Re: El Camino a truck?
 

I've always thought of them as a crossover. Neither car nor truck. They are built on a Chevelle station wagon frame. They have a longer wheelbase than the coupes and the front fenders (on 70-72 at least) are different as well.
I've wanted one for a long time. Specifically a 1972 in medium blue, to match my Chevelle.

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

My dad would be 94 now, and to him pickups came in two sizes, 1/2, 3/4, ton.

A 1 ton is a 1 ton, flatbed or pickup bed, it's a 1 ton.

Trucks were 1 1/2 ton and larger.

All pickups and trucks had a bowtie or GMC on the grill or a Detroit Diesel under the hood.

Being the utilitarian he was, everything else was a waste of money.

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

I have a raised bed and composite decking. I use it as a truck.

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

I can't speak for anyone else, but, were my truck restored to perfection, I *would* still haul in it, tow with it, and otherwise use it. In fact, I did just that after the last time I put thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours into it. It would insult the truck not to use it. There are enough museum pieces out there (I earnestly hope that some of them are, in fact, pristine originals or true restorations), and I don't need to contribute to the fleet. My truck will not be one of them. Could I afford to put a hundred thousand dollars into it, my attitude would remain the same. Not to makes no more sense to me than to buy a new one and put it under glass to keep it pristine. To buy or restore and then not use is a waste of money.

My 2 Denarii.

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

If you bought a brand new one ton truck, zero miles on it, parked it in a temperature controlled garage and never drove it for 50 years, it's still a truck in my book...

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

I never knew that! Never owned one though, either.

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

When you lift it up the station wagon rear seat foot well are is still there.

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

Seat belt holes are there too.

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

So the entire floor pan from the station wagon was used, but covered up with the bed?

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

Correct.....

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

We've got a section for s-10s, Luvs, and Colorados on here.
If those are trucks...

Why wouldn't an El Camino be a truck???

We have sections on here for Blazers and Suburbans.
If those are trucks...

Why wouldn't an El Camino be a truck???

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

depends on what the state licenses them as. Most say trucks. so I'll stay with truck that rides like a car.

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

Whether you consider them trucks or not I love them and consider them Cool . I love my Orange Flame 72 El Camino SS .

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

I love mine too. But I'm not real sure we need a sub forum for them here.

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

I had a 72 elky, used it as a truck, with air shocks i hauled a lot of weight.I called it my truck. I don't remember what Arizona MVD called it , but looking at my suburban license plate renewal i see MVD says body style is SW, if i recall correct the title or bill of sale said station wagon. Maybe my burb isn't a truck?

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

yup

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

I'm not sure I believe this. Every one I've ever seen had a big hole surrounded by rusty sheet metal under that cover. :lol:

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

They probably never drained their ice chest.....:lol:

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

Fact. Mine did too when I got it last year. First thing I did was cut out that whole section and weld in a new one.

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

I owned a 1976 back in the day and always called it a truck.

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/i...GBwzlpHl5skQGg
think Honda considers the Ridgeline a truck too :lol:

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

The 68-72 can be used as a truck. Just have to beef up a few things.

I have a 68, and knew I would use it for light towing, so built a high torque 350 (.020 over) with a 4L660E out of a Suburban for the trans withy a stand alone controller. Has a 3.36 ten bolt in it right now, but I recently bought a 3.31 12 bolt to put it. Plan to upgrade the rear brakes to 11 inch drums before installing the 12 bolt.

Put big brakes on the front using Corvette rotors, a modified 69 and later caliper bracket, 76 truck calipers and re-using the old drum brake spindles (modified).

Secondly, put the air shocks back on (came with them from the factory). I just got a vintage "JacPac" set up so that I can raise and lower the rear from inside the cab. BTW, I will be selling the rear air shocks that came with the kit, as I believe they fit a 67-72 Chevy C10.

Third, install cargo coils in the rear.

Lastly, boxed in the rear frame rails and installrf a hidden trailer hitch.
Short write up on the hitch here: http://www.chevelles.com/forums/43-e...ler-hitch.html

I hauled a 7800 pound load with this set up without any issues. Didn't have enough air in the rear shocks, so the rear sat down just a bit. That issue will be resolved when I install the JacPac kit. Even with the rear down a bit, it drove perfectly.

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

I owned a 1971 El Camino SS back in the day. Always called it a car.

Here it is early one morning loaded on the trailer headed to the drag strip at Bremerton, WA.

Gary

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

Semi comes from the fact that a portion (semi=partial) of the load (weight) is carried by the pulling unit, and a portion of the load is carried by the trailer. Most of my knowledge is useless, btw.

Re: El Camino a truck?
 

If your friends want you to help them move. It's a truck.