Mark grew up in the South Hills of Pittsburgh in the 70’s and there were a ton of hot old cars around Pittsburgh about that time. As a boy, he knew that there was a silver ’68 Camaro being built down the street from his house but he didn’t know the owner personally. However, he did know the guy who painted the car because he dated a friend of his sister’s. He remembers how they pulled the body off the sub-frame and painted multi-color stripes over the hood, trunk, and under the gas tank, rear end, floors and firewall. At only twelve to thirteen years old, Mark could only dream and drool over such a car.
However, he did know the guy who painted the car because he dated a friend of his sister’s. He remembers how they pulled the body off the sub-frame and painted multi-color stripes over the hood, trunk, and under the gas tank, rear end, floors and firewall. At only twelve to thirteen years old, Mark could only dream and drool over such a car.
Only on occasion, did Mark even get to see the Camaro when he went by the shop. After going to college, getting married, divorced, and moving to Florida, he lost complete knowledge of what became of the car. It was probably thirty plus years, but he never forgot about it. So, against all odds and just for his own wonderment, he went on a couple Facebook groups and made posts inquiring whether anyone remembered the car. He included a description and asked if anyone knew whatever happened to the ‘68 Camaro.
A few years went by, and it seemed like the end of the line. Then, miraculously, he got tagged in a response to one of the Facebook posts he had made about the car! A guy had stated that he had, indeed, saw the car matching his description on eBay and included a link. Sure enough, Mark checked it out and there it was, looking almost exactly how he remembered it!
Mark began talking it over with his wife and bargaining with the current owner in Indiana. Finally, he was able to buy it. The Camaro was pretty much destined to be an ISCA show car. The original owner’s brother had also sold the following owner a ’69 DZ 302. That engine was in the car when Mark purchased it, but it lost a valve a few years ago. Mark always thought it should have had a Blower so he corrected that situation and just needs to button up a few items. Now, it will soon be in the road!
Since the DZ302 that the original owner built and put in it blew up a couple years after Mark had it, he sold it to a guy who has a 1969 Z/28. He bought a Blown 383 in Texas and put that in it instead.
The ‘68 Camaro is special to Mark because it’s a true 70’s show car from the old ISCA Car Shows, with the original silver color from back then. The unique stripe paint job is probably 40 years old or more!
Mark plans on finishing it up, upgrading the drum brakes and manual steering, but keeping it period correct.
