[CopperTop]

I have been a member of this forum for a short 3 months and I can see there is quite an eclectic mix of members. That has gotten me wondering what it is about the El Camino that draws people to it, so I have decide to conduct an informal poll. I don’t want to limit people’s responses to my preconceived notions so the questions are open ended.

I would like as many willing members as possible to respond and answer three basic questions in any manner they choose. I will try to glean the kernel of information I am looking for from the response. If you have more than one car, just answer the questions multiple times if you have different reasons for owning them.

The three bits of information I am most interested in are …

1) What generation of El Camino do you own
2) Why do you have that generation and not one of the others
3) What are your (realistic) future plans for the vehicle

When the responses trickle off to near nothing, I will crunch the data and see if any interesting trends emerge. If anyone else is interested I will post the results back to the thread.

And before anybody else says it … yes, I know that I need to get out more. :???:


I will start …

I own a third gen because that is the body style that appeals to me the most. Specifically the ’68 & ’69 model years. I would have taken a second gen or fifth gen after the quad headlights appeared, but I really like the third generation the best.

What I want to do with the car is make it into a high-end driver or a low-end show car, depending on your point of view.


From the above response I can divine a couple of things. The first is that obviously I own a third generation El Camino. I have that one because I like it better than other years and I am most interested in building the car for its looks/appearance.


Thanks in advance for helping satisfy my curiosity.


Copper

 

[elkper1771]

OK,... Terry, If'n you insist. My recent Caminos have been 5th.generation ('86 & current '87), simply because they were the only ones I could find that were somewhat clean & parts are abundant. I have previously owned a 4th., 3rd., and 2nd. generation Camino also, with no regrets. However in my neck of the woods those years are either scarce, or complete train-wrecks. I intend to keep & daliy drive my '87 til' it falls apart,.. or I do. Should I find any other clean model years, bet your butt I'll snatch it up. Hope this helped... - George, South Carolina
:beer:

 

[old_coot]

I have a fifth gen...83 to be exact, I have it because when I went looking it was the first one I found that was good enough for what I wanted to do and it was cheap enough and plentiful enough that I feel it's alright to mod it and make it my own without destroying a collectable. I also own a Buick Regal T-type (I bought new) and several Monte CarloSS's so I am familiar with the chassis and wiring so it bent the learning curve way way down.
The truck I got was a one owner, garage kept vehicle with less than a hundred thousand on it...pretty nice in and out so a good place to start. The ultimate goal is to power it with a 510 cu in Caddy engine and I want to sneak an Astro AWD drivetrain in too but keep the ride height as close to stock as possible. Then I want to graft a Buick Regal nose on it and then use it to tow my T-type to car shows and the race track...ought to make quite an entrance that way.....Dan

 

[Bobby78]

OK let's play!

1) 1978 5th gen first of the downsized elkies.

2)Overall affordability, parts readilly available and relatively cheap. Like the early single headlight 5th gens better because in my opinion they look older. To me the four light versions look too "new".

3) my overall plans are very similar to yours. To have a real nice daily driver that can hold its own at a show and take an occasional 2nd or 3rd place. It'll never be a first place winner or a trailer queen. But that's fine. I enjoy driving them more than "looking" at them.

All that being said if I could have any year it would be a 70 SS 454 LS6.

 

[elkper1771]

Bobby,. yeah me too !

Oh Hey, Bobby,.. I'd love to grasp a '70 SS 454 also, but can't drain a bank account to get there. If you're able to find 2 @ a good price, please get up with me though. I'll get up to Westchester Cnty. in a heart-beat. George :smileyb:

OK let's play!

1) 1978 5th gen first of the downsized elkies.

2)Overall affordability, parts readilly available and relatively cheap. Like the early single headlight 5th gens better because in my opinion they look older. To me the four light versions look too "new".

3) my overall plans are very similar to yours. To have a real nice daily driver that can hold its own at a show and take an occasional 2nd or 3rd place. It'll never be a first place winner or a trailer queen. But that's fine. I enjoy driving them more than "looking" at them.

All that being said if I could have any year it would be a 70 SS 454 LS6.

 

[kyle_1979]

1) 5th Gen.
2) One was my first real car of my own. I have owned several since, including an SS, a Choo Choo, and now a Royal Knight. I love the diverse model options. My father owns a 4th Gen SS that he bought new in 77, and I've also previously owned a 3rd Gen '69 SS.
3) This is the first time I going all mechanical and suspension first, and then cosmetic second.

 

[CopperTop]

Thanks guys. I hope a few more chime in at some point so the sample size is large enough to actually mean something.


Copper

 

[fauxrs]

Ok I'll play

Ive always liked El Caminos specifically the third gen cars. Last year I went with some friends to Hot August Nights in Reno. I didnt take my corvette because its a 78 and thus too new.

One of the members of our group was Jeff Smith of Car Craft magazine weve known him for years, he was driving his 65 El Camino. Since i was taking pictures while on the road I took alot of photos of his car and came to really appreciate the earlier models.

When I was searching for a Camino to replace the Vette I honestly was looking for a third gen but every one i looked at was a roaring POS. the 66 sort of fell into my lap I bought the car like 38 minutes after it hit craigslist.

I loved the. Ette but it didnt allow me to participate in the shows my friends could participate in and smog laws prohibited me from doing the things I wanted to do. The Camino has none of those limitations

 

[CopperTop]

Marker so I know which entries I have compiled.


Copper

 

[Brett9917]

I own a 3rd gen, more specifically a 72. I have always loved 3rd (and 2nd) gens because I have always loved Chevelles as well, but I have nothing against the other gens. I just did exhaust this past weekend, so still contemplating my next move, but I am thinking switching to electric radiator fans possibly. Barring any necessary work.

 

[79ElCam]

I have an early 5th gen. I too prefer the single headlights.
I bought for a few reasons. one of my first cars was a g-body, and i loved it. I eventually lost interest in that one and regrettably sold it. I knew i wanted another g-body, but didnt want another coupe. there was just something about those El Caminos! I also tend to like vehicles that you dont see every day(at least not around here) . Lastly, I was looking for a ride that didnt need any body work, but was still affordable.
realistic near future plans include: finish my interior, get my new engine/trans installed. Have the engine, still need to order the trans(i'm a procrastinator:dontknow
not so near future plans include, a new rearend and a paintjob.

If I were to ever get another elky, it would be an early 2nd gen.

 

[oldtinsmith]

1) 5th Gen., 1980 factory manual transmission. Also owned a 1964, a 1969, and a 1979 (the '79 was my only one with an automatic transmission).
2) It was the first 5th Gen. I found with the factory manual transmission.
3) i've owned my '80 for 20 years now and it's in need of Build,,,,Rebuild. I USE my trucklets (hauling/towing), so I don't need it for a show and, it doesn't need a high dollar paint job. I'm after a trucklet that people will feel like taking a second look (see below!).

Doug

 

[LOCKJAW]

I own two 64's (2nd gen)
The mid 60's was my hotrod streetracing fun era.
I have one to sell, the other one I will drive until I expire or it expires. No plastic crapola cars for this old Marine!

 

[TexasElCamino]

Here's my answers:

1) What generation of El Camino do you own 5th Generation-78
2) Why do you have that generation and not one of the others I love the overall look of the 78, and it was more affordable than a 3rd Gen. (which are my favorites)
3) What are your (realistic) future plans for the vehicle I plan to continue using it as my daily driver, entering car shows, and try to make improvements as funds allow--oh, and to always make it stand out a little/be a little different.

 

[Bryan59EC]

I'll play

I was spoiled early on by driving luxury cars----the drivers in my early teens were a full size Plymouth
Sport Fury GT followed by a 73 Ply Gran' Coupe.

This put me in a category of needing a vehicle with a nice ride.
By the time I was 19, I needed a pickup to do some of the things you need a pickup for.

As nice as that new 79 Chevy pickup rode--(and still does as I still have it), it was not the ride
that I got with the full size Chryslers and Plymouths that I became used to driving about.

Always wanted an Elky----but it was not quite enough truck to do truck work, so getting one was never really a priority.

The 59 had always been my favorite, since mowing lawns as a pre-teen.
A neighbor of one of my 'clients' had a red and white 59 and I just loved it.
I liked everything about about all of the 59 Chevrolets (back then).

Started "actively" looking for a 59 Elky around 1998 after a few years of just keeping my eyes open for a suitable project.

Within a couple of weeks of moving to So Texas, I found a nice one that would work for me.

Spent the next 5 years working on it to get it to where it is today. And I do occasionally put crap in the back.

So---rides nice and can do some light work

Reason for a 59 will also include------"Because everybody and their brother has a Chevelle"

Acquired the 66 the year before the 59 was first registered.

Spent 4-5 years working on that one as well----but at a much slower pace, and spending about 1/4th of the money.

Why???

Because everybody and their brother has a Chevelle---------my brother as well.

My brother is the proud owner of a FACTORY 66 Elky with the 360hp 396, 4-spd, buckets, console, AM/FM-----only things not factory on his car is the paint (black with graphics) and the wheels (Very early Boyd's wheels.

 

[100SpokeRiderz]

1) What generation of El Camino do you own
2) Why do you have that generation and not one of the others
3) What are your (realistic) future plans for the vehicle

#1= 4th gen (1977)

#2= 1977 is the year I was born so I knew thats the year I wanted for my first ElCamino

#3=Click on this link & find out
http://www.elcaminocentral.com/showthread.php?t=42431

 

[dills88]

OK Ihave a 82 got off my dad he had 2 of them and mom got cancer and he sold me moms camino so im redoing it as a weekend toy some shows and cruise ins i had a 69ss and a 75 spint so if i find more of other years i my have to add to garage

 

[MikesElco94]

I am the owner of an 86' el camino. Saw my first when I was eight years old driving down the street and it immediately caught my eye, It was a 5th gen black, with two guys in it. When I was looking to buy a car, I was hooked on g bodies, odd as it is, I love the last generation of rwd v8 cars gm came out with. Plus you can't beat the price of parts.

I like the other gens,but there's something about the last generation of real cars that has always caught my eye.

I want to make a fun streetable car out my el camino,if I ever want to do wheelies I would buy another g body. Plans include zz4 crate motor, built 2004r or 700r4, bucket seats w/ center console and integrated b&m shifter, maybe a different rear after I blow up the 7.5". Good suspension with every g body suspension bar available, eibach lowering springs and a quick ratio steering box. Exterior work came early thanks to an oblivious truck driver. Already collected a few suspension parts and a full gauge cluster w/115 speedo. I only buy things at a pace of what I can afford and install, I have also become a firm believer in building a hotrod from the back to the front.

 

[CopperTop]

Thank you all for your comments. There is a definite trend developing in the 5th gen group, though in hindsight it was obvious this would be a trend. The rest of us ... the data is all over the place. Our sample is still too small to draw any conclusions.

Keep the comments coming. The more responses the better the data set and the better the data set, the better the results.

I will continue to compile the data until everyone who wants to comment has had a chance and interest wains, then I will post the results.


Copper

 

[E-Man]

1) What generation of El Camino do you own
5th Gen

2) Why do you have that generation and not one of the others
I think that the 5th Gens are the most visually appealing El Caminos. Sure, I wish I had the power of a 1968-1970 big block Elky. But from a visual stand-point, it is my opinion that the 5th Gen El Caminos (specifically the Choo Choos) are the most attractive.

3) What are your (realistic) future plans for the vehicle

1) My 1984 Choo Choo SS - currently for sale: http://www.tedvernon.com/Chevrolet/1984-Chevrolet-El-Camino-SS-Choo-Choo-KAR07C.asp

2) My 1985 IROC-S Pace Car #001 - a very special piece of El Camino, Chevrolet, and I.R.O.C. history that I will own forever. They say that 'everything has a price,' but this El Camino does not. I remember seeing it in magazines as a kid and thinking it was the coolest thing ever. I will preserve this car's originality and take it to as many car shows as possible to share it with those who are interested in it's story.