Misc. Elky Questions.......

[Ringneck]

Since these cross over to several other categories I'll just post it as one topic here.

Refurb'ing my '78 Elky. Had a few questions...

1) 80 MPH speedo..... Is there a speedo from another GM product that will replace mine that goes above 80?
2) Consol...... Did Chevy or another make produce a consol/shifter that will fit right in my car?
3) Headlight buzzer. Did they make a buzzer for the headlight if you leave it on?
4) Interior trim/pannels...... Wanting to convert mine to black. What years of Camino have pieces that swap with mine should I find a parts car?

Thanks guys!!!!!!!!
BradLaGrange

[Robby85]

Hello Brad,

I can't help with the other questions but they do sell a buzzer kit for the headlights (local auto parts) Plugs into the fuse socket for the headligts. I have one and it has worked well for years.

Good luck.

[Steve81OR]

Originally Posted by Ringneck

1) 80 MPH speedo..... Is there a speedo from another GM product that will replace mine that goes above 80?

Yes, the speedo's out of a Monte Carlo SS and El Camino SS will work (other G-Body cars of the same era should also work), but you may need to get the whole speedo bucket (dash pod) to connect it right, try using the Search feature, this topic has been discussed at length several times.

Originally Posted by Ringneck

2) Consol...... Did Chevy or another make produce a consol/shifter that will fit right in my car?

Yes, check the answer to question 1. A Monte Carlo SS or Buick Grand National will be your best bet, if you can find one. There may even be an Oldsmobile or Pontiac model that will fit with only slight modifications.

Personally, I bought an aftermarket B&M Shifter and a center console from a junkyard Chevy S10. But I'm not trying to get a stock look, I just needed something functional without looking hacked together.

Originally Posted by Ringneck

4) Interior trim/pannels...... Wanting to convert mine to black. What years of Camino have pieces that swap with mine should I find a parts car?

The 5th generation El Camino's (78 - 87) are the same where the Interior parts are concerned. The door panels look different, but they mount the same.

Krylon, Dupli-Color and others make really good plastic, vinyl, and cloth paints and dyes these days. I repainted my entire interior (including the old bench seat and carpet) from medium blue to black, you'll never be able to tell the difference if you clean and prep correctly, not to mention it's much cheaper.

[Ringneck]

Thanks to both of you for the info!

Robby, thanks for the heads up on the buzzer!

Steve;

I'll hunt those earlier threads down, re; speedo.

Other than the carpet and a couple of plastic trim pieces there isn't much I'd want to save. The previous owner did the dash, head liner, door pannels, and buckets in some kind of horrible burlap like cloth in a nasty nuetral gray/beige. It's like an early 90's hospital threw up in my car....... But there are some plastic interior trim and hte carpet I could redye. If I get cheap I may re-dye the buckets too, but man would they look cooler in vinyl (has some kind of much earlier strato buckets in it)

Thanks for the rest of the info too! I'll hit the junk yards for a consol set up.

[Steve81OR]

I wasn't sure of the condition of your interior, sorry about the "'90's hospital" look (my hat has been removed and placed over my heart as a sign of respect).


I've seen some of the guys on this forum that have been very creative when it came to their interior, some really beautiful console installs that look like they came from the factory. You should be able to find just what you need if you look around a bit.

It sounds like you already have your bucket seats, but you may be able to find matching seats and a console out of the same donor car. It really helps with the custom look. I see a nice set of fully electric leather seats in your future.

I found a few posts that might give you some ideas.
Elky 83
464elky
More Interior Pics
Even More Interior Pics
Still More Interiors
Had to include my own

These are just a few links to get some ideas flowing. Hope it helps.

[Ringneck]

If you could see my current interior we'd share a beer over the tragedy.

The carpet, the plastic trim pieces around the windows, and the curtain that hides the underbed cargo/spare tire area are the original saddle tan. The carpet is a little darker but I think it's factory.

The gray/beige burlap then takes over. It's GLUED over the dash and door pannels. Then they made the headliner out of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bleah! Oh, and of course the cool bucket seats got covered in it too, even the plastic pannel behind the backrest.

I think the seats came from an early 70's Chevelle. Supposedly thats what the rear gears came from, and these are definatley older looking seats and they came from a car with a back passenger seat (they have ashtrays built into the backs). The seats I may dye just because they seem disporportinaly expensive to recover.

Great car you have! I really dig the leg burners!! Cool paint job too, I like the pinstripe below the two-tone. You know, if I didn't have Rallies I would have went with wheels like your stock jobs. Always liked those.

Cool interior pictures--- I didn't see any consol shift automatics, whics is what I was going for. Do parts exist for that conversion?

My car is a driver, but I'm going for kind of an early 80's personal hot-rod look. Mostly stock but with some add ons like my Fuzzbuster II, an after market 8-Trac w/Realistic cassette adaptor, 21 channel CB, etc. I'm hiding my CD player. Figured I'd put some airshocks on the back and give it just the LITTLEST boost, almost where you don't even notice. She's allready got the older style Rally rims and big tires.

Also, I went really minimal on exterior trip. I have it around the windows, bed, but not the side or wheel wells. I think some chrome trim, plus the big bumpers work better for late 70's/early 80's cars. But you've got me thinking side pipes as a "down the road" option.

[fast68]

there are buzzers with headlight reminder but you have to have the buzzer socket with two rows of spades though

the s-10 trucks used these like my 91 has

if your elky only has a single row of spades in the buzzer socket then a headlight reminder one wont work

some buzzer had a couple wires on them as well, extra im not sure what they were for

orange and gray etc

in the 80s caprices and such

standard dash were 85mph per government regulations

but with special packages/options you could get higher than 85 speedos

i cant remember what year this began but it was around 1980 or 1981 it started 79 was still 100mph i know in alot of vehicles anyways probably 1980 also, id have to check the '80 K-20 truck out here and see hmm



good luck

[MrCryptic]

those interiors you posted Steve are pro. I'm just hoping mine can turn out half as good! lol

[Steve81OR]

Originally Posted by Ringneck

...I didn't see any consol shift automatics, whics is what I was going for.

Most of the pictures in those links are automatics, that was the point I was trying to make. Those pictures belong to guys on this forum. If you hunt around a bit, you'll find something that will fit and have the style your looking to achieve.