mloewen wrote:

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I'm new to the forum and am looking for information regarding an 68 SD 396 convertible that I sold at auction in Saskatoon in September 1998. 

I sold the car three months after my daughter was born and have wondered for years where it ended up 

If anyone can tell me where the car is and whether it has a good home I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

 

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          Welcome to the site......

Welcome from Canada's east coast!

Yes, she was/is a rare find.  I bought it in a little town just outside Saskatoon in 1983 - I was 16 years old and it was my first car.  I discovered how rare it really was a few years later when I wrote to GM Canada to get information on the car.  GM was able to send me the build sheet and a few other odds and ends.  GM's return letter advised that it was one of 66 built.  I have seen many other sources say that there were only 65 so I am not completely sure on the correct answer to that question.

The car was originally Tuxedo black with a white top and black interior.  Whoever ordered this car from the factory just wanted a big block, 4 speed convertible as it was built with the standard 325 horse 396, a 4 speed M20 transmission and bucket seats.  There were no other features of note.  When I got the car the console was gone and an M21 had replaced the M20.  Eventually the M21 calved and I put in an M22.

In the winter of 1988 - 1989 all the body work was done by Kavia Autobody in Saskatoon.  I changed the colour from black to "Imperial Crimson" - a British Leland colour.  I apologize to the purists out there and admit that changing colours was not the greatest decision insofar as maintaining the car's value - but, if you ever get to see the car, its a gorgeous colour with the white top and black interior.  The interior was all redone and the top replaced at the same time.  The one thing that I was never able to do was get all the side trim back on the car.  Those little beggars are hard to find!  When I sold the car in 1998 I had a full set but did not have the time, or money, to put them on.

While the car was in the body shop the motor was pulled and rebuilt.  My mechanic of now 25 years and owner of Clavet Service, Billy Bently, was doing the 3rd year of his motor vehicle mechanical repair course at the time.  As part of his 3rd year curriculum Billy had to rebuild and engine - mine.  

I have only seen two other 68 SD convertibles.  One was in the late 1980`s in Winnipeg.  It was owned at the time by a guy named Chris.  His car was a heart-stopper.  It was Butternut yellow with a black top and stripe.  It was one of the incredibly rare SD convertibles built with a 350 horse 396 - I believe there were only 9 of these.  If memory serves it was an automatic with a bench seat.  The other I saw in late summer of 2012 driving in Saskatoon.  It was blue with a black top.  I did not have the time to stop and speak with the driver - and regret it as I have not seen it since.

Yup, that 's the car that was for sale on here about two years ago. 

I suck at searching the archives, but there was a good conversation about it.

it did sell...it was in Alberta at the time.

i do remember  looking at your car and chatting with you...