2020 chevy el camino2/7/2024 The third generation El Camino, also based upon the Chevelle station wagon/four-door design, introduced a longer wheelbase. The more powerful engine allowed the 1966-1969 El Camino to run a ¼ mile time in the mid-to-high 14s. This 396 cubic inch 6.5L V8 produced 375 horsepower. As the Chevelle received style changes in 19, so did the El Camino.Ĭonsumers were also excited to have a big-block engine available from the factory in 1966. With over 120,000 El Caminos produced from 1964-1967, it appeared America was happy to have the utility vehicle available again. Many mechanical advancements evolved as they became available as well.īased off the Chevelle platform, the El Camino came back in 1964. Key differences between El Camino generations begin with styling and design. Some generations had as many as six engine options available from the factory. That tradition certainly continued for every generation of the El Camino. Those seeking an all original first-generation El Camino usually prefer the 5.7L V8.Ĭhevrolet has a history of offering many different engine options with their cars and trucks. When it comes to cargo volume, the El Camino falls short compared to trucks from the same era.Īlthough there are many creative engine swaps available in the El Camino market, the factory options are respectable. At a time when many consumers were starting families, the El Camino offered limited seating capacity. The El Camino enjoyed five generations of production before chopping the mullet off.Ĭhevy eventually discontinued the El Camino, due to a lack of public interest. A vehicle offering the cargo versatility of a pickup truck in a car-sized package is a practical idea to many enthusiasts. To some, the Chevy El Camino is all business up front with a party out back. By 1959, the El Camino craze already seemed to fade, with only 14,163 total El Caminos produced. By outselling the Ranchero 22,000 to 14,000, Chevy struck gold. 1959 was the only year those two models would compete directly under the same full-size vehicle classification. In 1959, Chevy responded with the El Camino. Many American companies continued toying with the idea of a pickup utility coupe into the late 1930s, until the trend faded off.Įventually Ford introduced the full-sized Ranchero for the 1957 model year. She wanted a vehicle she could drive to church, but also use to take her four pigs to the market. In 1932, Ford Australia was the first to develop a utility coupe after receiving a letter from the wife of an Australian farmer. In the 1920s, roadster utility models offered an open top roadster with a rear cargo bed. Although some may wonder where Chevy got the idea to combine open air experiences with a pickup, it had actually happened before. At the New York International Auto Show in 2008, Pontiac actually unveiled a utility-like car, but budget cuts made that idea disappear as well.Combining the best of both worlds, the El Camino offers a utility pickup in the form of a coupe. The idea was brought back to life in 1995 with the El Camino possibly sharing the Chevrolet Caprice station wagon platform, but the B-body platform was discontinued in 1996 so that idea was scratched. Back in 1992, an El Camino concept car was unveiled based on the Lumina Z34, but it never made it further than that. The 1987 model year was the last of the El Camino in regards to production, but General Motors has made a few attempts to bring it back. While there hasn't been any plans to bring back the mullet car, a renderings have surfaced of what a modern El Camino might look like. Today, these vintage utility cars can fetch a pretty penny at auction, especially one in well-kept shape. It was hard to wrap your head around a car with a pick-up bed molded into the body, but as mentioned above, the vehicle developed a cult following. The Chevy El Camino was one of those cars that was either loathed or loved.
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