This Resto-Modded 1968 Camaro Custom Coupe Swaps Old-School Muscle for LS3 Power at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas

Not every restomod needs a big personality to turn heads, but this 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Custom Coupe has one anyway: a candy-red paint job, staggered forged wheels, and a fuel-injected LS engine where a numbers-matching big-block used to live. The coupe is crossing the block with no reserve at Barrett-Jackson's 2026 Las Vegas auction, and the full listing is worth a look for anyone tracking how far first-generation Camaro builds have come.

Under the hood is a rebuilt, aluminum 6.2-liter LS3 engine fitted with a mild-performance camshaft, long-tube headers, and an EFI fuel system running ACE's engine management with a FiTech in-tank pump. Power runs through a GM 4L65E four-speed automatic with electronic controls, then out through a custom three-inch stainless dual exhaust with Flow FX mufflers. An aluminum radiator and brushless electric fan keep things cool, a combination clearly built for regular driving rather than static shows.

The chassis received just as much attention as the engine bay. A TCI front subframe and a rear torque-arm setup are paired with Ridetech adjustable coilovers at all four corners, while a Ford 9-inch rear end with 3.70 gears handles the power. Wilwood supplies the master cylinder and front discs, backed by modern Camaro rear discs, and the whole thing rolls on Rocket Racing wheels wrapped in 275/30R18 front and 335/30R18 rear rubber, a stance that looks more Pro Touring than Woodward cruise night.

Bodywork went through a full rotisserie restoration, stripped to bare metal with new panels installed where needed, mini-tubbed rear wheel wells, and sealed in epoxy primer before the GM Wild Cherry Candy Red tri-coat went on. Flush-mounted glass all around, LED lighting throughout, and a hidden RainGear wiper system clean up the exterior details that usually give away a resto-mod.

Inside, the theme continues with bucket seats, a custom center console, Dakota Digital gauges, and a seven-speaker system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A backup camera, a front-facing camera, and an electronic parking brake round out the modern conveniences, while an American Autowire harness and a trunk-mounted battery with an accessible disconnect switch handle the electrical side.

So what does a build like this mean for the value of a stock 1968 Camaro? According to Hagerty's valuation tools, a numbers-matching 1968 Camaro SS coupe with the 350-horse 396 (L34) sits at roughly $62,100 in number 3, or Good, condition, while the rarer aluminum-head L89 cars reach $118,000 in the same condition class. Because this coupe has been reengineered with an LS3, modern brakes, and an entirely different suspension, it sits outside that numbers-matching price guide, which is typical of resto-mods: buyers are paying for build quality and drivability rather than factory-correct specification. It is a distinction worth watching as more first-generation Camaros cross the block wearing modern drivetrains.

This Camaro is not the only headliner on Barrett-Jackson's Las Vegas docket. The same sale includes Queen Elizabeth II's ex-Cadillac among its other blue-chip, no-reserve consignments. For more on how the first-generation cars evolved, see Motorious' 1968 Chevrolet Camaro retrospective, or get the broader picture in Motorious Explores The Chevrolet Camaro.