It could have been the new flamboyant wings of full-sized Chevys or perhaps the Ranchero's hefty stake in the market, but after just 2 years and 36,409 El Caminos produced, Chevy dropped the ax on the model. The El Camino was built on a modified Brookwood station wagon platform. GM flirted with coupe-type trucks such as the Chevrolet Cameo Carrier and the GMC Suburban Carrier in 1955, but they went all-in with the El Camino for the 1959 model year.

The El Camino was a direct challenge Ford's Ranchero, a utility coupe dominating a previously untapped market. Is it a truck, or is it a car? We'll try to answer that question in this post. Cars this nice often cost thousands more, so there's undoubtedly another guy thinking the same thing you are.In the history of the automotive world, no car has evoked the existential stoicism of the Chevy El Camino. If you've made it this far and you're interested in this El Camino, I urge you to pick up the phone and make the call. Given the price, the chassis is extraordinarily clean, and handsome Rally wheels with staggered 225/70/15 front and 255/60/15 rear blackwall radials complete the sporty OEM look. A TH350 3-speed automatic transmission is connected to a 10-bolt rear end, and with power steering and brakes, this Elky happily dodges through traffic without strain. Original cast iron exhaust manifolds are the right choice for sound control and durability, suggesting a commitment to keeping it stock, and the new exhaust system is a reproduction setup that sounds great without being too loud. Like the rest of the car, it's pretty correct under the hood, with Chevy Orange paint on the black, chrome valve covers, and the open-element air cleaner wears reproduction decals. Those badges are legit, because there's a 396 cubic inch V8 under the stock hood, making this truck/car more than a handful for most cars on the street. A later AM/FM radio lives in the dash and the steering wheel is an OEM piece that was perhaps lifted from a Malibu, but it looks right in the El Camino thanks to Chevy family DNA. You'll note that this was originally a factory A/C car, and most of the equipment is still in place if you'd like to get it working again, and the center console carries the horseshoe shifter that's about the coolest setup ever devised. Correct reproduction seat covers, red door panels with 'SS396' badges, and fresh carpets give it a super clean look, again all out of proportion to its price. Even the bed was completely refinished and doesn't look like it's ever been pressed into service on the weekend.įinding an El Camino with buckets and a console is a rare thing, and it looks fantastic in bright red to match the bodywork. Correct 396 badges on the front fenders offer some warning to the unwary on the street, just in case they missed the blacked-out grille. It does, however, keep everything pretty much OEM, including the hood, and all the factory details are intact. The finish is shiny and bright, panel alignment is good, and, well, there's no indication corners were cut to keep costs down. Straight sheetmetal looks like it belongs on a much more expensive car, and it doesn't look like this car was ever a basket case brought back from the dead. The paint is Matador Red, which is certainly high profile enough to justify the excellent bodywork that lives under it. OK, so this isn't a matching-numbers SS396, not at this price, but someone restored it as if it was. Even the bed was completely refinished and doesn't look like it's ever been pressed into service on the. Price? Holy cow! I can pretty much guarantee that if you're reading this and sitting on the fence, someone has already pulled the trigger on this impressive car. Big block power? Nice, but hardly remarkable. Fully restored bucket seat interior? Nothing odd there. This 1968 El Camino SS396 is like a surprise party.

SS 396 V8, RARE BUCKETS W/CONSOLE, RED ON RED, VERY NICE CAR INSIDE AND OUT!

1968 el camino sale