![]() ![]() In the 1930s, and far after that, Ford and Chevrolet were embroiled in a battle for supremacy in the American car market. We’ll cover the El Camino’s specs throughout the years and its overall history which turned it into one of the most well-known American cars ever made. In this guide, we cover the famous El Camino, complete with all of its odd and charming characteristics. It would be a while before the El Camino was a commercial success too, with the Ranchero outselling the El Camino by a significant margin until the El Camino’s second and third generations. The El Camino came much further down the line and was really just an attempt to encroach on the unique market that Ford had created with the Ranchero. While Ford’s Utility Coupe is widely considered the first production ute, there were examples of the car/truck formula earlier than that, just not in full production. That changed in the mid-1930s, when Ford Australia built the first production “ute,” which combined the small form factor of a coupe with the read bed of a pickup truck. Cars were made for driving and trucks were meant for trucking. At that time, cars were designed for an explicit purpose and typically only worked for that specific purpose. In the early 1930s, cars were only starting to become good and properly usable. A copy that got more popular than the original. In fact, the El Camino is a bit of a fluke. ![]() The funny thing is that the Chevy El Camino wasn’t an American idea, despite it becoming a cultural icon. Tucked somewhere near the top is the Chevrolet El Camino. That list would start with the Corvette and end with the Ford Raptor. The torquey big-block makes great power and is shifted through a smooth 4-speed with nicely weighted clutch.There is an unquestionable short list of unique American cars. Completely stock in tune apart from headers, the seller says the car is a blast to drive. ![]() The seller says it is pristine and more impressive in person than the photos show.Ĭompletely rebuilt during restoration, the car runs a non-original but era-correct 396 sourced from another ‘68 SS 396 El Camino. Several additional lift shots are provided in the gallery and show a very clean underbody. A few period-style aftermarket gauges have been added below the standard AM radio, and both the interesting clock and oil pressure/coolant temp/fuel level/charge monitor are fully functional, as is cold blowing A/C. The interior matches the rest of the car for attention to detail and overall cleanliness. Factory correct wheels and ride height give this one a great stance. The fresh looking bed and chrome surround look great, and the seller says that both side windows and quarter vents open and close smoothly with a tight seal. The “38” sequence of the VIN tells us this is a factory SS396, and the “K” indicates it was built at the Kansas City, MO assembly plant. The seller likes the ‘69 OEM grille currently installed, and a ’68 grill is also included. Rather than the factory setup where exhaust pipes terminate at the rear quarters, the builder elected to run them out towards the rear of the car instead. It presents extremely well with excellent paint, chrome, trim and sheet metal. ![]() The car was restored in 1999-2000 and subsequently went in a private collection in Illinois. Everything works and it’s ready to drive anywhere.” Described as being in 9 to 10 out of 10 condition throughout, the seller adds that “it turns heads, elicits photos, rings ears and spins tires at will. According to the previous owner, the engine block is not original but sourced from another 1968 SS 396. Around 2,000 miles have been added since the restoration was completed in the year 2000, and the car had a comprehensive servicing by a Chevy specialist earlier this year. The restoration is photo-documented and included fully rebuilt mechanicals and the installation of A/C using period-correct GM parts. This 1968 Chevrolet El Camino is a factory SS 396 with 4-speed Muncie M22 that has been fully restored by the previous owner. ![]()
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