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Twin-Turbo Chevrolet El Camino Drag Races Toyota Supra, It's a Photo Finish

Introduced in 1959, the Chevrolet El Camino wasn't the first utility coupe in America. That title went to the Ford Ranchero, which debuted in 1957. But the El Camino went on to become the more iconic car-based truck.
Chevrolet El Camino vs Toyota Supra drag race 6 photos
Photo: Drag Racing and Car Stuff/YouTube
Chevrolet El Camino vs Toyota Supra drag raceChevrolet El Camino vs Toyota Supra drag raceChevrolet El Camino vs Toyota Supra drag raceChevrolet El Camino vs Toyota Supra drag raceChevrolet El Camino vs Toyota Supra drag race
Chevrolet discontinued the model in 1960, after only two years on the market, but the El Camino returned with a vengeance in 1964. Based on the Chevelle, the El Camino inherited all the cool features available with the A-body intermediate, including the big-block V8s.

Offered with both the 396- and 454-cubic-inch (6.5- and 7.4-liter) mill, the El Camino came with up to 450 horsepower and 500 pound-feet (678 Nm) of torque in 1970. It had become a full-fledged muscle truck.

But like most muscle cars from the golden years, the El Camino evolved into a mundane car as the Malaise era settled it. Even though it soldiered on until 1987, the El Camino never regained its early 1970s glory.

The fifth- and final-generation model is considered to be the worst incarnation of the El Camino, but this didn't stop enthusiasts from dropping bigger and more powerful crate engines under the hood. Some even went as far as to turn 1980s El Caminos into dragsters. And needless to say, some of these transformations are downright spectacular.

Which brings me to why I'm here. I want you to meet Mullet, a fifth-generation Chevy El Camino that's shaking it at the drag strip with a twin-turbo setup under the hood.

We don't know much beyond the fact that it's owned by Cleetus McFarland, but the video below reveals that this 1980s El Camino is one of the quickest of its kind. If you haven't seen a coupe utility run the quarter-mile in less than eight seconds, you've come to the right place.

Shot at the annual FL2K in Florida, the video shows the El Camino defeating a turbocharged Chevrolet Camaro like it's nothing. The truck crosses the line in 7.5 seconds, more than a second quicker than the Camaro, and scores a trap speed of 183 mph (295 kph).

But things become a lot more interesting in the second race, which sees the El Camino line up against a fourth-generation Toyota Supra. You know, the one powered by the mighty 2JZ engine. In this case, we're talking about a mill strapped to a big turbo.

It usually takes a whole lot of oomph and traction to defeat a Supra at the drag strip. And it turns out this El Camino has both. Even though it's a bit slower off the line, it catches up and completes the sprint in 7.41 seconds. It takes a narrow win over the Supra's 7.44-second run and also wins the trap speed battle at a whopping 191.51 mph (308.2 kph).

And to make things that much more interesting, McFarland also ran his fastest pass in the Mullet against the Supra. Check it all out in the video below.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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