More often than not, the coupe utility body style gets derided as the four-wheeled equivalent of the mullet: business in front, party in the back, and unless it’s around friends and family, no place for it in society. In reality, these were the first attempts at a compact pickup truck. Instead of some large, lumbering thing that would leave Lohnes lusting, you had a vehicle that drove like a car but could be useful as a pickup truck to a certain point. Now, if you hauled bricks all day every day, you might not be interested in a ute. But for what 95% of the general population ever uses a truck for, they were just fine, plenty capable, and often were gifted with some of the OEM’s best hardware available…or, at least, were made as sporty as the car they were based on. We found two, both from General Motors, both that would’ve been hot stuff in their day. We want to know which one you’d rather take home!
1973 GMC Sprint SP 454
It is certainly a 1973 color, that’s for sure. What is that, Lime or Medium Olive? Whatever…at least it’s one solid color and not bleached to the metal and back. The El Camino’s less-known cousin, this is a 1973 GMC Sprint. Outside of a couple of badges, it’s an El Camino. GMC didn’t really do much to tart up the Sprint…even the fancy SP stripes are simply the Super Sport stripes with different letters on the front fenders. But what this Sprint does have is the right options: air conditioning, gauge pack, and oh yeah, the 454 cubic inch big-block, called the Invader 454 in GMC guise. It was re-rated to meet the new measuring guidelines at 245 horsepower, but for 1973 this was still a stout package to have and it is pre-smog, so if it isn’t enough, get to work. The “3045” five-spoke rally wheels look good and gee, that’s a nice emerald-colored dash board. Almost a shame the rest of the car doesn’t match it.
1979 Chevrolet El Camino Super Sport
The GMC has the grunt and old-school charm, but the G-body Elky has plenty of it’s own tricks to work with. GM knew that gold-on-black was a hot seller ever since Burt Reynolds hung his hat off of the antenna of a Trans Am, so it’s no surprise that they used it here as well. The “Royal Knight” fire-dragon hood treatment looks sweet and the roll pan that replaced the standard chrome G-body bumper looks seriously perfect. That paint is fresh, and that’s where the fun ends. Remember, this was 1979…looks ruled, but performance was hiding out in a cave somewhere hoping to survive, lest the EPA bash it over the head and kill it permanently. So it’s a 305ci V8 hooked to a four-speed manual transmission. You see a Decal GT ute, we see opportunity.
You gotta love that the big block ‘73 is one of only 71 manufactured. No matter how hard you stirred that 4 speed in the ‘79 are you going to keep up!
Gotta Go with 3 Pedals !!!
This Is Bang Shift After All
I love big blocks but I had a 86 and I love the size . I put a 300 horse 350 in mine and a th350 some 70 Z28 wheels with 255 50s all the way around . Car was a blast . A stick would have made it better .
Your going to have to swap a bigger engine into the Chevy, I would probably want to swap a stick into the big block GMC.
Cruised a Royal Knight El Camino back in tech school. 267 with an automatic. About 115 HP if I remember right. Anyhow, fun sized car to cruise with and run errands. Not much power but it was easy on gas.
I’d go with the 454 GMC, no replacement like displacement!
Dang, I had a ’73 GMC Sprint, 454, 4 speed in 1984. It was black with white SS stripes, not SP. Pretty sure it was original, unmodified. Didn’t realize what i had.
The \’79 is sweet. Drop in a 383 and go to town.
Something weird’s going on. I got spambotted then a \ appears in my comment. Anybody else have that happen? 2 or 3rd time in last coupla weeks. I’m not computech hip enough to know what happened.
73 GMC all year for me..better brakes-suspension-rear axle-frame and engine trans than its newer sibling.And i like its looks and size too..rides and handles better too.
Hard choice here. I own a 73 A-body and an 80 G-body, both modified and both a lot of fun on each of their unique merits. However, given a, “one or the other choice” though, I’d grab that 73. Not only is it rare, (which can be good or bad, depending), but the big block and appearance package make this one special. I’d be a heretic and bump up the wheel size to the Year One 17″ repros and upgrade the suspension and bring it down an inch or two, but that’s about it. I wish I could own them both.
I think it depends on how you are going to use it. Just on weekends for a little fun, get the big block. Fuel milage won’t matter. If you are going to daily drive it then go for the small block and the 4 speed.
Tough choice! I’d put a Laguna front nose on the ’73 and lower the ’79, then take them both!
I did a double take when I saw that the steering wheels were identical other than the color. Tough choice between the big block or the stick shift and less curb weight. I wouldn’t kick either one out of my carport.