Photos: Jim Pickering
1968 Camaro was 'way too cheap' ... at first
By Claudio D'Andrea
Veteran automotive editor and writer Jim Pickering of Oregon wondered if the Camaro he bought in 2023 -- a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro -- was cheap, or "way too cheap," as he put it.
In his "Project Cheap Camaro #1" on hagerty.com, he brings readers along for the ride in the account of his restoration of the classic car.
Pickering says he loves 1960s GM muscle cars and is "not afraid to DIY his way into owning them." He acknowledges though that the smart money is always on buying cars that are already done.
Nevertheless, after finishing his "most ambitious project to date" -- the restoration of a 1967 Chevrolet C10 short bed pickup -- he decided to pick up the Camaro that came with an asking price of $2,800 and go to work.
"Initially, I had no plan," he admits. "My dad and I formed one on the way home: First, fix the top, if possible. Then install the sheet metal to make it a solid roller."
He proceeds to write about the many details in the restoration in the seven-part series about what he concluded was a "suddenly not-so-Cheap Camaro." In the final instalment, he said, "We may not be able to outrun those legendary Nickey or Harrell Camaros, but I’d bet we can keep up."
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