Saving a real 68 L78 camaro - need advice

[GI JOE]

I have the rest of a parted out real L78 68 Camaro... I saw this car together and so there is no doubt what it is... I Car has the 6K redline gauges, Power Disc Brakes, Power steering, blacked out tail pan, 12 bolt posi (4.10 i think),814 Alt, Carb, ...etc..  but the engine is gone...  and I'm not sure I can locate it or the original owner... no Protecto.. still need to check for the build sheet/broadcast.

Here where i am at..   

the Car was hit front end.. frame is bent some but can be fixed...   
the Nose is gone but i have the hood & some other small front end parts...
Floors are solid but have some surface rust,
Pass door was sold but picked up an original to replace it
All glass is good
deck lid was sold
quarter had flares and the flares were hacked off ruining the quarter wheel lips... needs quarters
have most of the interior, and is in good shape, but I would replace the headliner,etc

SO  I have been thinking of putting her back together with a close as I can get L78 engine...  from what I have been reading the danacore metal is not as good as the NOS sheet metal... but most of my body-shop buddies tell me they have had no trouble using the later good mark stuff, Chevelles and GTO's, Nova,s..etc... but no one i know has done a Camaro with good-mark danacore metal yet... i am more inclined to do the car if I can use the goodmark metal and still get excellent results... Or should I just sell her and let someone else save this Camaro...  I know this is a loaded question but i am curious to see what you guys think and suggest... i know a lot of folks got into this hobby thinking they'll get rich but I am not one of them... i am a guy who remembers when everybody had a car and it was all about how fast it could go and how good it looked.... Hot Cars and hot girls,... a real Hot Rod gear-head...   Thanks

[william]

Go for it!

You have the right attitude and understand this will not be cheap, quick or easy. You will learn quite a bit and maybe make some good connections. Just about everything is available but I would be cautious with NOS GM sheetmetal. The quality in the last few years of availability was poor. I hear the repro stuff has gotten much better. Try to find a shop that has done some restoration work. Production body shops are not accustomed to it.

As long as the engine is gone consider a 'Day 2' 427 conversion with period-correct speed shop stuff.

[Charley]

LOL...I'm proud of you William....

[william]

Well he did not mention heavy rust, a point at which I still won't yield. Seen too many people burn out trying to fix WI cars, myself included. As an amusing side note my last '69 Z is now in Scottsdale AZ. I sold it to a guy in CA in '89 and it was in NV for some time. It was recently on ebay [didn't meet reserve] and the ad did not mention it was in WI for the 1st 20 years. They may not have known but do now.

Funny how you 'sort of' remember me. We spoke at the Power Tour at Miller Park some years back. I saw you at at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2009/2010; I was speaking to Stefano at the 2009 Racine Power Tour stop when you popped in to ask him a question. No recognition. I must have an easily forgotten face!   

[Charley]

I remember speaking to you somewhere. My recognition of people is crap though.