When I was a kid, I called Chevy's cool El Camino the "truck-car," because even my 4-year-old eyes knew it was way cool. A Chevelle with a bed, it's great news for muscle car fans because it puts you behind the wheel of one of GM's great machines with a trunk that'll carry anything you can buy at Home Depot. With so many of these being work trucks when they were new, finding a clean, straight, unabused example like this is no easy task. The Placer Gold paint looks handsome, especially when combined with black SS stripes on a cowl-induction hood. The work was done a few years ago, but you won't need to make excuses at the next cruise night where everyone will be digging the unudual color. Those massive rear quarters are not so easy to get lined up and flat, so you know someone really cared about this Elky while it was being resurrected. The bright rocker trim along with the black vinyl top looks a lot more upscale than the work truck I remember our gardener using, and the SS badges suggest more performance than utility is under this truck's skin. Note that the bed has nicely been finished with matching Placer Gold paint, and for utility there are shiny bed rails and a tonneau cover, which effectively creates the world's biggest trunk. The bench seat makes the El Camino practical enough to carry three passengers, just like any truck, but it's beautifully dressed in a fresh black seat cover. Nicely detailed, the dash is nicely presented with original gauges, and a late model GM steering wheel adds a sporty feel that makes you forget you're driving a truck. This one comes complete with an under-dash A/C system, a tilt column, as well as a set of auxiliary gauges neatly tucked underneath. An AM/FM/CD stereo head unit integrates cleanly into the original dash, so you can enjoy modern entertainment in your vintage Chevy iron. The door panels are standard black, but I like the vent windows, which do a fine job of funneling air into the passenger compartment and they're sorely missed on today's cars. The engine is a rebuilt 350 taken from a later model, and upgraded with standard hot-rod upgrades like an Edelbrock carburetor and a set of long-tube exhaust headers. Dress-up is limited to a set of chrome valve covers and an open-element air cleaner, but it runs well and pulls the relatively lightweight Elky around with a great V8 burble. A TH350 3-speed automatic shuttles horsepower back to a 10-bolt rear, and this powertrain is about as reliable as they come. The chassis is solid, the floors are clean, and the Flowmaster exhaust system sounds great. It's cool to see the Chevelle's coil springs under a pickup truck, but they endow the El Camino with wonderful road manners and a pleasant ride, and all the upgrades available for Chevelles are virtual bolt-ons. Finally, a set of classic Rally wheels wears a set of 235/75/15 Michelin radials. Old or young, El Caminos are just plain cool. Performance, style, comfort and plenty of practicality make them as popular today as when they were new. Call today! This vehicle is located in our Charlotte showroom. For more information, please call (704) 598-2130 or toll free (866) 542-8392.
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