When the El Camino was Born Again

Posted on April 30, 2011 by jmalcolm

The El Camino first came out in 1959 and it did very well that year and the following year. Many loved the look of a vehicle that was half car and half pickup. The combination of speed, versatility and attractiveness made it a huge sensation. Add in the fact that this was very affordable and you had a great winner on your hands.

When Chevy halted the production of the El Camino in 1960, many consumers and even the experts were upset about it. They couldn’t figure out what was going on. What they didn’t realize was that this was going to be a temporary hiatus. The El Camino would be born again with better options than before, and sure enough, in 1964 it was once again a hit.

This new version of the El Camino offered a smaller size and more power than before. It was more proportional overall and that made it something that consumers loved even more than the original. It was coined the “second generation” El Camino. In order to make this vehicle one that was comfortable, it featured the suspension of a pickup truck. About 60% of that suspension was on the front of the vehicle.

The load capacity of the El Camino was 1,200 pounds. It also offered two different types of engine sizes. The tailgate could be left down for longer loads and that was also a perk for consumers.

The El Camino did just fine initially but it was hard to pass up the overall benefits that the second generation was able to offer to its customers. Today this vehicle is still one that people love to own.

It is a great vehicle for driving daily as well as for hauling materials. The El Camino has such a great personality that it pops up in television shows and movies often but it can also be found in drag racing. The popularity and versatility of the innovative El Camino is certain to make it a popular car for many years to come.

 

 

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Customizing a 1981 El Camino

Posted on April 24, 2011 by jmalcolm

The 1981 El Camino is a great vehicle. It delivers all the power of a muscle car with the ability to haul items like a pickup truck. Customizing one of these wonderful vehicles is a great project. You will love the way it looks when you are done and you will be very proud to drive it around.

The 1981 El Camino is a part of history, so if you can find one to restore, you will have found a prize. This is a great muscle car that there just aren’t enough of anymore. Too many of them are out there rusting and not running. However, you can customize and restore your El Camino so it runs like a top and looks great, too. For example, if you don’t like the truck-like stance of the El Camino, simply add some two-inch drop spindles to the front.

You will find plenty of room under the hood to work on the 1981 El Camino when customizing the car. You can install a Chevy big block with headers. There are several after-market items, too, such as a cowl induction hood to accommodate a high rise intake. You can also get an after-market fuel injection system for the muscle car.

There is a wide variety of parts available for the 1981 El Camino, so you will have no problem getting what you need to make this a super fast vehicle ready for racing the quarter mile. If you need to tub? the rear end, this vehicle makes it easy. You don’t have to work inside of the trunk of a vehicle or the back seat area like you do with so many other types of vehicles.

When it comes to customizing your 1981 El Camino, you don’t want to forget the interior. You can install after-market dash face plates and gauges. They are offered in digital or conventional designs. There are many such options, so you get to choose what will really appeal to your own sense of style. Adding your own customized touches while restoring your 1981 El Camino is a great way to enjoy a classic car from history and make it your own at the same time.

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The Cool of a Muscle Car and the Power of a Truck

Posted on April 15, 2011 by jmalcolm

The El Camino by Chevy was one of the great designs of all time. It offered the power and performance of a muscle car, yet it had a bed like a pickup so you could also haul things in it. This was an ingenious idea that really changed the world of muscle cars forever. Chevy was able to bring to the muscle car market a vehicle that was very cool looking and at the same time functional and that was a winning combination.

If you aren’t familiar with it, here are a few basics. The Chevy El Camino is a two-door vehicle and it has a long bed. The vehicle is low to the ground and that makes it easier to get items in and out of than the bed of a pickup truck. In 2010 this vehicle was released again and it has been doing very well. In the world of compact pickups and great sedans, this meets them both half way.

Many consumers go back and forth about having a sedan or having a pickup. For consumers who want to have the means to move things when they need to, the Chevy El Camino allows you to have that convenience and also to drive a great-looking car. The trade off, though, is that there are only two doors and one bench seat. This reduces the possibility of the Chevy El Camino being considered your family vehicle of choice for all practical reasons.

Even if you have to haul some heavy items, you can’t go wrong with the Chevy El Camino. It offers a great capacity for hauling but you shouldn’t be surprised by that fact. After all, it is one of the original muscle cars and has the ability to hold our attention and to never disappoint in terms of overall performance.

It is a sporty-looking vehicle and the 2010 Chevy El Camino has rave reviews for handling and comfort, too. It is a muscle car design concept that has proven to have long term appeal in the marketplace and that is very good news for Chevy and for El Camino lovers everywhere.

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The 1970 Chevrolet El Camino is a Very Cool Performer

Posted on March 7, 2011 by jmalcolm

Some place the beginning of the car evolution that eventually turned into the muscle car era as starting right after World War II. In 1957, Ford got things moving with the Ranchero, which was a new idea in what cars and trucks would look like in the modern era. Chevrolet was not to be outdone by any means, so in 1959, the first El Camino hit the markets. From the moment the public set its eyes on this future muscle car, it was clear it would be a very cool performer.

These two models evolved into the mid-sized lines for both Ford and Chevrolet. Beginning in 1964, the design of the El Camino was based on the Chevelle Malibu. The 1970 Chevelle SS, which could really be considered a close relative of the 1970 Chevrolet El Camino, represented the very best of the muscle car era while providing fans of the car with lots of options for performance to chose from.

The oil crisis that hit in the early ‘70s had an impact on the muscle car market for the very simple reason that the powerful, high-performance engines of muscle cars were not very good on gas economy. For that reason, the compression ratios and cubic inches of muscle car engines began to decrease as the decade moved along.

For that reason, the 1970 Chevrolet El Camino was sold in two models, the SS454 and the SS396. The SS396 was configured with a 402-cubic engine, but the S454 was sold with a 360-horsepower or a 450-horsepower engine which could deliver an impressive 500 pound-feet for torque and rev that engine up to 3600 RPM. Suffice it to say, these powerful muscle cars are in high demand by classic muscle car collectors.

Chevy put some thought into both the look and sound of these powerful cars, and configured them with dual SS pipe-exhaust systems that were showy in back with those big exhaust tips in back that were oval shaped and chrome. Not only could you not miss that look, the sound they made simply said “power” when the 1970 Chevrolet El Camino went down the road.

In every way this powerful muscle car delivered. That powerful engine was responsive. Owners of the vintage muscle car loved how it jumped when the throttle was engaged and the car was downshifted to first. In competition, the 1970 Chevrolet El Camino could burn up the pavement but it still performed well in normal street driving. Over time, because of the push toward lower gas-consumption vehicles, the SS396 option for the car went away. Nonetheless, in its day the 1970 Chevrolet El Camino ruled supreme as one of the premier muscle cars of its time.

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Hello world!

Posted on January 17, 2011 by admin

Welcome to American Muscle Car Sites. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

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