I have done all the research I could possibly do online and I know it may be impossible to ever tell if it was a SS car, but I was hoping somebody knew some hints in knowing something about it. Last night we traded a 72 Nova for this 1968 Camaro. The body is very solid and still has the X braces in it where all the sheet metal was professional replaced on the car. I know the motor is not original because its a 3970010 motor with a CGC suffix code with means it was pulled from a 71 El camino from the best I can tell. However the car was originally blue on blue car with disc brakes, 2 speed power glide and 10 bolt rear end. It's missing the glove box door so I can't see if the tire pressure sticker was in it for the AH code. The car same with a SS hood and all new SS badges. Seems like they we doing a high dollar build on the car but never got to finish it. So I don't know if they knew it was a true SS or was making a clone. Any help would be really appreciated.

 

Without any documentation to back it up, the only way for you to prove it is/was an SS car is by having the numbers matching 350 or 396.
Disc brakes weren't an SS requirement until 69.
An SS could be had with either a 10 or 12 bolt rearend.
The trim tag on the 68's had no SS code.
Anything that may make the car "appear" like an SS can and could have very easily been added.
Restore the car how you want, but without proof, it's not an SS.

 

Check on the drivers side subframe about mid door. There could be a brake line running there and possibly a proportioning valve. Only factory 12 bolt cars had the valve in 68. That's the really only way to prove a ss car on a 68 since its not a factory 4 speed so its not a possible l30 m20 car. What is on the trim tag? Is it a factory v8 car? The trim tag will point in the right direction. But seems like at best a factory 327 car not a ss car

 

All 68 ss cars had 12 bolts only 69 cars had the oddity of having a ss car with 10 bolt.

 

The brake line or valve isn't "proof", since that could be added, transplanted from another car, etc.
And the lack of a (required) 12 bolt then cements it even more to it likely not being an SS.

 

It was a factory V8 car

 

Well, at least you won't have a hard time proving it's a 327 car!
Even though it's not a 69 (), I feel you got the better end of the trade you made, unless the Nova was a show piece.

 

The nova had a cheap paint job, alot of bondo and needed floor pans bad haha plus didn't have a title. So I feel that I came out on top

 

I'm in the same boat with my 68 SS. People just can't believe that there's no true way to tell so I'm tired of explaining it and I now say when asked.....unless u can prove to me it isn't, its a true SS lol. All I know for sure is mine was a factory v8 but nothing else matches after 45 years so who cares anyways lol, plus I love my SS badges!

 

By any chance the build sheet is still with the car? On top of the tank or under the back seat? My SS has a 10 bolt BUT... it is not the original rear end. I do however have a matching number engine and transmission.