I'm a young 82 El Camino SS owner that is aspiring to take care of my car and slowly develop it into a Pro-Touring machine. For now, the build is mild and cheep, but that's not what's important about my build. What's important is the sentimental value it has to me. See I spent my weekends as a kid in the passengers side of my Dad's black 85 El Camino SS that he beat on as a work truck for over 170,000 miles. I remember being in the car as it was overloaded with gravel and when it got silver racing stripes painted on it and fake side pipes with hood pins to boot. I mean really the car was a joke to my Dad, but to childhood me, it was like a hot wheel. I loved it.
Christmas of 2010 I opened up a small, heavy box to find a piston. At first I was confused, but my dad proceeded to explain that piston was to an overbored L48 small block he had recently acquired for one of his co-workers 69 Camaro SS and that we were going to put into his old El Camino. I spent the following months learning about the details of an engine as I set about pulling the smog 305 out of the old car, only to find holes the side of my fist in the chassis. At the time I was really excited so I didn't think much of it and continued work with my Dad's help. Then near the end of 2011, work came to a screeching halt, and my Dad and I never worked on the car. Then my birthday came around in early 2012 and I came home from school to find a brand new black El Camino SS parked in the driveway that was identical to the one I had stopped working on. Turns out, for my sixteenth birthday, my Dad found and bought a new El Camino for $2,100 in the middle-of-no-where Ohio on Craigslist.
Throughout 2012 and 2013 my father and I then went about pulling the 305 from the new El Camino, putting the new 350 in, and gutting the old El Camino for parts before it was taken to the junk yard. To date the car runs, has been aligned, and is now covered in green primer in a local paint shop. When I get back from college for winter break, the car should painted and ready for me to reattach the bumpers and tailgate. Also my Dad bought at carb scoop and a 2" carb spacer and plopped that atop the intake manifold for a "look". I think it looks totally poser, but hey, superchargers are expensive, so whatever floats his boat.
Moving forward, the only thing certain is that we will be attaching 82" side pipes. From there, I want to focus on suspension, chassis, and brake modifications to make the car handle and stop better. I am open to any and all advise on budget alternatives to expensive aftermarket modifications. I plan on keeping and investing in this car for as long as it will keep going, as this entire build means a lot to me because it has vastly strengthened my relationship with my father. It will be a great way for me to remember him when he's gone.
I know this was a long post, but thank you all for taking the time to read about my project. Pictures to come!
Christmas of 2010 I opened up a small, heavy box to find a piston. At first I was confused, but my dad proceeded to explain that piston was to an overbored L48 small block he had recently acquired for one of his co-workers 69 Camaro SS and that we were going to put into his old El Camino. I spent the following months learning about the details of an engine as I set about pulling the smog 305 out of the old car, only to find holes the side of my fist in the chassis. At the time I was really excited so I didn't think much of it and continued work with my Dad's help. Then near the end of 2011, work came to a screeching halt, and my Dad and I never worked on the car. Then my birthday came around in early 2012 and I came home from school to find a brand new black El Camino SS parked in the driveway that was identical to the one I had stopped working on. Turns out, for my sixteenth birthday, my Dad found and bought a new El Camino for $2,100 in the middle-of-no-where Ohio on Craigslist.
Throughout 2012 and 2013 my father and I then went about pulling the 305 from the new El Camino, putting the new 350 in, and gutting the old El Camino for parts before it was taken to the junk yard. To date the car runs, has been aligned, and is now covered in green primer in a local paint shop. When I get back from college for winter break, the car should painted and ready for me to reattach the bumpers and tailgate. Also my Dad bought at carb scoop and a 2" carb spacer and plopped that atop the intake manifold for a "look". I think it looks totally poser, but hey, superchargers are expensive, so whatever floats his boat.
Moving forward, the only thing certain is that we will be attaching 82" side pipes. From there, I want to focus on suspension, chassis, and brake modifications to make the car handle and stop better. I am open to any and all advise on budget alternatives to expensive aftermarket modifications. I plan on keeping and investing in this car for as long as it will keep going, as this entire build means a lot to me because it has vastly strengthened my relationship with my father. It will be a great way for me to remember him when he's gone.
I know this was a long post, but thank you all for taking the time to read about my project. Pictures to come!
