7/29/2023 0 Comments Blown 1968 el camino for sale![]() It wasn’t until we had our first child and finished the remodel that I could start having fun with the Elky again.” Chris’ car changed right along with him as life took its natural twists and turns. “I got married, bought a house, and then began remodeling the entire house. “As my life began to change, my car took a back seat in my life for a while,” Chris admits. While none of that is nearly as exciting as speeding down the track all day, we all have to chill out and take care of business before going out to play again. When Chris wants to go fast, there’s just no stopping him-well, with the exception of the same stuff that tends to slow us all down, like growing up and facing real life responsibilities. At this point, he only drove it to local car shows or to the dragstrip to race. To get there, he had Steve Schmidt Racing of Indianapolis build a 523 big-block race engine that made 900 hp, and was able to safely handle a 300 shot of nitrous. This held Chris over for a few more years until 2007 when he decided he needed even more power underhood. Next came a 427ci big-block that made 427 hp, and a Chris Alston’s Chassisworks ’cage kit to beef up the chassis. Not sure what Chris was making in allowance at whatever after-school job he was able to land, but he was serious about always taking his precious Elky to the next level. A new cam, intake, headers, and even a full-on nitrous system found their way into the mix. Needless to say, Chris was still a teenager and was always interested in blowing the doors off of his friends’ cars, so he started making some upgrades to the engine. It had a mild small-block, an automatic transmission, and posi rearend-nothing crazy but perfect for a new driver. I generally like having something that doesn’t blend in with the masses, so this car was perfect for me.”īack then, Chris’ El Camino was a solid car. A family friend had a 1960 Elco, and I absolutely fell in love with it when I was a kid, so when I had the chance to buy one, I didn’t hesitate. “My friends all had older muscle cars back in high school, but nobody had an El Camino. “I first bought the car in March of 1998- a couple months after turning 16,” Chris says. He actually took good care of his and has gone on to do some pretty cool things with it over the years. He didn’t crash or blow his car up like the rest of us probably ended up doing with ours. Chris Decker, of San Mateo, California, is among the lucky ones who held onto their very first vehicle. The all-wheel drive Santa Cruz is clearly the Millennial version of El Caminos past.While most car fiends can only dream about making progress to their first ride, there are a few who are experiencing the rare treat of still being able to wrench on them to this day. The little car truck wowed the crowd with its distinctive hexagonal grille, oversized wheels, and Brembo brakes. In January 2015, Hyundai unveiled its Santa Cruz car with a truck bed concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Thankfully some ideas are too good to fade away. This could have been the end of the story. GM cut the Mexican-built car truck from the lineup after 1987, following the launch of Chevrolet’s compact S-10 pickup. Those not equipped with Oldsmobile’s disreputable diesel engines came with detuned Chevrolet small blocks rated at a paltry 180-horsepower. The car truck’s mishmash of parts largely sourced from the Chevrolet Chevelle and Monte Carlo did not gain favor with fans. The Camaro and Mustang held out, but the proper muscle car with a truck bed was no more.Ī downsized version of the El Camino for the 1978 model year was disappointing. In that era, oil embargoes and federally-mandated emissions controls wielded the death blow to big American muscle cars. What could be better than a car that could go to church, haul hay, and burn rubber? Why Did Cars with Truck Beds Go Away?īlame it on the 1970s. An available 450-horsepower LS6 engine was available for the 1970 model year. ![]() It was no surprise that the El Camino followed in the Chevelle’s muscle-car footsteps. In 1964, Chevrolet reintroduced its car-based truck-building it off the then-new Chevelle platform. GM discontinued the El Camino after the 1960 model year. As a result, the first-generation car truck didn’t sell particularly well. General Motors showed up late to the dance. The ’68 El Camino SS hauls hay and burns rubber.Įl Camino is Spanish for “the way.” Chevrolet’s 1959 model introduced in response to the Ford Ranchero was based on the Brookwood two-door station wagon. ![]()
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