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1968 Dana RS/SS Camaro 427

This 1968 Dana Camaro has been featured in numerous books and magazines through the years. This Camaro has 8,600 original miles and is unrestored. Nevertheless, it looks like a new car.

It is the only Dana we know of with extensive documentation including the original order invoice, sales invoice, and finance agreement.

Through this website, we were contacted by Frank LaRoche who was the original owner of this Dana Camaro. Just back from Vietnam, he special ordered this car. He spent a lot of time with Dale Armstrong who was the chief mechanic at Dana Chevrolet at the time in putting this car together. Dale Armstrong went on from Dana after that to become a famous head race car mechanic affiliated with several of the winningest race teams.

On the original paperwork, the car was ordered as a 3.73 posi, but it was changed by Dana to a 4.10 positraction rear end. The car came from Chevrolet factory painted with its original paint which is still on the car. It entailed a special order process in which Chevrolet painted it a different factory color other than which was available in the stock color choices. Frank says Chevrolet actually had to do a production stop in the assembly line to accomplish this. The color was referred to by the Dana sales people as "Chevy truck orange". He didn't recall the actual factory name of the color. In reference to this Camaro having the double dash paint code on the trim tag, some car enthusiasts are mistaken in the belief that it designates that a car was only sent from the factory in primer. This Camaro was positively painted orange by Chevrolet at the factory.

Per its invoice, it is equipped with an L71 tri-power 427 by Dana. The factory options are as follows: RS/SS, Muncie close ratio 4-speed, 3.73 posi, power disc brakes, special instrument package, custom interior, center console, AM/FM radio, tinted glass, light monitor system (i.e. fiber optic), LH outside racing mirror, and paint delete (i.e. special code on the trim tag designating primer only or special paint choice).

This is where Dana took over. Dana-supplied high performance equipment consisted of the aforementioned 4.10 posi rear, an L88 camshaft, lightweight clutch, traction bars, and Dana's trademark fiberglass hood.

Another street brawler in the making, Dana was in direct competition with Yenko, Baldwin Motion, Berger, Nickey and others -- and wasn't about to be left in the dust. Dick Guldstrand, a well known racer, also "turned wrenches" and built engines for Dana. It's possible he may also have had a hand in building this particular car.

 
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