Photo: Bring a Trailer
The Chevrolet El Camino is one of those quirky cars we’d love to still have around. I mean, in a time when coupe and even convertible SUVs are a thing, how much harm could a coupe utility do?
Chevy introduced the El Camino in 1959 in response to Ford playing around with the Ranchero, a two-door pickup based on a station wagon with a chopped rear end, launched in an attempt to replicate the Australian success of such a vehicle.
By all intents and purposes, EL Camino managed to outdo the Ranchero in almost all departments, and became the market favorite. It was discontinued in 1987, long after the Ford rival bit the dust. Now it is enjoying a second chance at stardom on the collectors’ market and, even if it doesn’t break records when it comes to the money paid by buyers, it is more than worthy of a feature in our Chevrolet Month coverage.
Today’s dose of El Camino comes in the form of this 1964 example, one that seems to be tastefully modified, but without diluting its legacy.
Wrapped in black inside and out, with a touch of red here and there, the pickup (that’s the official classification of the vehicle) presents a very smooth body, with shaved door handles, staggered wheels (18-inch front and 20-inch rear), and a hole in the hood large enough to leave room for the engine to breathe.
The powerplant in this case is a 355ci V8, tweaked with the addition of a Weiand high-rise intake manifold, and Holley carburetors. The engine is worked through a three-speed automatic transmission, but we are not being told how much power it develops.
The odometer on the car shows 2,800 miles (4,500 km), but the real mileage is unknown. It is selling on Bring a Trailer, and there’s only one day left in the bidding process. At the time of writing, the highest offer is just $5,600.
By all intents and purposes, EL Camino managed to outdo the Ranchero in almost all departments, and became the market favorite. It was discontinued in 1987, long after the Ford rival bit the dust. Now it is enjoying a second chance at stardom on the collectors’ market and, even if it doesn’t break records when it comes to the money paid by buyers, it is more than worthy of a feature in our Chevrolet Month coverage.
Today’s dose of El Camino comes in the form of this 1964 example, one that seems to be tastefully modified, but without diluting its legacy.
Wrapped in black inside and out, with a touch of red here and there, the pickup (that’s the official classification of the vehicle) presents a very smooth body, with shaved door handles, staggered wheels (18-inch front and 20-inch rear), and a hole in the hood large enough to leave room for the engine to breathe.
The powerplant in this case is a 355ci V8, tweaked with the addition of a Weiand high-rise intake manifold, and Holley carburetors. The engine is worked through a three-speed automatic transmission, but we are not being told how much power it develops.
The odometer on the car shows 2,800 miles (4,500 km), but the real mileage is unknown. It is selling on Bring a Trailer, and there’s only one day left in the bidding process. At the time of writing, the highest offer is just $5,600.
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