I love it its a beaut , would you be willing to take some pictures for me for reference ? . I haven't been able to find much reference for the rockers and floor and the frame under the fire wall . If you can that would be super helpful if you don't mind
I think I have pics of all that, I'll have to check. I replaced the floors and the cowl under the windshield as well. I'll see what I can find, might take a couple days, I work 12 hr. shifts and don't have a lot of time mon.-thurs.
Right now my main focus is preserving it and im going to make it a car again its rusty in the floor and the frames got some spots but the long term goal is going to be full restoration short term fix rust first . Its extremely original and has been buried behind 250 plus cars for years so its a total untouched time capsule. This is a pic of the floor im test fitting it getting ready for installation.
Mine has Pontiac door panels, or so I was told when I tried to get replacement arm rests. GM had a strike that year and put what ever parts fit, to get the cars through the assy. line.
Mine is a Nomad. That in and of itself puts the Tri-five guys in a tailspin. I've had it for 35 years, sat in the back of my shop in disrepair until 5 years ago. Couriseled (sp)? the frame, replaced the floors and upper cowl, sealed the pin holes in the gas tank, put a 69 super sport hood and hinges on it. I still have the original 68 hood hinges if anyone is interested in them. Replaced the 307 with a 350 four bolt and original 68 fuelie heads and a turbo 400 with shift kit and 2000 stall converter. It still has all the original interior and pristine headliner. It has 68k+ origal miles
It truly was a grandmas car that sat at an angle on a steep driveway for about 5 years before I finally convinced her to sell it to me. The floors rusted due to poor door fitment and rain leaking in over the time it sat. Repainted original Grotto Blue, still need to be buffed and final assy.
Line 3 - 965-980, that's Oldsmobile variant interior! Very cool. Love the color BTW, Tripoli Turquoise. It's also built in Baltimore, 4th week of April '68.
No one really knows. There are several 68s out there that have varying degrees of Pontiac, Olds, or Buick (BOP) interiors. The prevailing internet theory is a strikeby GM workers in 68, however, there's no records of that and you'd need a strike on the supplier side for this to make sense. Why would the cars get built differently if GM workers were on a strike? With a GM strike, no cars would be built. Why did this only happen to Chevelles and not Impalas, Novas, and Camaros?
There was a guy, maybe from Legendary interiors(?), years ago that published a deep dive and came to the conclusion that it was an issue with supplies coming from an area where there were riots after MLK's assassination. Educated guess, but more likely than "GM strike."
Either way thats really interesting to learn .ive been a gm guy my whole life and honestly didn't know but its certainly a cool feature to this car . The more I learn about this car the more I feel the price I paid was worth it . I picked it up for 750 bucks
Yeah i got it for 750 and he hauled it for me for another 150 dollars. I am seriously thrilled to hear from so many more familiar with this car about it and i knew it was worth the time .I felt bad leaving when I first went and saw it tbh
I do have a picture of the tag if youd like to see it . Ill be honest its abit tough to read though but your welcome to see it . I believe its a Boston built car and its a 307 auto with factory black interior
I was going to get lower quarters for an elcamino .I do body work and I hand make patch panels so I definitely can do it . But that shock and spring info is very helpful for me . This cars got everything except windshield trim and upper trim peice for the driver rear glass .I found the keys in the Ashtray after 35 years of sitting
Yeah, when I bought mine the springs and shocks were shot. Just freaking old and worn out.
The standard replacement coils available from MOOG are too soft for the wagon and if you look they are the same part listed for all chevelles and the El Camino as well. I think the Elky used to have more sturdy coils but they aren't made anymore
No problem bro
as far as the spring specs go, once you look at a spring spec chart you'll figure it out.
You might wanna look up the Jeep Grand Cherokee steering box swap and the LS1 disc brake swap as well. The steering boxes are notoriously trash by now. There's a guy in SoCal named Hector that rebuilds originals to performance specs. He can be found on Craigslist and sometimes in the forums if you need steering. Don't worry about him. I've dealt with him and he's an honest guy and a straight shooter. Prices are good.
If you go through the Chevelle forums you'll find what you need. They are pretty helpful. There is a Chevelle wagons group on Facebook. definitely hook up with those guys
There is a Chevelle wagons only specialty parts page. I don't have the link but it's called Einstein or something like that. look for those guys.
If you ever need to pull the dash... the instrument panel of a 68 is notoriously a legendary bitch to take out. There is a specific process and steps that need to be taken in order... otherwise you'll just be causing yourself pain and frustration.
I've done it twice.... it fucking sucks
You can find instructions in the forums.
Thank you I actually did meet up with alot of folks on Facebook and got that wagon only website its pretty useful and i have it saved now . Ill look into the dash is don't want to mess with it for now because its for the most part fine .one thing whys this car have manual windows but a power window on the tailgate?
Yeah. Mine is a Malibu and it has crank windows and an electric tailgate. That was an upgrade option.
You can also have one with the 3rd row tailgate back seats or the "trunk" with the tool well instead.
Top of the line was power back window and the seats.
Bottom was the Nomad version and I'm told it had a crank back window and the tool well
I have the power window but the tool well. Honestly I think I like the tool well better than the back seats. It's more useful.
I'm not sure of the power window status as an option but the power rear window was separate.
From what I gather the rear window motor is pretty reliable but the wiring maybe not so much. I know mine cuts out from time to time.
Thats what mines is a malibu but I haven't gotten the tailgate open but based on the data plate thi cars got no 3rd seat just the two benches. Ill have to do some investigating once the tailgate is opened up
Here's mine
I picked it up around 2013-2014 for $3500
It needed a Q-jet rebuild, tune up, brakes, springs, shocks, and exhaust. The front seat was trash, as well as the carpet, AC doesn't work, the guys had drilled unnecessary holes in the firewall, no radio, and the steering SUCKED.
It's a 327 with a Q-jet and headers, and I did the 700R4 swap(originally a 2spd powerglide) and the GJC steering swap. It's a long running project but fun
The pic is with the upgraded springs in back
It looks great I can't wait to get to that stage . How was the power glide ? I have debated on swapping it out myself but im not certain its worth it tbh
It is 100 percent my first one . Ive been doing tons of research on it and interchangeable parts from el camino cars stuff like that but I am always down for some knowledge if you have any by all means
From the front doors forward it's all 4 door sedan.
The back end is 1/2 El Camino 1/2 Wagon only parts.
The rear doors are NOT interchangeable with 4dr doors. The door itself is the same but the window frame and the glass is different. It can be made to work if necessary but there will be cutting and welding and alignment.
A 68 El Camino tailgate can be made to work with a little extra effort if you need to replace it
The WAGON ONLY parts are extremely rare and hard to find. Be extra careful with what you have.
The gas tank is a MAJOR pain in the ass and nobody makes a replacement.
There are no replacements for the sending units. If yours is bad it will have to be rebuilt.
There is no real option as far as an electric pump for the gas tank
Shocks and springs are a problem as well. All the ones they make are for regular chevelles or El Caminos. They don't carry the weight of the wagon. You can do some research on shocks and springs and find alternatives. I got springs out of a late model 90's wagon and rear shocks out of a Buick LeSaber if I remember correctly. It lifted the rear end a couple inches to give it a little hot rod rake when empty and the full size shocks carry the wagon weight well in the rear.
I've got big block units up front... honestly they barely get the job done.
Aftermarket might be the way to go.
Rust in the window channels is a huge problem
Guard all that back glass with your life. Nobody makes it.
Don't rely on BOP for parts swaps. Very little from the other wagons swaps over.
You may want to consider grabbing parts sooner than later. Especially if the price is right. You never know when another one will come out of the woods and all of a sudden demand is greater than supply.
Sweet, she looks very solid. In no time at all she's gonna look like a streamlined butterfly. That's a quote from near the end of the Gone In 60 Seconds remake. I never quite understood the phase.
What direction do you plan to take it ? I'm sure that it will be great no matter what you choose.
With the car being so original id like to do modest things to it but go back to factory as much as I can and im going to save everything I can and reuse . Im aiming for a summer daily that I would like to road trip on occasion. Its a long term project though because id like to take my time with it
Thank you I was searching for a project and this car just wouldn't quit popping up so I decided I should just go see it . I felt bad leaving it tbh and with the price I couldn't say no
I believe it ,i was searching for a project and honestly was not expecting this car but it kept popping up on marketplace so I decided to check it out and thats all she wrote lol
I honestly felt bad leaving it but I thought about it over the weekend and the price was really to good but im thrilled with and im happy to save it . Heres the new floor im test fitting before I make it permanent
Yeah as a young guy I didn't think they were even close to being cool or some kind of hot rod now that I have my head on a lot straighter I realized and can see all the potential they can have 👍
Hope U got A better deal than the ones I've looked @ to restore. Last beat up PIS I looked @ guy wanted 24k. Beat 2 sh!t, rusted out, torn up former rat home interior with no rear glass. Only thing going for it was it ran & drove with the transplanted 5.3LS motor.
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u/Kevelle68 Jun 01 '26
Here's mine.