Kevin Adams was hooked on the classic shape of '68 Chevy midsize cars when he bought his "mysterious" Chevelle Concours hardtop, right, at age 17. He liked the look so much that when he restored a '68 El Camino SS396 years later, he stuck with the same black vinyl over Ash Gold paint scheme.
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Debate rages among collectors about how the Chevelle Concours came to be -- but in any case, Kevin Adams' all original hardtop came with all the proper badging, trim and the upgraded interior that set the Concours apart from the basic Malibu.
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Adams upgraded the wheels on the 396 El Camino to wider 15-inch Corvette turbo models carrying classing BFG T/A white letter radials.
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The tri-bar steering wheel displays an emblem unique to the Concours model Chevelles.
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The SS396 El Camino came equipped with an unusual "roll-up" tachometer centered between the main gauge pods. Adams said the tach was hard to read and owners often added a conventional round-faced tach to the steering column or dash top.
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The Muncie 4-speed in the El Camino is operated by means of an all-chrome shift lever canted toward the driver for quicker shifting.
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Adams says he tries to keep his cars as original as possible. The restored trunk of his Chevelle Concours underscores that approach, right down to an original 14-inch spare tire and bumper jack.
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There's no debate about the origins of Adams' beautifully restored '68 El Camino SS396, which wears a lustrous coat of modern two-stage Ash Gold paint with jet black trim.
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Adams had the bumpers cleaned up and rechromed on the El Camino; the original SS396 emblem, however, was good to go after some polishing and touch-up paint.
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The 327-cubic-inch, 270-horsepower V-8 that originally powered the Chevelle Concours had to be tracked down and removed from a pickup truck when the car's restoration began in 1987.
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Bought as a well-used body shell, the '68 El Camino needed all of the cargo floor sheet metal replaced. The shiny trim pieces are a mix of original and reproduction parts.
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The big-block 396 crammed between the fender wells of the El Camino has all the factory-correct touches, including the optional chrome valve covers and air cleaner.
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The big-block El Camino in the foreground and the Chevelle Concours in the background are a perfectly matched pair of 1968 Chevrolets.
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Adams' all-original hardtop came with all the proper badging, trim and the upgraded Buick Skylark-style interior that set the Concours apart from the basic Malibu.
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Adams' next '68 mid-size Chevy project will be this convertible, which will be finished -- you guessed it -- with a black top and an Ash Gold body.
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Black vinyl buckets and a center console to house the 4-speed Muncie shifter are factory equipment inside the cab of the El Camino.
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Adams has already gone through this correct-vintage 327 Chevy V-8, which will find a home under the hood of his '68 Chevelle convertible once it's restored.
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Concours emblems adorn the front fenders of the hardtop, which also has upgraded Corvette-style wheels and BFG T/A tires.
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