A 325 BHP 1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS

This is a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS powered by the big block 396 cubic inch V8 that’s good for 325 bhp. It has a desirable Muncie M20 4-speed manual transmission, and a Positraction rear end.

High-performance variants of the Camaro like this were developed to directly challenge the Shelby Mustangs, and unseat them from their position at the top of the pony car market segment. The Camaro would become a major success for Chevrolet, and the long-time rival of the Mustang.

Fast Facts – The Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS

• This 1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS is a rare high-performance pony car fitted with a 396 cubic inch big block V8 producing 325 bhp, mated to a Muncie M20 4-speed manual. It features a Positraction rear end and combines both Rally Sport and Super Sport packages – offering both upgraded styling and improved handling.
• Developed to challenge high-performance Mustangs like the Shelbys, the Camaro RS/SS offered a dual-purpose appeal: the RS package added hidden headlights and bright trim, while the SS package included performance chassis upgrades and either a 350 or 396 V8. Cars ordered with both packages became some of the most desirable Camaros of the era.
• This specific car retains its original sheet metal and drivetrain, with factory VIN stamps still present on both the engine and transmission. Finished in Matador Red with a red interior, it rides on period-correct Rally wheels with Redline tires and features options like air conditioning, bucket seats, faux wood trim, and a chrome Hurst shifter.
• The vehicle underwent a sympathetic restoration, receiving fresh paint, new carpeting, weatherstripping, an upgraded exhaust, and an engine tune-up. As a well-preserved example of a first-gen Camaro, it is due to cross the auction block with Mecum in mid-May and is likely to draw interest from plenty of collectors.

The First-Gen Chevrolet Camaro

The first-generation Chevrolet Camaro was built from 1967 to 1969 – it marked General Motors strategic entry into the wildly-popular pony car segment which had been kicked off by the Ford Mustang back in 1964. The car was originally developed under the code name “Panther,” it was then unveiled on September the 26th, 1966, and officially went on sale on September the 29th, 1966, as a 1967 year model.

Built on GM’s new F-body platform, the Camaro shared its platform and many of its components with the Pontiac Firebird, and it was available in both coupe and convertible body styles – just like the Mustang.

The Camaro had a unibody structure with a front subframe, accommodating a variety of powertrains and suspension arrangements. This flexibility allowed Chevrolet to offer a wide range of options, from fuel-sipping inline-sixes, to the much-loved 350 small block V8, right the way through to thunderous big block V8s.

The car’s introduction was a direct response to the Mustang’s surprise success, aiming to capture a share of the youth-oriented market segment which had been exploding as the Baby Boom generation came of age and began to drive.

The Camaro would be an instant sales success for Chevrolet, with over 220,000 units sold in the first year alone. Sales would climb to over 235,000 in the second year, and to over 243,000 in the third and final year of the first-gen model.

This success all but ensured there would be a second-gen Camaro, and it would appear in 1969 for the 1970 model year – billed as a new Camaro for a new decade, as the much-anticipated 1970s dawned.

The Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS

The RS and SS equipment option packages were often ordered together by new Camaro buyers, likely because the RS option was an appearance package and the SS option was a performance package. Cars that got both packages are today referred to as RS/SS Camaros.

The Rally Sport (RS) option, code RPO Z22, famously included hidden headlights which were located behind the black front grille, the grille sections in front of the lights would retract when the headlights were turned on. The RS cars also received bright exterior trim, RS badging, and a different taillight design with reversing lights under the chrome rear bumper.

The Super Sport (SS) option, code RPO Z27, would mean the car was equipped with chassis upgrades for improved handling, non-functional air inlets on the hood, special striping, and SS badging. The SS cars also came with either the 350 or 396 V8, producing 295 bhp and 325 bhp respectively.

The 1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS Shown Here

The car you see here is a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS, meaning it came new with both the Rally Sport (RS) and Super Sport (SS) options. It’s powered by the 396 cubic inch (6.5 liter) big block V8 which is mated to a Muncie M20 4-speed manual transmission.

Power is sent back through a 12 bolt 3.31:1 ratio Positraction rear end, a limited-slip differential, and importantly, it has the original sheet metal with the original Red paint is still visible on the floor pans. The car has been professionally repainted in the correct color, Matador Red with a Red interior, and it rides on Rally wheels fitted with period-correct Redline tires.

Importantly for collectors, this Camaro has the correct factory VIN stamps on the engine block and transmission, meaning they’re the original units. It has had a sympathetic restoration which included the new paint mentioned above, as well as new carpet, new weatherstripping, a new exhaust system, and an engine tune-up.

Inside you’ll find bucket seats, a center console, an AM/FM radio, an electric clock, faux wood trim, air conditioning, and a chrome Muncie shifter – there’s also a full-size spare in the trunk fitted with a Redline tire.

This car is now due to roll across the auction block with Mecum in mid-May. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.

Images courtesy of Mecum