There have got to be more Elky's around these parts. I see em every day but don't see em in here!

Maybe I can generate some interest when I get my 74 back together and start going down to the Scottsdale pavillions or the KMART parking lot over on BELL and 67thAVE (Glendale) on SAT nights.

Gotta make sure to wear my El CAmino Central T-shirt too. :P

So who's the director out here anyway, and what do they do??

:?

Hi Jim -- We have over thirty members in Region 15, which covers Arizona and New Mexico. There is currently no Regional Director; we have been looking for one without success for several months now. I see that you have been a very regular poster to our website and have a background in computer systems. That and owning a 4th Generation Elky make you very qualified for this job! You already know about some local cruise nights that you could invite other local members to attend and get acquainted.

Would you be willing to take this exalted position and help us increase the size and reach of our organization? I can provide you with info on members out there to initially contact via email and see what events they would like to attend with you. Contact me via email or PM.

We'd love to have you on board. (Note to other regions: Still several vacancies on our Regional Directors list. Anyone interested, please contact me at:

judgeharris@comcast.net

James, I just looked at the Regional Directors list (http://elcaminocentral.com/article-86-thread-1-1.html), and it appears that there is an opening for a Region 15 director. Looks like it covers AZ and NM.

I've read many of your threads and think you should contact John Harris at judgeharris@comcast.net to talk to him about you becoming the Region 15 Director. John is our National Director. Some times it just takes one person to take that first step....

I've been the Regional 2 Director for a short time and enjoy it. Let me know if I can help in any way.

Sorry John. We must have been typing on this thread at the same time. :-D

Hmm, intriguing, Think of the power! HA!

Something to consider for sure.

thx

8)

Iam interested in a El Camino club if there is one in AZ. Iam only 16 (almost 17) and have a '82 that needs A LOT of work, but I still love her.. Iam planning on taking it to the car shows arround as soon as I can. I have always wanted to take a car to a car show, even if it is still a work in progress. I live in Gilbert and know of a few arround me and am looking forward to taking it to one soon. I was also wondering if there is ever a car run or a scavenger hunt that I could take my El Camino on some weekend. Any information would be a big help. Thank you for your time.

C.J. Lee
cjlee07@hotmail.com

Hey Gang,
Found this website which is great. I just bought a 1982 Elky and love it..looking forward to making it loud and proud and cruising the streets showing it off.

Here's a link tosome cruises and car shows in Arizona. Hope you find something that is close to you and have a good time meeting other Elky owners.

http://www.enjoythedrive.com/events

Long time member, infrequent poster on the boards. My El has been hibernating for almost two years, but tonight I started tearing back into her, as she's getting some serious mods before she hits the road again. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm the king of crazy ideas, and my baby will be no exception. I'm very busy, I'm going full time to MCC (marketing/ welding major) and I'm starting my training as a bartender for Red Robin (Superstition Springs location) next week, but I'm keeping my Saturdays open to work on the El and I would love to find some fellow El enthusiasts here in the valley.

Hello
I'm new to the site & wanted to say maybe I'll see you in the K-Mart parking lot some time. I drive a 1971 Elky, white w/cowl hood that has 2 black stripes painted down the front.
Lynda

Welcome, Welcome to all of you. Not that I'm any kind of ambassador or anything. Although they did try to get me to take the regional director's job. :-)

Anyway, Might be awhile before I get out to any weekend get togethers as I am still i the process of putting the trim back on my 74. I just got the last batch back from polishing at Metro Plating. Now the fun starts. Just have to figure out where to start. Probably the bed rails.

Everything's been so nuts here lately though that I haven't been able to get my car home here

It's living in storage about a half mile away from my house out of harms way while a bunch of other projects happen around the house. Stuff going on like Holdays and such plus just finished helping out my folks get their 69 Firebird in shape for the Goodguys show that just happened a couple of weeks ago. I got pictures of that one when I pulled the whole front clip off of it. That was a mess. But it came out awesome.

I got a buddy I go see on Saturday that lives in Glendale so one of these saturday's I'll have to drag the EL out ( soon as I get all the Two tone trim back on) and mosey over to that KMART parking lot everyone hangs out at. I won't race ya tho. :) Got a stand in 72 350 truck block mildly warmed over in it right now. One of these Days I'll get enough cash and time together to rebuild the original 400 it came with.

If you see a silver/ dark gray two tone 74 El on that side of town with no trim and lotsa little holes where the trim should be, that's me. :-) I got it over to my buddies house to see the new paint once already so anything is possible. :-)

I just live down the street from there...off 67th ave & Greenway Rd.
I won't race you either.. :lol: I need to rebuild the 350 in her, the #1 cylinder is gone or almost. If you see my Elky..close your eyes when or if you look at the tailgate.. :) I have another tailgate but it just isn't the same as the one that's on her. I don't know anything about body work. :-(
I took the bench seat out of her and put in bucket seats from 72 camaro that sits in my back yard. I have a ways to go before Elky will be where I want her.
I'll keep an eye out for a silver/dark gray holly Elky.. :lol:

new el camino to the websight im on page 29 of the 5th generation cars.
http://elcaminocentral.com/modules.php?set_albumName=nobagsjustplainlow&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

i go to the pavillions car show about every other weekend and i have only seen two other el caminos there. if there are any 5th generation el camino owners in scottsdale come to the show.

i would love to go to some shows in the phoenix/ west valley area. cant bring my 68 though cause its still on the trailer in san diego, b ut should get it back here in buckeye over the 4th of july weekend. needs a lot of worl to, body and interior, new engine and tranny, etc, so it'll be a while before it hits the street. but i would love to get together at some shows, cause i dont know hardly anyone out here. i can however bring my 04 sierra (reg cab short bed 2wd 5.3 w/ a magnusson supercharger and about 400 rwhp and some nice 18" torq-thrust st's)

Hi I post here occasionally got a 72 el camino in tucson, bought it as a body 2 years ago installed drive train interior electrical got it running and I go and find a 70 chevelle, been spending way too much time on it since then and the poor el camino is now sitting on blocks waiting for the day I take it out for a drive, Jim

Hi I post here occasionally got a 72 el camino in tucson, bought it as a body 2 years ago installed drive train interior electrical got it running and I go and find a 70 chevelle, been spending way too much time on it since then and the poor el camino is now sitting on blocks waiting for the day I take it out for a drive, Jim

You should have a pretty good chance of getting parts for your 72. I always liked that body style and my next Elky (if there is a next) will be in the 70-72 range. Get that thing back together and you'll have a great pair of Chevys.

:)

Relatively new to Arizona. I have a 66 El Camino 300 deluxe here in Chandler. Owned it 10 years. Bought it as a beater in Ventura California with a 327 (original 6) and a column shifter that was a hope and a prayer to find 2nd gear. During that time, I have rebuilt a 71 402 BB for it with mild cam and headers. Added a 12 bolt posi rear. It has the original 3 speed saginaw (replace soon) with a Hurst floor shifter. Some new interior parts and rechromed bumpers. The car runs great, but now I need to find a local paint shop. I used to do some bodywork and have done most of the El Camino, including welding up the trim holes down the side and replacing a fender/door.

Can you guys recommend a painter in the area? I got the wife's blessing to go ahead and paint!

Thanks!

Hi all in AZ and NM. I've been reading these post and may have seen all your cars at the Pavillions, Gilbert or even the Arizona Millls cruise ins. Check my profile and see if you recognize my Elky.

I pulled the engine last year over Labor Day week end ( 4.3 V6) and replaced it with a 325hp 350. Project took a while but I'm proud that I turned every bolt.

Anyway now that I'm up and running and trying to keep tread on the rear tires I'm cruising again. The last car club I was in has busted up some I'm looking for new cruisers to meet up with on the week ends.

Anybody up for activities ?

There are a ton of nice El Caminos in Phoenix, some of them must belong to you guys........

Waz up ??? ( OK, I admit I am too old to say that )
:cool:

I hardly ever see Minos in Phoenix. (Well, probably because I don't live there ..haha.) We have tons of them up north here in Prescott. I was driving around the other day with my husband and we saw 4 in driveways on the same street :P

But anyways, this is my first post. This site looks cool and I'm sure that it'll be very helpful, 'cause I'll admit, I don't know much about restoration =X But I know that it's gonna be pretty fun!

But anyways, it'd be pretty cool to go to a little AZ Camino meet er somethin'. I hope mine would make it down to the valley! Haha.

So with all those Elky's in Prescott were there several in the show you guys had recently?

Was yours one of them?

With the temps at 110 + in Phoenix maybe we could get an Elky rally in Prescott ....I'd make that run to enjoy some of your mountain air.

Anything happening up there except the cruise at Zekes?

Yep there was 4 at the show on Saturday :) None of them were mine, she still needs some work... a paint job, 2 more moon caps (I'm too poor for rally wheels at the moment haha), and a new dash, and a cracked tail light replacement...then she'll be ready :) Luckilly I have a pretty flawless enterior as far as the seats and everthing else so I don't have to worry about that.

There are a lot of Mino daily drivers up here, which is awesome.

I haven't heard much about the Zekes car shows this summer, I'm not sure when the next one is. The Dewey Classic Cruisers show is coming up in October. I can't wait to see some Minos! We hope to have mine in the PCC show next year. Hoorah!

All -

Just joined this group. Looks very interesting.

Looking forward to getting more involved with my 68 & 69 elky, as I'm winding down on my circle track program at the local tracks.

Anyone else from the Tucson area?
AJ Davis

Im back again, I sold the 72 back in december, and kept at the chevelle, got the thing registered and insured, actually drive it on weekends etc. Going to take it to SIR for test and tune tommorrow night. Well my wife tells me to go and get another project because its just weird not haveing a car that needs resurrecting in the back yard, so I find a 68 el co. in a friends yard, buy it, drag it home, find out the coil is grounded, install a hei and she runs! all in about 3 hours. in two months ive ownedit I had the bench upholstered. new headliner, carpet, rebuilt the holley, new tires on the torque thrust D rims, and there she sits. No insurance! But it looks nice. Jim

I have a 79 El camino That im building for racing. Gonna have a 383 with 600 hp and I have a 9' 35 spline with locker and 411 gears

I'll be in Phoenix this coming week. Hopefully I can scope out some of your Minos! :P

Did you & hub make it down to PHX? I was at the Pavillions last night, about 120 cars there and only 2 El Caminos, mine and 1 other.

i'm down here in the valley for job training. (for old navy haha)

only two minos!? shameeee shameeee :P

Did you drive the Elky? Next cruises are Friday and Sat.

Looks like you are missing a "Nomad" show in your area, actually up the road a bit in Sedona through the 14th.

You can see details of many shows and cruise ins at:

http://www.cruisinarizona.com

Check it out.

thanks for sharing the website :)

funny story about my mino... i finally got her all cleaned up, registered, and insured....
it had the added on gauges (is that how you spell that?) like the oil pressure and temp ones...we wanted to take them off, because we were convinced that they weren't hooked up...we took off a few of them with no problems, then we got to the oil one and we couldn't get it off, so my husband got mad and grabbed the back of the thing and ripped it off. everyting was okay until we got in the car to leave and I turn it on and oil starts shooting out of the dashboard where the little line thing was...it shot out like 3 feet and got all over my nice cream colored interior 8O

so now we have to fix the little thing before we can drive her or else oil will shoot out at like a quart every minute, and that's not a good thing!


alas, i took the kia to phoenix... lol

OMG ! Oil shooting on cream colored interior ! Did you get it clean?

Do you have working factory guages or were these the "Pep Boys" variety that hang under something?

not totally clean. i tried like 4 different cleanersl on it, even one from stanley steamer carpet cleaner people...haha. i haven't been able to get it all out yet :*(

and yeah it's those lame add on ones. they hang down and they'd hit me in the knee when i get in the car! lol

So Sara, I'm feeling sorry for your husband, Is he "in the dog house"?

I'm not familiar with the type of oil pressure guage you had. The factory ones sense the pressure at the block and send the signal back to the guage by variable voltage. Don't know him yet but I'm sure that is what your husband was thinking so give the guy a break and let him back in the house
:lol: !

What are your next plans for fix up.....maybe I can help you guys avoid another unpleasnt surprise.

haha yah i've never seen one like that either, it was an actual tube of oil coming out through the dash and into the gauge. ...strange. and yes, it's too hot for the boy outside, I let him back in :) haha

I think my Mino is cursed. the day we got her, we opened the back sliding window, and ever since then (in april) we haven't been able to shut it. it was impossible. I even sprayed wd40 on it. so everytime it rained we had to throw a tarp over it...which really wasn't that big of a deal, but it was annoying. so my mom comes over yesterday and she was looking at it and she was like "your window is open." and right when i was about to explain that it was impossible to close, she slid it closed like it was no big deal. i was like 8O <~ like that haha.

so i would have said that our next venture was closing the window, but now that that's taken care of...haha.

honestly the only other things that needs to be done for her are paint, new wheels and rims (that i cant afford at the moment) and ...the dash, we're not sure what we're doing with that. it's cracked and stuff...i've heard good things about those dash caps that just go over it, but i've heard bad things too... and i don't think i'd be able to install a whole new dash...so...maybe i'll just make a new dashmat for it for now haha

have you ever used one of the caps or installed a new dash?

8) Hey Sara! Go to the body restoration forum look under 73 Laguna Nose on A 77 page 5. Mayhem has some good pictures and how to put on a dash cap! :cool:
P.S. My Granddaughter is a Sara too! :)

Hey Sara, I didn't find the page Johnny was talking about but I've heard it is not to tough to put on the cap. I'm still running around with the carpeted dash cover but, since we are "Zonies" everybody here is used to that. I've got dash covers on all my cars even the new ones.

Anyway if you buy a cap there is a place in Mesa called "Space Age Paint" that can match your vinyl color real close. They have like 3 shades of every color and you can compare a swatch to your dash for the closest match. Sort takes into consideration the fading and gets you even closer.

My Elky had idiot lights and I'm changing over to the full guage instrument pod. I painted the Pod and it is so close I'm confident it will look the same. I'm doing white face guage overlays and I have been thinking of doing a cap while I have the pod off where I can just do it all at one time.

Like your new bowtie ! You should post a pic of your Classic, so what if it needs paint, we all did at one time.....you should still be proud and everyone can watch your progress when you update.

BTW, did your Mom teach you the secret to the window?

http://x60.xanga.com/3428077019c4853426013/m35824820.jpg

This is like one of the only pictures I have of the car so far lol we don't have a digital camera...so last millenium, I know lol
That's Evan being a dork on the hood.

But I doooo have a fancy new camera phone, maybe I'll take some with that tomorrow just because I can.

Thanks for the info, guys.

The Mino came with a dashmat, and yea, like you said, those are like...necessary for living here. The only problem was that it's made out of back viynal (HAH oh my gosh no one in this house knows how to spell this.) and you can't drive with it on because it reflects like mad onto the windshield and blinds you...haha.

It's kinda cool that you can paint it, 'cause we're thinking of going from a cream interior, to a red one, over time. So yes. that's cool.

I'll check out the stuff both yall are talkin' about and i'll post some pics tomorrow :)

PS-- How do you turn on the bright headlights? Are the ones on the top or the bottom ...'cause some of them are burnt out and I don't know which ones to buy lol I'm clueless

Okay so cool I found the photos and the instructions and stuff...sounds pretty cool. the only problems being getting it off and getting it back on haha

why does his dash look totally different than mine? 8O

8) How do you mean different on the dash? On the headlight thing, the dimmer switch should be on the lower firewall just to the right of the e-brake. Should be a round silver button that sticks out through the carpet. The top bulbs are the low beam and the bottom bulbs are the high beams. on low only the top ones are on on high all four are on. :cool:

thanks for the headlight info. I'm sure that all 4 of them need to be changed 'cause I can't drive her at night 'cause they're all too dim =X

As far as the different dash...it's like...way different. I have a horizontal spedometer, and not all those little circle gauge things...I'll take a pic later today. Maybe it's because I have a Classic, but I didn't think it'd be that different.

hm...

Okay so this is what my dash looks like
http://x64.xanga.com/a77a63635323567356937/m45218348.jpg
http://xa7.xanga.com/cada7afa2473567356947/m45218353.jpg
LOL I can't get my key out of the ignition so it's been in there for months haha


http://x22.xanga.com/46ea44654703267356951/m45218356.jpg
That's what's left over after the oil incident and the stupid thing that caused the problem lol

http://xd4.xanga.com/adba62644733567356957/m45218361.jpg
What's behind that black thing? Was it a speaker? I'm scared to take it off lol I need a new little door handle keeper onner thingie.

http://x3f.xanga.com/303a2761c733067356530/m45218134.jpg
My baby has a crooked bumper. =/

http://x30.xanga.com/c97a74644853567356964/s45218364.jpg
And this is the huge hole left by what I'm guessing was a hood ornament. Anyone have some bondo? lol

8) You have the standard idiot light dash same as mine. The also offered one with round idiot lights and the SS had round guages with a tach. Except for that the upper (dash pad) and lower dash is the same. The ignitition key switch probably had a tumbler drop thus holding the key stuck. Just pick up a replacement. Unfortunatly some one cut your door panels to add more speakers. :mad: Hate when people do that! The piece for the door strap you might be able to find on ebay. I think Autozone sells replacement ones, you would probably have to get all four so they would match. Your bumper don't look too bad. If the chrome is good a good body shop might be able to straighten it for you. I know the shop I worked for had a tool for taking out small twists and bends. Don't know what was on the hood! As far as I knew the ornament on the Gen. 4s' was on the header just above the grill. Looks like a good Elky to start with. I know it is a lot better than mine was to start! :cool:

Yeah the bumper was my biggest concern when I was thinking about purchasing it. The chrome is perfect and not even dented, but I didn't want it to fall off while i was driving. But I jumped on it and it didn't move, so I don't think it's going anywhere :lol: it just has some character ;)

Thanks for clearing up the dashboard stuff. I was reading the steps to putting the cap on and i'm wondering if we could just take it off, do the sanding and the bondo like stuff on it and then paint it..hmm. It'd be worth a try cause if it doesn't work we can always cover it up with a cap..haha.

That's lame about the door panels. the el camino store website had new ones, so maybe that's an option, which sort of sucks cause other than the cut and the one missing little clip thing, mine are in perfect condition. :x

Either that or we can take off the black thing and give it the hook up with some bumpin speakers. (to go with the stock tape player and radio that don't work)

Pahah :lol:

Sara,

You can also get the pull strap parts at "ECparts.net", go to this URL:

http://www.ecparts.net/INPull.htm#Pull%20Strap%20Parts

These pieces are made of plastic and I'm not sure if they just don't do well in the AZ heat or if they break easily. I've replaced about 6 of them over the years on 3 different Elkys and I see them broken in other peoples photos. More often the little covers break.

Anyway Rick at ECparts may also know what type of ornament was on your hood. Like Johnny he has this generation himself and I think maybe he has 2 (one he calls string bean). He has always been a good source of information and his parts are genuine GM unless stated otherwise.

Your pics look good, did you post to the gallery?

I tried posting to the album thing once before but it didn't exactly work.

Thanks for the website and the info. I bet it is just the AZ heat that's killer on parts. Luckilly I live in Prescott, so it's not as bad.

I hope to take more/better pics someday soon if I ever get a digital camera lol

8) Hey Sara! Just PM Poltergiest and he will help you set up an album! :cool:

Cool thanks! I can't wait to share my pretty Mino with the world haha

Hello, all. Just joined after receiving a SURPRISE last Friday evening. Deba (best half of this partnership) handed me the keys to a nice 84 SS when I arrived home. Album[web:bba1dd174c]http://rides.webshots.com/album/554512000qVhfnr[/web:bba1dd174c] posted on the new members forum.

Anyhoo, don't know the in's 'n out's of this site so bear with me. I had a 64 many years ago and let it get away. Have always wanted another and she got it for me. Gonna be fun to join in here. Mine needs a little TLC but looks and drives good. Kingman, AZ is a hot-bed of classic cars (Air and Car show next weekend if ya wanna head over this way!)

My major interests revolve around motorcyles, but the El has been a serious lust factor for me for years. She won't ride the MC anymore so the Mino will be our "together" vehicle.

Hope to meet a bunch of you at future events.

George
in Kingman, Arizona

Hi George,

Welcome aboard ! Nice lookin' El Camino you have there. All my hot rod builder friends would call that color "resale red". Great gift also.....gee and I've been wanting a stupid laptop.... :P

Anyway I just thought I'd say hi, if we can help you with any info let me know !

Yeah welcome :) Nice Mino you got there. I don't know much about kingman...It's cool that there's lots of cars and events there. I'm from Prescott, so it's the same here. There's actually a show tomorrow :) I hope to see some new little beauties!
:D