"I have never seen a 68 Nova with a SS/396 front emb."
Me either. I always thought the foil insert "SS 396" were early Chevelle only. My '68 had that type and it was delivered December 5th 0f '67. Don't know the production date cause I was just a kid then...............
The guy I worked with at the time bought a car similar to mine just a couple of months later and his had the "396" cast numbers.
Either the Red, former Oehler Nova, or Rick Thayer's has the original foil emblems.