The Chevrolet El Camino.....

[Pitts64]

I wanted to start a thread about these cars.. I never owned one but have always liked them and wanted one.. I'm partial to the 68-72 series.. Anybody have any photos or stories about them?

Thank you....

[Barry Donovan]

I spotted one in joesfurys thread. later model.

I remember a 60s version in highschool, jacked up, driving as daily even in the winter.
in 1989, that was 20 years old, probably considered a beater. Non-siamesed big block sound became a small block.
Did not see another one until a few years later, my mothers boyfriends.

The wimpy 14 inch wheeld late 70s version. '79 had that peculiar tilt like the malibus. A little more aggresive to look at the front.

I drove it to the store, headers.. unique sound from that chassis, windows down. A custom purple metallic. Very dark purple, not a clown act at all.
4 speed and 22 mpg. The 305 did not see that again until the 1996 vortec.

I am a fan of them. I keep my 4x4 gmc truck 305, 5 speed, at factory height, no side steps... a little more el camino.

[Loren]

I love El Caminos (Rancheros also), a '78 orig. 350/4-spd sits in the yard, a daily-transpo project waiting for me to get to it. I passed along a nice '64 to a friend last year and lost another '64 shell stored in a guy's chicken barn in the San Diego wildfires a few years ago. Then, there's this (which also sits waiting for me to get back to it): http://www.bangshift.com/forum/forum...l-camino/page1

[chevybuytroy]

I worked for a guy when I was in high school that loved these cars. By the time I left he had 26 of them. From really nice to really poor. There were big blocks and small block ones, but the one I always like was a 80's camaro conversion. I wanna say it was a choo choo conversion but I could be wrong. We had a kit where we put a 1" lift on them for a slighty different stance.

[Beagle]

I had a '72 350/350 with big fat addco swaybars, 245/60x15's, and poly everything suspension that I really liked. I'm a big puss when it comes to rust, though, and the floorboards needed to be replaced so it eventually went away. I think they all leak around the behind the seat box and the back window. At some point I really wanted a quick ratio steering box but that never happened. There's junkyard options to do that for relatively cheap.

I treated mine horribly even though it's not a truck. Basically, it's a two door wagon with the roof cut off, but it still dealt with being overloaded pretty well. I'd buy one again if I found the right one. They're still cheaper than a Chevelle.

[Beagle]

I worked for a guy when I was in high school that loved these cars. By the time I left he had 26 of them. From really nice to really poor. There were big blocks and small block ones, but the one I always like was a 80's camaro conversion. I wanna say it was a choo choo conversion but I could be wrong. We had a kit where we put a 1" lift on them for a slighty different stance.

El Camino SS from the mid 80's had the same curb scraping driveway dragging nose as the Monte SS and yeah, the front ends were made by Choo Choo as I remember it.

[chevybuytroy]

That what I was thinking also but couldnt remember. He had one also that was a 5.7 diesel with a blown head gasket. At that time I bought a station wagon with that engine in it to use as a derby car. Well he offered me enough to sell it just for the enigine and while driving it to his shop it blew a head gasket. I don't have a clue if that one ever got restored.

[cobra]

DTB (dave the bartender), took one on power tour a few years back. had it loaded with an engine grill and other supplies. every stop he would drag out this big grill and do up lunch. it was fun for him till he had to replace the tranny on a HOT day in Alabama.





I had a 78' Ranchero for many years in the 80's. Really loved it.

[Deaf Bob]

Usually when weight is hauled in El Caminos and I suspect Rancheros as well is the seal on the front bed floor gets jacked.. Dad had a 70, leaked into the rear foot wells, a shop replaced that seal and no more leaks untill his next rail high load of lumber.

[70chevyC-10]

I think Dave's Elky was on the cover of Car Craft a few years ago too -

[70chevyC-10]

[timo]

[timo]

Street machine Nationals, Hamburg NY Fairgrounds 1995

[timo]

Street Machine Nationals, Hamburg NY Fairgrounds 1995

[70chevyC-10]

This was a Nomad that had a tree fall on it - so the guy made this out of what was left.