1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS

Description

This 1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS is the kind of vintage beauty we'd all love to build given the time and money to do it right. With a fresh fuel-injected 383 cubic inch stroker V8 under the hood that's been built to brawl, along with all high-end desirables like cold R134a A/C and a Muncie M-21 4-speed manual transmission, it combines the look and feel of a legendary F-body with an up-to-date driving experience that makes it a fantastic cruiser.

That vivid Royal Plum paint isn't what this Camaro was born with (Tripoli Turquoise was the original shade), but there's no denying that the change was an upgrade, because when this car shows up, it gets everyone's undivided attention. Punctuated with a cowl induction hood, RS-spec hidden headlights, and a killer set of painted-on white stripes, it looks clean and sleek with HUGE curb appeal. Paint and bodywork are well done, with straight, clean sheetmetal and a great gloss on the basecoat/clearcoat paint. Panel gaps are great as well and the doors latch effortlessly, indicative of not only quality bodywork, but a car that hasn't been abused through the years. The two-stage urethane paint is uniformly shiny, with only minor imperfections and touch-ups to speak of, and the plum coat has nice metallic flake in it that really makes it bling out in the sunshine. For any Camaro, adding a chin spoiler and the ever-popular ducktail on the back should be a no-brainer because the car looks naked without them and flat-out awesome with them. All the stainless has been polished, the chrome is fresh, and you'll note that the badges on the nose read '383' which is a cool tip of the hat to the original design while advising potential competitors that this Camaro packs a little something extra under the hood.

Inside, the black interior is nicely done and sticks to the factory Camaro look for the most part. The black vinyl seat covers closely reproduce the original upholstery on the high-back buckets and rear seat, and all the supporting parts like the door panels and headliner are in excellent shape, showing practically no signs of use. Black carpets offer the correct weave and pile, are protected with matching black floor mats, and the dashboard was fully restored and includes a thick pad, fresh black paint, and wood applique that really warms things up inside. The factory gauges ahead of the driver are as sharp and crisp as they would've been in '68, while the Rally pack gauge cluster inside the middle console is now filled with fresh AutoMeter units that cover all the engine's vitals. A 3-spoke steering wheel with a leather rim feels great in your hands and works in concert with the chrome Hurst shifter to give the car a much more modern feel from the driver's seat. A Vintage Air A/C system uses the original eyeball vents to blow ice cold air into the cabin, and the factory center console features the same wood accents found on the dash. An updated Pioneer AM/FM/CD stereo lives in the dash, but after you hear the way the fantastic engine sounds, you'll very rarely use it. Out back, the spacious trunk houses a matching spare and is finished with spatter paint and protected with a replacement mat. With details like this, you know nothing was overlooked during this restoration.

It's obvious that the big money was spent under the skin. The recently engineered engine is a 383 cubic inch stroker that's been dressed for show and built to own the streets. The list of upgrades inside the block is substantial, featuring SRP forged pistons, scat forged steel crank and H-beam rods, a Comp Mutha Thumpa roller cam, Dart Platinum heads, and stainless roller rockers that all work together to flex this car's muscles. With a FAST-EZ-EFI fuel injection system, an Edelbrock Air-Gap RPM intake manifold, and a set of Hooker long-tube headers, it makes big power in a lightweight package. The finned aluminum valve covers and Chevy Orange engine block are obviously designed to show off, but it's got the hardware to more than hold its own on the street. A full MSD system and serpentine belt set-up helps the Camaro crank right on cue, while a big radiator means no worries when you're sitting in traffic. The transmission is a Muncie M-21 4-speed manual spinning a 10-inch POSI rear end filled with 3.55 gears, all framed by a beautifully finished undercarriage that features an exhaust system starting with Dynatech headers that feed into a 2.5-inch X-pipe stainless steel exhaust with Pypes mufflers. Detroit Speed sway bars and coil springs give it vastly improved handling, power steering and power front disc brakes easily tackle the modern streets, and a set of traditional Rally wheels wearing 215/65/15 front and 255/60/15 rear Cooper Cobra white-letter tires round out the extensive list of modifications.

Sadly, we don't have enough room here to fully describe this amazing Camaro and all its modifications, but suffice to say there's no question where the build cost comes from. Fortunately, to get all the details all you have to do is call!