Here’s how the Chevy El Camino was America's most popular coupe utility vehicle
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- čas přidán 5. 05. 2023
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In this episode I provide the history of the Chevrolet El Camino, a pickup truck based on a wagon car platform. The El Camino was launched in 1959 in response to the similarly styled Ford Ranchero, but sales of the El Camino couldn't keep up, resulting in its cancelation after 1960. However in 1964, Chevrolet reworked their Chevelle wagon platform to become a new El Camino, and sales did much better, resulting in 4 generations that lasted until 1987; 8 more years than the Ranchero.
Had a 68 with the 427. That was a rare option. Normally they could only be in wagons and camaros.
Was that a dealer only option because it's nowhere in the GM sales literature
@@TheRoadhammer379
I'm sure it had to be ordered that way. Often a dealer would push it through. Usually took a phone call. That is why there are so many weird combinations of options on GM from those years.
I was a grocery bag boy in the late 90s and often assisted a one legged gentlemen that owned a 70s era maroon on silver SS model. Was well kept almost show quality and the kicker was it was nearing 1 million miles! Sadly the car ended up totaled a few hundred miles short.
What a shame!! I know someone who had a high-milage Mercury Grand Marquis that was also totaled shortly before the seven digit milestone as well.
@@alpaljl R.I.P to that GM
Chevrolet El Camino that was sold in South Africa in the 1970s was basically a rebadged Holden HQ Ute, as Chevrolet's South African lineup at the time consisted of rebadged Opels and Holdens like the Chevy Constantia, which was a rebadged Holden Brougham and the Chevy 2500/3800/4100 series, which was a rebadged Opel Rekord D powered by Holden's straight-six engines.
Interesting piece of El Camino history. The USAF used 396 equipped El Caminos as chase vehicles for the U2 spy plane from the late 60's until the early 80's when they were replaced by the Mustang SSP.
Why did they need chase vehicles?
@@rnb250To help the U2 Spy Plane land due to the U2's landing gears being narrow
Both the Ranchero and the Elcamino are definitely badass American made Utes.
Car based pickup trucks weren't enough of a success in the US, but in South America there is still many car based trucks, like the Saveiro/Robust that is still being sold to this day and based on the recently ended VW Gol car.
And currently there is also plenty of compact SUV based trucks in the South American market like the Fiat Toro and Strada(with also a RAM variant) and the Renault Oroch.
And also in the early 2000s there was a car based truck from GM called the Chevrolet Montana/Tornado that was sold from 2003 to 2011 and recently got a reboot.
I remember seeing Mexican market Montanas renamed as Tornado. But those were newer like mid 2010s.
And the Ford Courier based on the late 90s Fiesta but that was cancelled like a decade ago.
In the late 90's and early 2000's there was a 'pick up' based on the Chevrolet/Opel Corsa. And in the early 2010's Peugeot made the Hoggar based on the 207 platform. Those vehicules were produced especially for brazilian consumers.
I always wanted one. Thanks Pat.
I have owned both Rancheros and El Caminos....Great vehicles for suburban living. Wish GM had brought the Holden "UTE" over....Would have loved one of those.
There was the Subaru Baja from 2003 to 2006 based off the Outback. Owned one and loved it. Sometimes still wishing I had it but traded it in for a 2013 Taurus SHO. Didn't need a full-size truck and a small truck.
You should look into Holden's version of the Ute including Ford Australia's Version since Australia was the Country that created the Ute which would later become the Idea for the American Maker later on.
I always loved the El Camino, and the Brady Bunch Chevelle wagon.
Those Holden aussie trucks....I want one!!!❤😍❤
There's at least a company in California that will "Ute" a US-spec Chevy SS or Pontiac G8 (Holden-made sedans) you provide. Check Doug Demuro's channel as he reviewed one such a few years ago.
There was also the Subaru Baja for models years 2003-06 based on the Legacy/Outback, which Wikipedia shows to be the successor of the BRAT.
I have an 84 ElCo Conquista and I absolutely LOVE her!!
Thanks for the video. I owned a 1980 El Camino Conquista. The problem was the car got more miles going vertically than it did horizontally, as it constantly had problems. However, have some great memories, such as when I went to a party that a coworker was having and ended up having to take 3 pretty girls home. Got followed by the police for a couple of miles and thought for sure they would pull us over with 4 people in a car for 3, but it was just before the mandatory seatbelt law went into effect.
Loved the El Camino. I used to live just a few miles from Choo-Choo Customs. They could customize anything.
I didn't realize that the El Camino lasted until '87. I always really thought of them as a 70s icon.
Same
i remember seeing the G8 Ute at a new york auto show when i was a kid. cool car!
Man, given how often these other youtubers are getting strikes or demonitized, I feel like I'm watching a game of chicken every time a clip of another show comes up, or a song comes up. With the breaking bad el camino clip, we got a twofer. ha... keep up the good work, these are ridiculously addicting.
You forgot to mention that Chevrolet did attempted to revive the El Camino in the 1990s based off the Impala SS but never went to production.
As did Pontiac in 2008 with the Pontiac G8 ST meaning Street Truck. Built and badged in Australia by Holden. Just playing as I type this.
That would have been interesting, had it made production.
Holden in Australia were making Chevrolet car based equivalents of the El Camino from about 1934. A 1948 model that found its was to US collectors can be found on CZcams searching for 1948 Chevrolet Stylemaster Ute:
First made by Holden a month or two after Ford in Australia did the same thing.
Called Coupe Utilities, Utilities or commonly shortened to just a Ute by Australians.
Absolutely love this channel!
Ford Australia had been making a Ranchero version of Ford sedans since 1934. Called Coupe Utilities in Australia they became very popular.
A surviving 1948 Australian production ute can be found in CZcams by searching for Ford 48 Coupe Utility ..
Just a month or two later in 1934 Holden released their Chevrolet version of the ute.
They then went on to have one or more ute versions of the cars they made up until the 2017. The imported Ford Ranger excuse for a proper car based ute being the top selling car in Australia for the last four months toppling the long reign of the Toyota Hi Lux having supply problems.
I always loved Jason London's 76 El Camino in Dazed and Confused.😇
Thanks for another great Saturday night video.
I owned a 1960 Ford Falcon Ranchero and a 1966 Ranchero. Never went down the GM path.
i owned a 75 Camino for a short time. i understand its limitations all to well. thank you for the content and eagerly looking forward to you next video.
Glad you put out a community post, totally missed this one
Another great video!
Excellent video👏👏👍
love this video. had a 79 GMC Caballero. Miss it to this day.
Awesome video!!! 👍👍🙂
4:40 smog pumps did help reduce emissions but they didn’t hurt hp. The engine made less hp because GM installed weaker camshaft.
Thank you so much for explaining the black knight. The guy down the street had one. I know it changed to royal knight but I never knew why. 👍
most of those models with the special names werent much more than a decal package. None of them real rare or desirable
Boco Brothers released a video on the Ranchero today. It is like you guys are working together.
Man, I still want one today. Maybe some day!!!!
This was a great video. I learned a lot. I never knew GMC had the Sprint.
The car that hauls!!!!! 8:53................without a doubt, one of THE sexiest songs EVER recorded!!!!!!
There is one rotting in the driveway down the street. It deserves better.
I'd go find the owner/s, and make an offer to buy it if it's in good enough shape to fix up.
@@CommodoreFan64 They won't sell. That's why it's a shame.
@@pamswilder51 That's sad, I have a similar scenario with a car in the laneway of a house close to where I grew up. It's 1966-67 GTO.
@@pamswilder51 it's always "I'll restore it one day" untill they inevitably die off and the car is fucked sadly
@@marrymekatsuya Yes. Frank died at 97. His grandson got it, but does nothing.
The Chevrolet El Camino, GMC Sprint/Caballero, and Ford Ranchero are car-based pickups that I would love to have right now. They would have been considered utes in Australia. We should have gotten modern replacements when the Australian utes were still being produced. The Pontiac G8 ST would have been great to have right now.
Excellent episode/ I still see a couple el caminos rolling around in SF. It's sad to hear about the horsepower reduction throughout the 70's.
The Coupe Ute (utility) was design by an Australian Ford designer in and built in 1934 . So Utes were built many car companies GM-Holden etc. but sadly with Ford and Holden (GM) stopping manufacturing years ago,
There’s a Subaru Baja that’s a car based pickup. It ran in the 2000s and looked like the outback .
Can we get a MOC on the Isuzu Impulse/Geo Storm??
I had the 1979 model with the 350 v8. Loved it. I wish I never sold it 😢
In ‘79 I bought a ‘76 El Camino for $3500, I had it till ‘87, wish I still had it😢
Sitting in my 83 Conquista that i use as my daily driver watching this
thanks for this episode. I am a huge el camino fan. I've owned a '75, '86 and '72 SS, in that order. When Pontiac had a Holden Ute based concept, I was super excited the el camino was going to make a comeback... but alas. GM dropped Pontiac and the Ute models. I can still dream...
Oh come on, you mention the 59 El Comino, in the first sentence and then show a later model version. The 59, is the sexiest looking of all the Caminos, hands down. Have you ever seen the interior of one... Almost heavenly. Anyway thanks for talking about the El Camino. I think the 59, is the only El Comino I would want. Maybe the 60.
The GMC Caballero Diablo was cool. Surprised it wasnt mentioned.
Ok that appearance package looks sick as hell.
In Australia they are still available... Great cars, bullet proof.
....I always wanted one....maybe someday....
Please do a video about the Ford Explorer Sport Trac soon
Does releases the Coupe Utility or “Ute” in Australia waaay before the Ranchero and El Camino. Ford and Holden (GM) Aust then continued sale of coupe utilities up until the 2010s.
I remember seeing many last gen El Camino's when I was a kid in the 80s into the mid 90s.
I'm still waiting for a video on the Chevy Avalanche.
A Japanese sports car you should do a video on is the Nissan 240SX.
Awesome as usual.
Toyota Paseo!
I remember VW briefly had a pickup based on the Rabbit in the early 80s.
yes, the Caddy. They still produce a compact based fwd pickup in South America called the Saveiro / Robust, though
I also have an AMT 1/25 plastic model kit of a 60 Ranchero that I built as well ..
Every Star Wars fan's ears perked up at 1:45 🤣🤣
Very cool how long they used Tom T. Hall to sell the El Camino.
SSR was custom built at the Lansing Craft Center. Now a gravel lot. The mass produced A body El Camino ghost still floats around Arlington Assembly. Only Wikipedia could try and make a connection.
Let's have an episode on the Mazda 929....pretty please.
Thanks for this one, though. :)
In Australia we call the utes they do exist in off road form now used to holden comodore and ford falcon based
Do an episode on Australian cars like the ford falcon and the Holden commodore. Would be an interesting video for us Aussies seeing an American person’s take on Australian cars
Australia loves Utes, they're still making them there, and some of them look amazing
Unfortunately all Australian car production ceased in 2017.
The Ford Ranger replacement for our proper car based utes are made in Thailand.
Still amazed everyone by being the top selling car in Australia for the last four months. Toyota Hi Lux supply problems helping the Ford too.
@@johnd8892 That's too bad because they had some amazing models
There is the Honda Ridgeline that is maybe as close to an El Camino as possible.
Avalanche
@@richsackett3423 - Avalanche / Escalade ESV were LARGER (based on the BOF Tahoe / Escalade SUV's). Ridgeline is a Pilot-based midsize Ute.
Following the Brat was the Baja, which is probably the most recent similar example.
Team El Camino
I have a 1980 el camino that has a 82 grill and the 3rd Gen tail light in the tailgate completely stock too rebuilding it rn
The most famous one now is cleatus' MacFarland's one.
However in Australia the ute started in 1934 as a sedan utility. Holden made a ute all years except 1985-1989.
You guys would have loved the Holden Ute!
Getting the kegs to the party.
you should make a monte carlo episode
GMC's version of the Elcamino is the GMC Sprint and GMC Caballero. If Pontiac made they're own version of the Elcamino then it would be called the Pontiac Murock.
I have a 77 el camino. 350 and factory 4bbl. It's a bit of a jalopy but I enjoy driving it
They like Utes in Australia a lot
Could you do a video on the Chrysler LH cars? I had an LHS, and I'd like to know more about its history.
Was expecting Brad Pitt from the movie The Mexican to say "El Camino..." while behind the wheel, but oh well.
Please an Episode on the Mitsubishi Diamante
Do a Monte Carlo episode.
A training day scene is obligatory
As is a Trailer Park Boys scene.
El Camino
Blazing down the road
El Camino
Ah, she's fast, never slow!!
1:17 Ford got into Car pickups in 1934 …. They had been at it a while
The 350 was first available in the 67 Camaro.
We had an '85 El Camino
Mazda 929 would be interesting!
Yes! I'm waiting for this episode and the Millenia.
Next you have to do the Ford Ranchero.
please do a video of the Buick Century.
Can you do a video on the Nissan sx cars?
Do a lot of El Camino enthusiasts like to see a return of this legendary utility? Yes. I do.😁🤔
cool
Hey man this is a stretch, but could you do a video on the Chrysler Conquest?
Anyone remember the Ford Durango? That is also a interesting side note to this story.
Where does the Subaru Baja fit into this?
never knew that the dodge rampage was a vw caddy, since the omni is a mk1 vw...
Would the Subaru Baja be the successor to the Brat? I've never had a Baja, but I have always liked the way that they look.
El caminos were amazing sad they’re incredibly hard to find
Most were used up by the late 70s as they were work trucks or raced to death.
What the Ridgeline?
Why hasn’t Ford and GM hauled their Aussie Ute tooling to the US. Their styling is interesting and I bet that they would sell if it wasn’t too expensive to make changes for US regulations. They even sold 4 door Utes.
If only they still existed 😞 amazing cars
What about the Subaru Baja?
Honda Ridgeline is the best unibody pickup.