Hey guys, new to the forum. I am going to look this weekend at a 1968 camaro in Houston. I've never owned a classic car and want to get some suggestions. Attached are the photos the seller has sent. The vehicle is a solid 4 to 5 your drive from my house and I have to rent a car trailer as it isn't driveable. It's listed for 9,000$ and the seller says it has a clean title and new sheet metal all around. Recently installed engine and transmission. I was sent a picture of the vin on the title. I am going to ask to be sent a picture of the vin on the car as well. There is no interior currently. Thank you for any suggestions for a Hopefully new camaro owner.

 

Hmmmm,how recently was that engine installed? I don't like that the intake is wide open with no carb on it and it sure doesn't look like a fresh rebuild.
Seems odd they'd put an engine in it when it looks like there's a lot of work to be done on the engine bay and cowl/firewall.
I don't see any pics of the floor pan or trunk which are typical places for rust especially given the car is sitting outside under a tarp.
New sheet metal? Why is the hood open from the back? It sure isn't new and the doors don't look new either.
The car has potential,not sure I see $9K there but prices are stuck on stupid for these cars today.
One thing I have no doubt about,there's no way you will restore this car and not be upside down on resale value unless you can do all the work yourself and have good resources for parts,even then you'd be lucky to break even.
That said if you want it as a keeper it does have potential,I'd try to beat them down on the price.

 

There is definitely a lot of work into this one. What's with the firewall... I don't see any openings for a heater, steering column, wire harness, breaks and other holes. And there is a strange cut out on the passenger side cowl...? There is something he is not telling you and looks like this car was modified for some other purpose. On the good side, looks like you have a new body bushings, front grille and trim looks good and the new/used panels. Looks fishy to me, dig more into it. Give him a list of problems and offer him half of what he is asking and get a deal out of it. Also, the ground underneath looks like that car has not been there long. Either he just got it and trying to turn for profit or recently moved it.

 

There are some serious red flags here. You should really find someone that knows these cars. There could be bad repairs on the floor and frame making the car a complete redo. With an engine/trans stored like that and you can not hear it run I would assume at best its a core. People will tell you anything to get a car sold and sometime they are telling you what they think is the truth but that does not change the fact that is water got in that motor a year or two ago in may not be salvageable.

These car are bringing good money but you have to ask yourself what are you looking for. What is your time frame and budget? I could see easily spending 30k on a car like that and 3 years of time and even then it would not be a show car. The bad part is that car finished is worth 25K? maybe. The guy that should buy that car is building a hotrod as a hobby. He will enjoy the process of building the car and when its done he will drive it a year then sell it and buy the next one and not even keep track of money made/lost. If you are looking for a way to get into a nice 1st gen and saving some money keep looking. No body's "making money" or even breaking even on a car like that unless you have a shed full of the right parts doing nothing but collecting dust.

 

The more I look at it the more I'd say walk away,that firewall is a hug red flag for sure.