As a classic car owner myself its great to see the young guys into restoring what I grew up with. A big thumbs up.

Very interesting car, looking forward to follow the restoration.

Thanks for sharing this its so cool !!!what a find !!! cant wait to see it back together and hear that L-88 cam idling

What a killer find! I was 16 years old in 68. The 68 is my favorite gen 1 Camaro. I had a 69 in 1979 , but never a 68. An L88, wicked! I can't wait to see the car finished. I subscribed 2day and will be following until you get it done. Can't wait to see you go for your first Cruz in it! I haven't been this excited about anything in years!😎

James looked so stoked in that picture of the sticker bush rescue

My buddy has a damaged original motion hood left over from a restoration he done on one in the 80s very cool car and I hope you get her completed.

Damn. What a Beautiful find.

This would be my favorite year Camaro. I was 20 back then. I did own a ‘66 Dodge Dart 273 Four barrel four speed, possitraction that was pretty fast. (14.52 @ 94mph). I did whip a few small block Camaro’s back then, though the RS SS’s really appealed to me. I have subscribed to learn the fate of this gem.

Cool story and car man. I'm building a 68 Ash gold, black vinyl SS. Subbed! Can't wait to see how you go with it.

What a find! You have to be in western Washington or Oregon. I can tell by the blackberry bushes and the rain. My Mom still lives in Centrailia, Wa. I will be looking at your progress, Subscribed.

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

You are correct! I live up near Mt.Hood!

Nice find! I only find 6 cylinder 4 door disco nova rust heaps.

Good stuff man👍👍

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

Appreciate it dude!

I was a preteen hood in the 60s and musclecar lover new one on me a L88 Camero

i made a 427 ci bbc out of a 402 ci bbc block i had to bore it out .155 its is still run today it was 1983 LOL check the cylinder walls and move the boards over so I had enough material left afterwards and it still runs great today the man drives it every day it is 3/4 ton pickup truck

I too have a 68 ash gold SS 396. In the early 70s the motor was sold by my father. I got the car in 2000 and tracked down the numbers matching motor. After 2 years of contacting the new owner and becoming friends I was able to get the motor back to reunite with the car! Similar to your story...but not a 427 car ;)

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

Thats absolutely awesome! Ash gold isn't a color you see very often. I can't find one with a white vinyl top either, such a weird combination. It's insane to finding the original engine. I was honestly just in the process of building a different 427 for it just to fill the void, never thought I would come along the original!

@zesadventures367

3 жыл бұрын

@@RatMaro yeah when I was younger I always wished it was red or black. Now I’m glad it’s not! I love the ash gold. The white top has to be super rare! Mines the hard top but it has the greenish gold deluxe interior, which I think is also pretty rare. Congratulations again on getting it! It’s got to be super rare in that color combo and 427 dealer mods!

Hope to see L88 Dana car at Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals later on

The tow car was badass

What a car so cool

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks man! Yeah its pretty crazy. Still just trying to piece everything together. But regardless it won't leave my possession, its became a bit of a sentimental item haha.

We have triple black '67 B/B conv. W/3speed from Nickey Chevy in the Barn.💕😎

i got a story for u where i live their is a lot of rich ranches some people got my # and called me up to haul a bunch of rigs and some scrap off . in the shop the had a 79 chevy 4x4 short box in mint condition with under 35,000 miles on it just needed a 20 dollar fuel pump and battery and the carb cleaned then they had a few cars in there that was getting worked on a 67 rs ss 427 yenko camaro 68 ss 396 camaro 2 79 z28 camaros and 15 pu's outside and a motor home with 6000 miles on it and about 1000 in scrap just had to have it all gone in 30 days that is my holly grail find one of the 79 camaro had new interior then i got a 79 z28 rs t top for free so i have 3 to build one this is a true story i still can't believe it myself when i walked into that shop i was a fat kid in a candy store but the people were filthy rich that was selling the ranch

Lovely sunglasses

I have a 68 Camaro and have a L88. But not a rare find like that. Sweeeeeeet. I just subscribed and I’ll be watching all the time.

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

Appreciate it greatly! I've been saving my money to get some OEM panels for this thing to get it going!

@trunkmonkeyrodshop-68camar10

3 жыл бұрын

Just keep going, brother. This Canadian has your back. I’ll be starting my KZread channel by the end of the weekend. Truck Monkey Rod Shop.

@trunkmonkeyrodshop-68camar10

3 жыл бұрын

Hey buddy give me more information on your Camaro. Was Dana a car dealership down south?

@bobthbldr3

2 жыл бұрын

@@trunkmonkeyrodshop-68camar10 Yes, Dana Chevrolet was a dealer in SouthGate, California that specialized in high performance factory cars and did modifications to order. Dick Guldstrand was the High Performance manager who was a very successful road racer.

Crazy Hair- Cut! Crazy Glasses!

You need to reinstall the AC if you can get it to fit under that hood, the previous owner had more than a few fender benders

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

I dont have the AC parts unfortunately, been working on trying to find an original kit for it. I plan on installing one, however an original AC unit for a big block car is very hard to find these days haha.

Man i can't even find a good bicycle. I wouldn't not what to do if i found something like that in the weeds.

oooooooooooooooooo yeaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh

"Found In Bushes". That's a a good enough story and we'll stick with it! A DANA... Wow.

Is it a full Dana driveline , or just the motor ? Great find. Love her ... she deserves it.

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

Dana mostly just did engines. I do have an M22 for it, and it does have the original rear which is locked and geared so it appears. Also has slapper bars for better traction. They look period correct too.

@theofficialdiamondlou2418

3 жыл бұрын

@@RatMaro that’s awesome. Ya , I was pretty young when I read an article about one being “Special built “ All Alum engine (for weight reduction ) I cant remember the trans specs a bit . But the rear was either a Dana 44 or 60 , not sure which. They gutted the interior so it had nothing .. I think they even removed the horns , just gages and two seats . Koni sus (period) , and (period )T bars , and maybe over sized sway bars . It became my instant dream car (why I’ve remembered it for so long ) , a friend and myself built 4 or 5 gen 1 ‘s as teenagers (his dad paid for most of it , kept us out of to much trouble ) . Enjoy her .. Thanks for answering 🤠🎸🎶🤙

Power brakes & A/C in a L-88 with them cam specks ???? wonder how they got vacuum up to power them???. Is it a disk brake car ? 68 was the first year for disks up front. Does the car still have the 12 bolt posi rear ? what gears ? could be anything from 3:73 to 4:33.

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

Disc brakes and the 12 bolt is still in the car, has 3.73s

The sleeves weren't installed properly. You must leave a ledge at the bottom to press the sleeve against to trap it so it doesn't move down into the crank if it comes loose. I had a 67 390hp 427 block that was improperly sleeved. I sold it rather than try fixing it. I believe that engine had dropped a valve which had gotten pushed into the water jacket. A large slot was busted out and because there was only a thin sleeve thickness there it caused the engine to run hot.

@RatMaro

2 жыл бұрын

There are ledges on the sleeves in this block. So no worries there haha.

what connects the block to the car and with out documentation or stampings???

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

I actually found out about this car through a thread on the Camaro owners group where the last people who had the car got it from the original owner. They posted all of the casting numbers within the posting. Thats how I was able to confirm I was looking at the engine the car came with.

I bought a 69 camero in 1981 for $1000 in San Fernando ca. No s s or es But it was loaded 350 center console Power breaks Power steering Up graded interior

Man that thing is a rusty pile of crap. Text me your address, I’ll come scrap it for you. Lol! Kidding, what a gold mine! Good luck with the build. As much as I hate to give any business to Heartbeat City (due to their outrageous pricing) but I would hit them up for NOS quarters and other sheet metal that is needed and put her back to original. Good luck on the build.

I. Have. 1968. RS. Camaro convertible. .I. Also. Have. Original gm. .front. Fenders. N. Flat. Good. No. Real. Rust. One. Fender. Was. Metal. Patched. O.n. The. Very. Bottom. They. Are. In. Good. Shape. Just. Sayen. That. Is. A. Great. Car. Nice. Job

How do we get in contact with you?

Post an update video on this car

@RatMaro

2 жыл бұрын

I will when I have more to post. Car has been put off for a little bit of time. But has since been moved to a heated garage. Awaiting quote on new sheetmetal for the rears and roof skin.

@johnwhitaker545

2 жыл бұрын

@@RatMaro alright man. Can’t wait

What are your plans for this car

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

Complete restoration. Once it's done I'm still going to take it out to cruises and drive it. At the end of the day it's a car that needs to be put back to original and enjoyed. I'll likely never get the chance to own a piece of history like this one again so it's something that will probably stick with me until I die haha.

@cherrybombgarage7888

3 жыл бұрын

@@RatMaro any uptades on the drag car camaro

Was this video made in the 80's

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

Yes

@bbb462cid

3 жыл бұрын

0:44 Barry, there's a calculator on your phone. Just an FYI.

@muscleonly1

3 жыл бұрын

@@bbb462cid I dont get you!

@bbb462cid

3 жыл бұрын

@@muscleonly1 no, you don't.

Sweet. $200,000.00 restoration, and you'll be set.

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

Some people like doing it themselves, not going to cost anywhere near that for a restoration of this car.

@bigblocklawyer

3 жыл бұрын

@@RatMaro OK. One of THE rarest Camaros in the history of the rarest of the rare, and just gonna do a backyard job? Got it.

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

@@bigblocklawyer Just because I'm doing most of it myself doesn't mean it's a backyard job. The quarters and the roof skin are going to be handled by someone else. The rest of the body work I am very confident in doing myself. I have plenty of people to guide me through whatever issues I run into. This isn't going to be a cut rate restoration. But that doesn't mean it needs to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. At the end of the day it's still my car. What does it matter to you? You gonna pay the 200k?

highly unlikely they would start with an AC car to do the conversion, i would get some bullet proof docs before you throw a ton of cash at it

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

I'm still trying to get documentation from the original owner, but the owner did confirm it first hand. He didn't have a reason to lie to me as I didn't even buy it from him lol

How much did you pay for it

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

$5000

@cherrybombgarage7888

3 жыл бұрын

@@RatMaro why are Camaro so expensive

@cherrybombgarage7888

3 жыл бұрын

@@RatMaro any update

I am VERY dubious of this being an actual OEM 'L88 Camaro' of 1967 vintage...and the reason has to do with Zora Arkus-Duntov's (designer) terms on building the engine for the Corvette, and GM's almost absolute refusal to allow it to happen...in fact, there were only 20 TOTAL L88 Corvette's sold in 1967, for a $1,500 upgrade charge for the L88! They didn't even want to sell 'crate engines' to anyone who didn't buy a new Corvette! So...this COULDN'T sell through COPO to Dana Dealership, GM would NEVER have sold one out the front door, Duntov only cared about the Corvette, and wouldn't have 'slipped this' over to Camaro for fun...access was IMPOSSIBLE! Duntov even commented about the all aluminum ZL-1 (less power than the L88's by 100-hp...regardless of what 'literature says') being a '16-hours to assemble' engine that was built in a 'surgical clean room' (AND THIS WAS THE INFERIOR ENGINE!)...so, no data would show on a VIN tag (Camaros didn't even list the engine sizes via a VIN code until 1972, anyhow), and unless you have Dana paperwork to prove this a 'Dealer Equipped L88' (like a Yenko...who would have been THE FIRST to move on this, if it was available)...you are putting fantasy out there as fact...the problem, again, comes down to the simple issue: YOU JUST COULDN'T GET YOUR HANDS ON AN L-88 ENGINE before late 1968!!!

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

So, first off. I have gotten in contact with the original owner who has confirmed the car came from the dealership off the showroom floor with the L88 427. Second off, dealerships were allowed to do this by GM until a notice was put out in late 67. Dealerships would get around this by ordering a warranty replacement engine for a corvette and installing the engines anyways. This is a 68, not a 67. OEM is original equipment manufacturer. No Copo Camaros that I know of received an L88. Dealerships took care of this shortfall from GM. No I do not have any paperwork at this time and I am trying to get some. I don't know what more you want from my if I've already confirmed it with the person who purchased the car brand new and verified it as an L88 car. They don't have anything to gain from it, they don't own the car anymore. I don't have anything to gain by lying as I'm not selling the car. I've been offered a fully restored 67 SS Camaro for this car and I still didn't take it. This Camaro personally means a lot to me, so my experience is just being shared on the journey and back story I have uncovered along the way. It doesn't really matter to me what other people's opinions are on if they think it's real or not, im going to believe it from the horses mouth that forked over the cash 53 years ago.

@bobthbldr3

2 жыл бұрын

@@RatMaro He wasn't listening. I heard you say Dana installed a warranty replacement engine.

Are you in the witness protection program?

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

No one is supposed to know that

i would contact an expert. and there are many.

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately there aren't many for Dana Camaros, I did get in contact with Gary Keyes who is more of a Dana historian than almost anyone else who had a few things to share and stuff to look out for. But the key is documentation

@mauricecooper176

3 жыл бұрын

@@RatMaro Check out legendary motorcar company those guys are top dog when it comes to factory restorations

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

@@mauricecooper176 I would definitely be all for looking at a place that can do the body work. Its a bit beyond my capabilities. However the rest of the stuff I will be doing myself, such as rebuilding the engine, interior and paint it myself. Only thing that has me concerned is the rust, im not a fabricator, so that will need to be handled before I can proceed.

Where's the document to prove it was a Dana L88 car? I call BS. No proof

@RatMaro

2 жыл бұрын

Thats nice, good thing I don't really care. I'm not selling the car. This car has been a huge hunt trying to track down exactly what happened. I had a private investigator look into this for me and track down the original owner who is currently blind and is in assisted living. Original owners son was who I talked to about the car and he was able to confirm his father bought it brand new with the L88. He doesn't have any reason to lie to me, I didn't even buy the car from him. And I don't have a reason to lie about it because no one will be buying my car. End of story. Either believe or you don't. Doesn't matter to me in the slightest.

@scotcorvette5821

2 жыл бұрын

@@RatMaro yah heard your story from thousands of other first gen camaro owners thinking thier cars are rare too. One great point is that you never showed your trim tag. High perf cars didnt use air conditioned cars as a base for a motor like that. Bottom line. If you didn't care then why make a video with that claim? Your claim on your video is moot.

@RatMaro

2 жыл бұрын

@@scotcorvette5821 Sounds like you should stick to corvettes then, because a Camaro trim tag won't show you anything related to this engine swap. And honestly, I can make a video on whatever I want to, like it or dislike it. It's out there and it appears you're one of the only people that are upset for zero reason. Don't like it, watch something else. KZread has plenty of Corvette videos for you.

More trouble than it's worth.

I thought an L88 was an ALL aluminum engine. That block has rust on it.I dont profess to be an expert so please dont take this as aggression. I just really thought an L88 was aluminum not a cast iron block with ally heads

@RatMaro

3 жыл бұрын

The ZL1 is the aluminum engine, the L88 and the ZL1 are almost identical engines other than the fact the ZL1 has an alloy block. The L88 has aluminum heads and an iron block.

@elmerfudd1086

3 жыл бұрын

@@RatMaro thanks for the education. I really did think an L88 all alloy. See, ya do learn something new everyday. 🍻

@kevinanderson6926

2 жыл бұрын

Only the ZL-1's were all aluminum, L-88 had just the aluminum heads.

@elmerfudd1086

2 жыл бұрын

@@kevinanderson6926 Thx Kevin, You are correct. I have done my homework since I last commented on this topic and found exactly what you said to be the case. Wouldn't it be nice to find a ZL1 engine today? Or even better , one of those all aluminum 327's Chevy was building back then for the Can-Am series.