1969 Chevrolet El Camino SS

Description

The great thing about the El Camino is that just about anything that fits a Chevelle also bolts on here. This 1969 El Camino SS isn't just a pretty pickup, but it also packs 350 cubic inches of street authority and an attractive build that borrows the best features from its passenger car sibling.

Subtlety was not the purpose of this build, obviously, but that also means that they had to get the little stuff right. Beautiful silver paint means a lot of eyes are going to be sweeping over this truck/car's sheetmetal, so the work was executed to a very high level. The bodywork is super straight and looks rather fresh, so it's ready to hit the cruise nights where it's sure to be a hit, and the green stripe only helps. Fit and finish are quite good, with excellent door gaps and a bed that doesn't look like it's been abused and beat up over the years. Of course, it's now protected by a diamond-plate floor and bulkhead so it's tough as well as attractive. Nice chrome and stainless trim was either restored or replaced when the Elky went back together, and the overall look is a car that someone invested a lot of time and money into making it right.

Bucket seats and a console are rather rare in an El Camino, but dipping into the Chevelle parts bin is easy. Recent reproduction seat covers on the factory buckets look great and the matching door panels have a dressed-up look with bright stainless trim. A full SS instrument panel with round instruments and an in-dash tach make it easy to forget the bed out back when you're driving, and the center console houses a trick Hurst shifter for the built TH350 3-speed automatic transmission underneath. There is no radio, so that means you won't have to fix someone else's work and it's ready for the entertainment system of your choice. Black carpets are a little faded, but they match the rest of the car's demeanor and look better in person than in our photos. You'll also note it's a factory A/C car, and while it's not hooked up, it wouldn't be hard to install a modern system to make this a fantastic cruiser.

The badges on the front fenders say '350' and that's what lives inside, although in this case, it's a fresh Vortec crate motor with a full roller valve train from a late-model. Up top there's an Edelbrock 4-barrel carb, an aluminum intake, and a set of long-tube headers feeding a custom Flowmaster exhaust system. It's dressed to look fairly OEM with some flash, offering an open-element air cleaner and chrome valve covers to match. A big radiator keeps it cool without making you nervous, and a late-model serpentine belt drive system for the accessories offers a neat slot just waiting for an A/C compressor. Power steering and power front disc brakes are welcome upgrades and there are boxed control arms out back, so this pickup hooks up a lot better than you'd expect. Tallish gears in the 12-bolt rear are great for cruising and the big block doesn't need a lot of gear to deliver neck-snapping acceleration. Original-style Rally wheels look right and wear staggered 235/60/15 front and 275/60/15 rear Firestone radials.

Finished just a few years ago, this slick El Camino offers power, style, and practicality that no other car has ever been able to match. Call today!