "flip" a car and concerned about future profit, OR, if you really LIKE the car and just want it. In my case, I loved Dave's old car, it is just a great old car with incredible docs and history and imho that is something that no restoration, McNeish certification, GM of Canada, or other type of "secondary" after-the-fact paperwork or creative measures can recreate. I love original cars, and I love their stories. I agree a 68 is the "middle child" and not as valuable as a 67 or 69 by any means. But I have a 68 Yenko Camaro which is essentially an L78 car (right?) and this red/red M22 car looks good next to it. Now when I say "crappy old paint", of course, those who know me know I am pretty picky. It was perfectly acceptable to 99% of the people I am sure. But the car had already been repainted so I wasn't worried about taking off original paint, and the car is so outstanding otherwise that I felt it deserved a quality paint job. Back to collecting: My Yenko is fun to drive but has become so valuable that it sometimes is a stressful proposition to take it out and drive in traffic. With the L78 car, I can drive it with a lot less stress and have just as much fun (if not more). Plus, the original owner put on headers and slapper bars in March of 68 so I'm leaving those on because the exhaust really opens the L78 up and I love the "Day 2" aspect of the vintage speed parts that everybody put on these things but few do after a restoration. The M22 is one of my favorites, and the original owner special ordered the car with a 3.08 rear so it has "legs" and can go down the freeway a lot better than the Yenko with 4.11's.

So don't look for values of 68 L78/ M22 cars to jump, there isn't some great movement afoot from those "in the know". As stated, if you like a car and want the car, sometimes value is unimportant when considering it. Did I pay too much? Who knows. I did state that I will likely fully exceed the TMV (true market value) with the car, but I don't care. I don't plan on selling it and the premium I paid for it will quickly be forgotten now that nice weather and cruise night season is here and I can have some fun with it. Hopefully this logic makes sense.

And Dave, YES, I agree, the car is awesome!! I too will jump through hoops of fire to take a legitimate heavily documented unrestored car over a restored car. As you know http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Colin

[Xplantdad]

We need some pics here http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

And some video...too! (With the way you drive...it should be interesting!)

[TimG]

How about the blue 1968 L78 that Chris brought to the Fall Vettefest? That car had great history and paperwork all from Chicago. Just love those bare bones (radio delete)L78 cars. I did get to drive it once, the brakes didn't work, so I went slow. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

[P.J.]

Love my 68, 427 too http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/drool.gif. Great Canadian history documented, restored
every nut and bolt by the PJ with some help.Killer on the street and the track. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hmmm.gif
Record holder.Love to drive it (soon).Who Cares what price the market is getting for one like this one.My grand kids love the monster too.How much better can it get???
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif
PJ http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

[L34Pace]

I've got a 68 L78 M22 & 4.56 with NOM and all the paper docs. I bought it from the original owning family in the same town the car was delivered. Anyone remember it at Wayne Meinert's eighth mile track in St. Louis AKA Gateway? OK, so it doesn't have the original block but it also has some other qualities I appreciate and value in a car. Those factors just dont seem to add value like those tiny factory digits http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I paid 35K for the car a few years ago. I knew at the time it was a premium but I wanted it so it did'nt matter too much. I guess with current economics it would be worth about the same now as then? Hope that helps with the original question some.

[mrrec]

[ QUOTE ]
We need some pics here http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's some on my Z16 site:
http://www.z16chevelle.com/1968%20L78.htm

Dave

[L34Pace]

[ QUOTE ]
I've got a 68 L78 M22 & 4.56 with NOM and all the paper docs. I bought it from the original owning family in the same town the car was delivered. Anyone remember it at Wayne Meinert's eighth mile track in St. Louis AKA Gateway? OK, so it doesn't have the original block but it also has some other qualities I appreciate and value in a car. Those factors just dont seem to add value like those tiny factory digits http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I paid 35K for the car a few years ago. I knew at the time it was a premium but I wanted it so it did'nt matter too much. I guess with current economics it would be worth about the same now as then? Hope that helps with the original question some.

[/ QUOTE ]

My car is original paint with 15K original miles.......on the body anyway. It has a really nice original deluxe interior and vinyl top with the plastic rain gutters still attached. Full gauges and radio delete as well.

[L34Pace]

POP

[Stefano]

Dave,
I had an all original 1968 L34 with the same hub Caps, but my wheels were painted black not body color. I take it that your wheels were originally Red?

I had a chance to look your former Camaro over and it is a very special car. Red/Red and Black/Red Bowties seem to demand a premium in the market place.

[Xplantdad]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
We need some pics here http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's some on my Z16 site:
http://www.z16chevelle.com/1968%20L78.htm

Dave

[/ QUOTE ]

Very cool....thanks Dave! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/headbang.gif

[L78M22Rag]

[ QUOTE ]
My car is original paint with 15K original miles.......on the body anyway. It has a really nice original deluxe interior and vinyl top with the plastic rain gutters still attached. Full gauges and radio delete as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif

[jus4funn68]

That POP looks very much like mine. Only about 8000 later in the same month and both cars with BW code rearends. Unfortunalely, someone changed mine. I have only found 2 BW code rearends during the years Ive worked on the car and both were later than mine. I bought the closest one I could but it is a couple months too late. I've been told that 4.56's had to be ordered but Im sure that my car was not ordered for anyone and just showed up at the dealer as BW equipped.

[csx289]

Regarding the wheel color - the pictures on Dave's website that the original owner took when he brought the car home from the dealership in 1968 clearly show the wheels on this car being body color. Now, we all know how GM worked in the 60's, so I can't speak for other cars but this red car had red wheels (and still does http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif).

The incredible photos the original owner took are a great reference for any 68 L78 owner - or even first gen Camaro owners in general. Who would have thought to pull the air cleaner and take detail shots? I've bought a few new cars in my day and I never did that! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Colin

[mrrec]

Colin:
Yes, those original owner-brought-it-home photos are the icing on the cake. Talk about a fantastic reference!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/drool.gif
If you study one of the carb shots well, you can just make out the date on the air horn. Same carb still there........
And what kind of nut removes the smog and manifolds in '68 and KEEPS them?? Smart nut.
Dave