1959 Chevrolet El Camino

Description

The iconic Chevy El Camino was introduced in 1959, and when you look at this gorgeous red and white pickup, it's easy to see why folks call them Bel Airs with beds. Dressed up in bright trim, flashy paint jobs, and with that dramatic cantilevered roof and gullwing tailfins, there was simply nothing else like it on the road, then or now.

With a few smart upgrades, there's no doubt that this first El Camino is destined for great things. Chevy's styling was all-new in 1959, and they didn't hold back, even on their first foray into personal-sized pickups. Available with any color combination, this one looks '50s spectacular in Roman Red with Snowcrest White on the side trim to highlight the car's most dramatic styling features. Painted several years ago, it still looks good with a wonderful period-perfect shine, great panel fit, and super straight bodywork, this one will unquestionably be a hit everywhere it goes. El Caminos received Bel Air trim, including the side strip with white insert, and 'El Camino' script on the front fenders where 'Bel Air' would ordinarily live. The massive wrap-around rear window is unique to this model and is in excellent shape (fortunately), and the bed features a spray-on bedliner so it's still happy to work on weekends. Trim, chrome, and stainless all shows in great shape, and even the rubber bumper tips are excellent.

Experts will note that the interior is also done to Bel Air specifications, with two-tone red and black upholstery on the bench seat, plush black carpets, and color-matched door panels, but nobody is going to complain after they see how awesome it looks in person. The instruments are all laid out ahead of the driver, each gauge living in its own round pod, with the auxiliary gauges flanking a large centrally-mounted speedo, and all the markings are sharp and crisp and a set of auxiliary gauges hang underneath. The original AM radio lives in the center of the dash, although it's been supplanted by an AM/FM/CD stereo head unit with a separate amplifier powering speakers throughout the interior. There's also a neatly installed A/C system with vents under the dash and new components under the hood. Sitting behind the wheel, it is easy to forget you have a full pickup bed behind you that's capable of hauling more than a half-ton of gear.

The engine is a 350 cubic inch V8, but thanks to the ubiquity of the small block Chevy, it slid under the hood of the Elky without issues. It's got a chrome air cleaner and matching valve covers as well as Chevy Orange on the block, so there's no disputing what it is. There's also a high-output alternator, factory-style A/C hardware, power steering and power disc brakes, and long-tube headers dumping into a new dual exhaust system. The transmission is a TH350 3-speed automatic and the stock rear end still hangs on its original coil springs, making this one of the best-riding pickups you'll ever drive. It runs and drives extremely well and the upgraded powerplant moves the classic El Camino with effortless ease that not even the top 348 could manage in 1959. Polished American Racing wheels add a sporty look and are wrapped in recent white-letter radials.

Rare, beautiful, and still quite practical, the 1959 El Camino is an American icon with a devoted following that continues to this day. Call now!