What year did the El Camino come out? [Archive] - Chevelle Tech

: What year did the El Camino come out?


Byfield
Feb 10th, 99, 6:43 AM
Anyone know what the first year of the EC was? I'm thinking it was '59, but I'm not certain.

Thanks, Kurt

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The 68 Chevelle info page. [last updated Nov. 30, 98]
www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Garage/6873/Chevelle/68_Chevelle_Info.html (http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Garage/6873/Chevelle/68_Chevelle_Info.html)
Email: Kbyfield@terracom.net

robert
Feb 10th, 99, 7:34 AM
59 was the first year.

283v8
Feb 10th, 99, 8:52 AM
They came out fullsized in '59 and '60, then discontinued till they were reintroduced as midsize in '64. They were discontinued again "recently" I believe.

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Rick Loncosky
Feb 10th, 99, 9:49 AM
I was at the Spring Carisle Fleemarket in PA a few years ago and thought I saw an El Camino looking 55. I believe it was called Cameo or Somthing like that. This might have been the start or it was just a type of pick up truck. Rick....

d1_bradley
Feb 10th, 99, 2:04 PM
The Cameo was a 1/2 ton pickup with a Fiberglass bed and different trim pieces. Not a passenger car chassis like the '59 and '60 El Camino (the first ones) or the Chevelle based ones starting in '64. The Cameo has a following among the truck guys.

DZAUTO
Feb 10th, 99, 4:09 PM
Guess what guys, it is quite possible that Rick did in fact see a '55 El Camino. Several years ago there was a feature in one of the magazines such as Hot Rod or Super Chevy about a FULLY LOADED '55 elky that a guy built using a '55 Nomad. It was so tastefully done that it looked as if it had been built by Chev! That may have been what Rick saw. And, also, a few years ago some guy built a '66 Nova convertible using the conv components from a '63 Nova. It was so well done that it was on the cover, I think.

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[This message has been edited by DZAUTO (edited 02-10-99).]

CA Elky
Feb 10th, 99, 11:22 PM
Yep, first year was 59 last year was 87. It was "discontinued" a few times in between.--Amanda

Sean Flanagan
Feb 10th, 99, 11:34 PM
I did'nt know they went to 87 I thought they killed it in 83.

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Sean Flanagan
Heavy '73

robert
Feb 11th, 99, 8:03 AM
They were built from 59-60 then from 64-87 some 87s were left over and called 88s.The GM toy team built an El Camino out of the Capriece a few years ago. Even the newest ones are over 10 years old.

Sean Flanagan
Feb 11th, 99, 12:00 PM
I saw the Impalacamino at the Schaumburg show a few years back, cool!, Too bad every time GM gets something right they kill it...

BTW...anyone have a line on a cheap late model caprice wagon(black pref)I was thinking of going to a few auctions.

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Sean Flanagan
Heavy '73

DZAUTO
Feb 11th, 99, 4:44 PM
Chev had that Caprice El Camino on a tilted turntable at the state fair in Okla City a few years ago. It was great! AND it had real, honest to goodness dual exhaust! The hood was closed all the time so I can't say what it had for power, although it did have a puke slushbox for a tranny.

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Chris R
Feb 11th, 99, 5:24 PM
I would also like to add that Chevy had serious plans on putting that Caprice style Elky into production along with the Impala SS. At least thats what a few magazines claimed. It was going to be a SS model that looked very similar to the Impala SS. But you guys probably already knew that. Woulda been cool though...