# 1968 Tempest Convertible



## par4n1 (Jan 28, 2010)

I can buy a 1968 Tempest convertible 350 with powerglide, 75K original miles, great interior, solid pans and frame a nice driver. It has poor paint and a little bondo and needs a top. Is this car worth 4500.00? I will want to rework bondo and paint. As it sits it is ready for the road.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Yes.
Looks really nice. Where is it from, rustbelt or clean? I'd buy it.
Good luck and hope you get it.


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## Mike_V (Mar 10, 2006)

Wow - nice


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## par4n1 (Jan 28, 2010)

I didn't think to see where it was built but it grew up in Virginia. I am guessing Virginia weather is not too bad for rust. While it is all original under the car it just has a slight dirty/oily look. It has been garaged for the past 10 or so with very limited driving. Rockers are great lower quarters need a little work....about the size of a football. I thought to offer the owner 4000.00


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Show the pics of the rot, that will give us a better idea. Car is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay.. Make sure the top works smooth. Members here have paid more for less than that, including me. How is the frame and floor pans?


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

i would start at 3500 and hope to meet at 4000....looks pretty clean i would go for it, but i am partial to Tempest's...


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## par4n1 (Jan 28, 2010)

There is no rot visiable from a picture just some 10yr bondo under a 10yr old paint job and I little bubbling about the size of a silver dollar on each front fender behind each tire as well a little bubbling on the trunk lip about 2 or 3 " long x 1/4. I felt between the trunk pan and innside of the quarter panel and felt some bondo points pushed through drilled holes (i guess) to secure the bondo to the sheet metal thats how I knew of the "football" sized body work. You have to get on your knees to see any of the needed work


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## par4n1 (Jan 28, 2010)

Yes i have admired your tempest many times. If I had that car It would look just as you have it. There is something super eye catching with the script used in the tempest badges you car sports


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## par4n1 (Jan 28, 2010)

floor pans look great. It does have secure carpet so i am going with what it looks like from below. Trunk pan showed no holes and little to no surface rust dash rust under front wind shield is limited to minuet paint flake the size of a quarter


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## par4n1 (Jan 28, 2010)

Other then drive train, endro front with hideaways, dash cluster and seating what are the differences between the 68 Tempest and a 68 GTO in terms of styling. I have to make a quick decision on the purchsing of this car. I want to make a clone out of it one day. My delema is I can afford more but this looks like a nice local deal


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

GTO was available with and w/o hideaways and also endura delete which gave you the chrome bumper. Also your dash cluster was stock for the GTO and rally package was an option i believe. Also i remember seeing the luggage racks on the option list somewhere but never seen one, do not know if thats original or not but an interesting conversation piece. Two things to consider, a true GTO in the shape of that Tempest will set you back 10-12K so if you get the Tempest at 4 that leaves you some cash to do a resto (clone), the resto will cost the same on both and unless you can do all the work yourself your looking at another 10K in parts and up to twice that in labor.


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## par4n1 (Jan 28, 2010)

I do no body work to speak of shy of tearing down and rebuilding. Given the state of the economy I am still better off buying a prebuilt car and letting someone else sell it to me for less then they have in it. The good price of the tempest at 4k is only a good deal if very limited money is put back in it. its hard to figure if any clone is worth building from original at this point in time with such low resale values on finer cars


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## par4n1 (Jan 28, 2010)

Well I offered the owner of the Tempest 3500.00 and he accepted my offer. Seems like a real good deal. I am super excited. A 1968 Tempest convertable that I can drive come for 3,500 oh boy.....any thoughts?


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

Told ya you might get a bite.....great deal. make it a good driver and restore it as you go, save body and paint for last, drive it on parts runs and have fun while you work on it. Just cause it doesn't have a 3 letter name don't mean it isn't a bad ass car..... I would set up a wish list and plug away one job at a time if funds and time are limited, especially if your in a warm weather state where you can drive it all year. Looking back on the pics that car looks very well kept, if it runs good i would start on suspension, maybe disk brakes up front if it does not already have them, stock springs, gas shocks, brakes, tie rods...etc.. Then on to motor, unless you plan on building one (i would) then just get a 400 and swap out the 350 when its finally your dream motor. Last but far from least, Body and paint, if you job it out say goodbye to your baby for a while, you could take on the dis-assembly stripping of the paint and reassembly of all trim and such to save money. Feel free to ask for help thats what we are here for and plenty have helped us in our projects, you will be surprised at what you can do with the right advice tools and patients....:cheers

http://ultimategto.com/1968/68c_00129_1.jpg


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## par4n1 (Jan 28, 2010)

Thanks for your insite. I have thought of nothing but the car today and what the first project will be. I agree with your take on the suspension I think i'll start there. Its been over 30 yrs since I had an older car and even then my father was a national sales rep for Walker Exhaust so cars came to me often. They were ready to drive and when parts were needed I went to GM. Heck I didnt know you couldn't go to GM and buy a fender for a 69 Camaro until a year or so ago. 
With all that said I need to reserch new technology available for a better ride. In the past it was all about Gabrial Hijacker shocks, T/A radials and Centerlines. everything else was a exact part swap. I have drums and no power brakes. Do you have an opinion on a do it youself front end kit that I can install and that is not original technology? I am sure there are better handeling packages out there these days. My first car was a 57 chevy and it turned like a boat in the water but it was great for getting the girl in the front seat a little closer to ya


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Gabriel hi-jackers, radial TAs and Centerlines is exactly how I build my cars now, welcome back to the 80's, nothing wrong with that! OK, I dont' do the airshocks anymore.
Congrats on your purchase, should be a fun ride and blast from the past. You did great if it looks like the pics. Nice car.
You did great on the purchase, you can put a bunch of money in it and still be good in the future if you do the 10 years from now we may all be laughing thinking cars were only worth $10k, when now they are $100K.. Hoping the economy and muscle car market will recover. These cars will never get less rare..


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

GM front disk brakes from any A-body after 70' have single piston calipers and are reliable and affordable for most usage other than racing. You can buy the kits from several sources like Inline Tube, Right Stuff. Same with the power brake upgrade, boosters from 70's GM will bolt up and adapt. Front end kits are available for tie rods, ball joints and bushings try to find made in the US if you can, much better quality. I am running all stock GM with poly bushing upgrade, new stock Moog springs and Monroe gasmatic shocks and the car drives and handles as good as my newer cars. Also converted to close ratio power steering box.


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