I tried to set this up as a site poll, but it didn't work.. Heh- still trying to figure stuff out on the new site here... Anyway-

You've Heard about the new GTO, arriving at Pontiac Dealers this Fall- The car is basically a Holden manaro, mfg'd in Austrailia, imported to the USA with different badges as a GTO... Should be a cool car- hard to say at this point-

Now, what you may not know- Holden also makes a CAR-TRUCK variety, called the Ute- here are some pics of the 2002 model(this is a production car in austrailia- not a concept car)
http://www.elcaminocentral.com/modules/My_eGallery/gallery/elkys/ute-1.jpg
http://www.elcaminocentral.com/modules/My_eGallery/gallery/elkys/ute-2.jpg

There has been some talk that Bob Lutz (VP of design for GM) would like to import this as the next ElCamino.

Maybe someone else can dig up the right URL to holdens site, but I beleive the specs on the car currently in production(at least the ss model) are: RWD, LS1 V8 (300+hp)

Could be pretty bad ass- what do you think?

The spec.'s are here:
http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/vehicleentry?vehicleid=15

And Yes, I would buy one if they retain the current drive train...

I might have to sell a kidney if they import those here :lol: I'd do about anything to come up with the funds to get one!!!!!!!!!!! :!:

On another note.. possibly a little extra shove to GM to import it... Subaru released their "Baja" this year- it is a 4 door sedan- with a bed. Remember the Brat Anyone?

Its funny, on the commercial for it- at the end, they show a guy loading stuff into the back of a new one- and in the background and old 80 Brat pulls up- the the narrator says "sometims- people just get it"

Now if GM could just get it, and give us OURS... :)

I don't like modernizing the elky. It might end up like all the other cars on the road, fast, sleek, and they all look alike. When someone has to tell me what kind of car they have, then I don't want it. I've never been asked what kind of car mine is.

Another thing I don't like is all the SS, LS, RS, xyz, badges and fog lights that are on every single car. The next time your driving down the road, look at how many cars have fog lights and some type of SS badge on them. It takes away from the true meaning. I think SS should mean SS. The Dale E. Monte Carlo has two stickers and floor mats. I looked at one awhile back and couldn't figure out the difference from a normal Monte.

Sometimes I can't tell a ricer from a domestic. Of course it's hard to tell where a car is made now, imports are made here and domestics are imports!

I don't like cars that you do "MODS" to. I got caught up in that with my 95 Trans Am and our current 92 S10 Blazer. All mods do are cost a ton of money with no significant improvement. For what you pay for a FIPK, you could buy a brand new Edelbrock.

I say we bury the name with the car and quit using names we grew up on just to sell cars.

Just my .02

I think the Holden Ute SS is awesome. I don't even have my first El Camino yet, but bringing it back as the Ute would be cool. I agree that SS should mean Super Sport, not just a badge for marketing purposes. I wonder how much GM would want to sell the Ute for here in the US. With the LS1 engine, I bet they'd want about $22000. Of course they'd also offer it with a V6 and maybe even a I4 so that the base price could be around $15000. We'll have to see exactly how they turn the Holden Monaro into a Pontiac GTO first...

I'll take two!

I personally don't like it, but I'm an old fart and what do I know. It'll probablly catch on with the younger generation though.

I personally don't like it, but I'm an old fart and what do I know. It'll probablly catch on with the younger generation though.

Well said and I agree....I don't like any of the new cars...like Dugmaze said, they all look alike ('cept for a few)...I'd much rather drive the real thing....

I can't tell by the picture. Is the Ute a full size vehicle?
If I'm not mistaken, isn't the Chevy SSR their way of reintroducing the Elky. I know it's a bit retro looking, but with the car style and truck bed...
I think they will be around 28,000.

I can't tell by the picture. Is the Ute a full size vehicle?
If I'm not mistaken, isn't the Chevy SSR their way of reintroducing the Elky. I know it's a bit retro looking, but with the car style and truck bed...
I think they will be around 28,000.

They'll be much higher once the dealer gets his "availability fee" involved...

We all thought that about the SSR, but the nameplate will not be El Camino...they're sticking with the SSR plate...

Can you imagine this car slammed to the ground with cheerio sized wheels, fart pipes, "Type R" racing team stickers and a baby buggy handle attached to the bed?

Can you imagine this car slammed to the ground with cheerio sized wheels, fart pipes, "Type R" racing team stickers and a baby buggy handle attached to the bed?

yikes....bound to happen though....what about the 3' spoiler on the fiberglass rear cover??? (or is that the baby buggy handle)? :D

You know... I don't know about the riceboy thing(fartpipe/wing/etc)... Sure theres always a few out there... But we are talking about a ~$25-35k car. Most of the posers who drive the riceboy cars like that won't be able to afford one- and the guys with the truely fast imports (supras/300z/eclipse, etc) won't be interested in them anyway..

How many newer z28s or camaro SS's have you seen that were totally riced out? Not many. Not much need to rice out a car with a 350+hp LS1, that already comes with 17" rims from the factory.... Same as most of the truely fast imports... Most Twin Turbo supras & eclipses are mostly stock looking.. Maybe some nice rims, but there is not much point when the car is already bad ass.

No... if Chevy brings that bad boy here to join the new GTO & dodges v8 powered 300m next year- you will know the second coming of musclecars is here- not necessarily like in the 60s... but how else could you describe the trend, back to RWD cars(READ: not sports cars) with v8 engines and gobs of power.

I think it would be great to see a new 340 hp ls1 6 speed elky that smokes mustanges and if its any thing like my ta it would fly and be lots of fun to drive and own. and now that there are no more f bodies it would at least give us some thing with rear wheel drive that will bring us back in to a gm dealers again.

You know... I don't know about the riceboy thing(fartpipe/wing/etc)... Sure theres always a few out there... But we are talking about a ~$25-35k car. Most of the posers who drive the riceboy cars like that won't be able to afford one- and the guys with the truely fast imports (supras/300z/eclipse, etc) won't be interested in them anyway..

How many newer z28s or camaro SS's have you seen that were totally riced out? Not many. Not much need to rice out a car with a 350+hp LS1, that already comes with 17" rims from the factory.... Same as most of the truely fast imports... Most Twin Turbo supras & eclipses are mostly stock looking.. Maybe some nice rims, but there is not much point when the car is already bad ass.

No... if Chevy brings that bad boy here to join the new GTO & dodges v8 powered 300m next year- you will know the second coming of musclecars is here- not necessarily like in the 60s... but how else could you describe the trend, back to RWD cars(READ: not sports cars) with v8 engines and gobs of power.

We were just syaing that some knothead will do it....it's the style...like baggy pants and rap....

I will say they are getting smart going back to rear wheel drive...the public's shunning of FWD cars was obvious a long while back and they should have done it much sooner.

this is my first post on this forum, i'm 17, i don't own an el camino, and before i realized i would have enough money to buy one this summer i liked ricers. i spent a day looking at el caminos and reading about them and i will never think another ricer looks good again. after i get my tax return i am getting an elky and i can't wait...

i think the ute and that ssr both look bad... the El camino is the only car that has ever pulled of half car half truck.... i can't wait to own one....

Werlcome to the world of Elkys...hope getting yours goes smoothly...what year(s) are you considering?

I think the whole front wheel drive thing was a conspiracy, cut manufacturing costs for the auto makers and make our cars near impossible for us backyard mechanics to work on our own cars. Just got back from picking up my Cadillac Deville with the Northstar engine from the repair shop. Had to have the alternator and battery replaced after it was towed in. $637.00. I couldn't even see where the alternator was, half the bill was labor. Could've replaced the alternator and battery in my Elky myself for that much and still had enough for an MSD distibutor and maybe even a set of good headers. Gotta have a degree in electronic engineering these days to even figure out whats wrong with a new car.

ok this is off topic so i will keep the answer short... i am looking for a 69 or 70... there are a few in my area that i have to check there condition... but i need to wait until i get me tax check first

Gotta have a degree in electronic engineering these days to even figure out whats wrong with a new car.

That's why I drive nothing later than 1979.... :D

Endever;

3rd gen. Great choice...a word to the wise, spend more time inspecting underneath (floor pans, frame rails etc.) than how cool the interior or body may appear, that can be replaced...and don't be fooled by some killer sound system when the above mentioned attributes don't come up to snuff...

Always ask how original the drive train is as well as any documentation the seller may have, ie: receipts or maintence records.

Just speaking from experience...Good luck!

thanks 87SS i will do just that...

I especially like the 225KW engine :)

After seeing the pictures I like the Decoma concept car better than the Holden Ute. Just my opinion.

Let the El Camino rest! If Chevrolet did bring it back I don't think it would be a big Hit and a waist of money! If it were me I would let the LEGEND rest! I feel honored to have a car that a lot of people don't and it stands out if you've seen my site. If you parked a new one next to an Old one then I would take the older one anyday!

The Decoma Concept is OK, but it's too short, and it's a FWD.

The owner of Grantelli Motorsports loves the Ute SS, and is importing 50 of them, 25 right hand drive, 25 left hand drive. You can see pics of both the Decoma Concept and the Grantelli motorsports "El Retro Camino" at SEMA on my website in the Events section. (but there's this goofy looking kid in the shots of the Decoma concept) :lol:

I would donate my kidney/eye/lung/heart/brain to get a Ute SS. I'm going to settle for 99 Vette in a few years when my ma is finished with it, unless it "disappears" and a Corvette drivetrain magically appears in my El 6 months later. :twisted: