Chevrolet El Camino
| Chevrolet El Camino | |
|---|---|
| Production period: | 1959-1987 |
| Class : | upper middle class |
| Body versions : | Pick up |
The Chevrolet El Camino was an open-bed pickup truck built from 1958 to 1960 and again from 1964 to 1987 by the American automobile manufacturer General Motors , which was produced under the Chevrolet brand . The name comes from Spanish and means "the way".
Since the early 1970s, an identical sister model from the General Motors brand GMC was sold under the name Sprint , later as Caballero .
1959–1960: First generation
| 1st generation (based on Impala) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Production period: | 1959-1960 |
| Body versions : | Pick up |
| Engines: |
Petrol engines : 3.9-5.7 liters (99-239 kW) |
| Length: | 5357 mm |
| Width: | 2029 mm |
| Height: | 1430 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 3023 mm |
| Empty weight : | 1801 kg |
The idea of deriving a light commercial vehicle from a passenger car is almost as old as the automobile itself. Chevrolet had also had a corresponding pickup -car combination model on offer since the 1920s . From around the mid-1930s, the trend was towards vehicles derived from trucks. This led to Chevrolet's successful 3100 series . A pioneering achievement - and an indirect predecessor of the El Camino - was the Chevrolet Cameo , a more luxurious truck model within the 3100 series. Its innovations were in the glazing of the C-pillar , but above all in a pickup bed, which is no longer easy on the chassis, but was included for the first time in the overall line of the body.
The new edition of a pickup-like vehicle based on a passenger car was discussed at Chevrolet as early as 1952. However, Chevrolet only felt compelled to act when arch rival Ford surprisingly presented such a vehicle in 1957, the Ford Ranchero .
The fact that it took GM so long to respond with its own model was due to internal problems; triggered by the appearance of revolutionary new models from Chrysler in 1957. Their new design with stretched, slim lines, sweeping tail fins and the largely renunciation of chrome excesses made the GM products planned for 1958, completely overloaded with chrome trim, already sedate and stale look before they hit the market. As a result, the longtime GM design chief Harley Earl had to leave this post. Under his successor Bill Mitchell , GM had to put a completely new, competitive generation of models on its wheels. This very costly and time-consuming measure left little scope for the introduction of new niche models, and so General Motors' first post-war "pickup truck" only appeared with the new models for 1959. Only available as a Chevrolet until 1971 (later an almost identical version of GMC) the new model was named El Camino . GM had only used this designation once before: for the 1954 Cadillac El Camino concept car .
Conceptually, it corresponded to the Ford Ranchero: Both were based on a two-door station wagon (in the case of the El Camino this was the Brookwood model or its version with sheet metal rear sides) with the only slightly modified chassis and a body that stretched from the front to the B- Column was identical to the other Chevrolet models. A severely shortened roof ended at the level of the B-pillars and thus only covered the passenger compartment with its three-seater bench. The end of the passenger cell was formed by a new rear window and a bulkhead, which also served to stiffen the body and protect the driver from loose cargo. Behind it was the open pickup hull. It was inserted in such a way that the flank visually corresponded to other passenger car models. Because Station Wagon had a horizontally split tailgate anyway, the lower part including the hinges could be adopted from the station wagon models with just a few adjustments. Both El Camino and Ranchero had such a structure - albeit on different platforms over the years.
The El Camino occupied a special position in the Chevrolet range in that it was unusually available in all equipment variants, including one on a par with the top model Impala .
Ironically, Ford only kept the Ranchero in the large class for that year; the successor for 1960 was launched on the new compact Falcon .
In 1959 Chevrolet sold 22,246 El Caminos; In 1960 the El Camino took part in the extensive body changes of the Impala, but sales fell to 14,163 units (also a consequence of the now much cheaper Ranchero), whereupon Chevrolet decided to stop production.
Engines
1959
- 236 cui R6 (99 kW / 135 PS),
- 283 cui V8 (125 kW / 170 PS),
- 283 cui V8 (169 kW / 230 PS),
- 348 cui V8 (184 kW / 250 PS),
- 348 cui V8 (206 kW / 280 PS),
- 348 cui V8 (224 kW / 305 PS),
- 348 cui V8 (235 kW / 320 PS),
- 348 cui V8 (239 kW / 325 hp)
1960
- 236 cui R6 (99 kW / 135 PS),
- 283 cui V8 (125 kW / 170 PS),
- 283 cui V8 (169 kW / 230 PS),
- 348 cui V8 (184 kW / 250 PS),
- 348 cui V8 (206 kW / 280 PS),
- 348 cui V8 (224 kW / 305 PS),
- 348 cui V8 (235 kW / 320 PS),
- 348 cui V8 (239 kW / 325 hp)
1964–1967: Second generation
| 2nd generation (based on Chevelle) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Production period: | 1964-1967 |
| Body versions : | Pick up |
| Engines: | Petrol engines |
| Length: | 5050 mm |
| Width: | 1829 mm |
| Height: | 1374 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2921 mm |
| Empty weight : | 1397-1463 kg |
Ford took the appearance of its new compact Falcon as an opportunity to offer the 2nd generation of the Ranchero on this platform. The move was very successful. This prompted Chevrolet to give the El Camino a new chance too. The basis was not the company's own compact car Chevy II , but the mid-range model Chevelle introduced in 1964 . Up to the B-pillar , the El Camino was identical to the 4- / 5-door Chevelle. Since Chevrolet saw the new El Camino more as a "workhorse", the most powerful (and most inefficient) Chevelle engines were not available in pick-ups - for the time being.
In the 1965 model year there was a high-performance version of the 5.4-liter V8 (327 cui) in the El Camino. A version with a 6.5-liter V8 (396 cui) appeared in 1966. The 327 achieved times of just over 15 seconds (and a top speed of 145 km / h) over the standing quarter mile, while the 396 models easily achieved times of less than 15 seconds.
For the 1967 model year, the El Camino also received the same Chevelle facelift with changes to the radiator grille, front bumper and chrome strips. New was a level control that prevented the tail from sagging under heavy loads.
1968–1972: third generation
| 3rd generation | |
|---|---|
 Model year 1968 |
|
| Production period: | 1968-1972 |
| Body versions : | Pick up |
| Engines: |
Gasoline engines : 5.7–7.4 liters |
| Length: | 5283 mm |
| Width: | |
| Height: | |
| Wheelbase : | 2946 mm |
| Empty weight : | |
The third generation was based on the Chevelle, which was renewed for the 1968 model year, and grew slightly in size. A new High Performance Super Sport SS396 version was offered, as was the case with the Chevelle. The 1969 models hardly differed from the previous year's versions, but a major facelift followed in 1970, and the 396 cui was replaced by the new 402 cui (6.6 l) V8 ; however, the model name SS396 was retained. Chevrolet's most powerful engine went into a handful of El Caminos, namely the LS6 with 7.5 liters displacement, 335 kW (456 hp) and 678 Nm of torque. The El Camino therefore needed less than 14 seconds for the standing quarter mile and reached almost 170 km / h.
In the 1971 model year, the performance figures fell across the Chevrolet program, as the engines were switched to unleaded gasoline and received lower compressions; the stricter emission standards also made themselves felt. The former double headlights gave way to simple, round units and the grill tapered slightly in a V-shape. In 1972 there were no major changes, only performance continued to decline.
1973–1977: fourth generation
| 4th generation | |
|---|---|
 MY 1976 |
|
| Production period: | 1973-1977 |
| Body versions : | Pick up |
| Engines: |
Petrol engines : 4.1–7.4 liters (77–180 kW) |
| Length: | approx. 5400 mm |
| Width: | |
| Height: | |
| Wheelbase : | 2946 mm |
| Empty weight : | |
From 1973, again parallel to the Chevelle, the largest El Caminos rolled off the production line. Thanks to the new, lighter construction, Chevrolet had nevertheless reduced the weight compared to the previous model. For the 1976 model year, Chevrolet carried out a facelift with vertically stacked twin headlights, otherwise there were hardly any changes to the series until 1978.
Engines
1973
- 307 cui V8 (85 kW / 115 PS),
- 350 cui V8 (107 kW / 145 PS),
- 350 cui V8 (129 kW / 175 PS),
- 454 cui V8 (180 kW / 245 PS)
1974
- 350 cui V8 (107 kW / 145 PS),
- 350 cui V8 (118 kW / 160 PS),
- 400 cui V8 (110 kW / 150 PS),
- 454 cui V8 (173 kW / 235 PS)
1975
- 250 cui R6 (77 kW / 105 PS),
- 350 cui V8 (107 kW / 145 PS),
- 350 cui V8 (121 kW / 165 PS),
- 400 cui V8 (129 kW / 175 PS),
- 454 cui V8 (158 kW / 215 PS)
1976
- 250 cui R6 (77 kW / 105 PS),
- 305 cui V8 (103 kW / 140 PS),
- 350 cui V8 (107 kW / 145 PS),
- 350 cui V8 (121 kW / 165 PS),
- 400 cui V8 (129 kW / 175 hp)
1977
- 250 cui R6 (77 kW / 105 PS),
- 305 cui V8 (107 kW / 145 PS),
- 350 cui V8 (125 kW / 170 PS)
Note: Information is now in SAE net PS, a standard which, apart from a deviation of around 1%, corresponds to the DIN values.
1978–1987: fifth generation
| Fifth generation (based in Malibu) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Production period: | 1978-1987 |
| Body versions : | Pick up |
| Engines: |
Petrol engines : 3.3–5.7 liters (69–125 kW) Diesel engine : 4.3 liters |
| Length: | 5100 mm |
| Width: | 1850 mm |
| Height: | 1450 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2743 mm |
| Empty weight : | 1540 kg |
For the 1978 model year , a smaller, angular El Camino came onto the market. The Chevelle was no longer produced, which meant that the components of the Chevelle successor Malibu and the Monte Carlo were used.
For the first time there was also a V6 engine in the El Camino (a 90 ° V6 from Buick or Chevrolet ) and from 1982 to 1984 a diesel engine contributed by Oldsmobile .
In parallel with the Malibu, the El Camino also received a modified front for 1982 with double headlights.
At the end of the 1984 model year, Chevrolet relocated production of the El Camino and the GMC Caballero to Ramos Arizpe, Mexico . In the summer of 1987, production of the El Camino was discontinued as demand had dropped sharply - the larger Chevrolet S-10 introduced in 1982 sold significantly better than the Malibu-based pick-up. About 200 unsold 1987 El Caminos were sold as the "1988 Model". The units assembled by Pars Khodro in Iran were only known under the name Chevrolet Pickup . The assembly of the model did not start there until 1984, after the political situation had eased after the Islamic Revolution . Since then, however, it has also been the last vehicle from the GM group that was assembled in Iran.
- Engines
1978
- 200 cui V6 (69 kW / 94 PS),
- 231 cui V6 (77 kW / 105 PS),
- 305 cui V8 (107 kW / 145 PS),
- 350 cui V8 (125 kW / 170 PS)
1979
- 200 cui V6 (69 kW / 94 PS),
- 231 cui V6 (77 kW / 105 PS),
- 267 cui V8 (92 kW125 PS),
- 305 cui V8 (114 kW / 155 PS),
- 350 cui V8 (125 kW / 170 PS)
1980
- 229 cui V6 (81 kW / 110 PS),
- 231 cui V6 (85 kW / 115 PS),
- 267 cui V8 (85 kW / 115 PS),
- 305 cui V8 (107 kW / 145 hp)
1981
- 229 cui V6,
- 231 cui V6,
- 267 cui V8,
- 305 cui V8
1982
- 229 cui V6,
- 231 cui V6,
- 267 cui V8,
- 305 cui V8
1983
- 229 cui V6,
- 231 cui V6,
- 305 cui V8,
- 350 cui V8
1984
- 229 cui V6,
- 231 cui V6,
- 305 cui V8,
- 350 cui V8
1985
- 262 cui V6,
- 305 cui V8
1986
- 262 cui V6,
- 305 cui V8
1987
- 262 cui V6,
- 305 cui V8
New concepts
During the 1990s, GM had a new El Camino concept based on the Caprice station wagon with the grille of a 1994–1996 Impala SS ; this concept was intended for mass production, but it was discontinued due to more profitable SUV GM sales.
The Pontiac G8 ST was shown at the New York International Auto Show in March 2008. Based on the Holden Ute , it was on the same G8 platform with an integrated 1900 mm long loading area. The Sport Truck had the same 361 PS (269 kW) 6.0-liter V8 engine used in the G8 GT, as well as the 3.6-liter and 300 PS (220 kW) direct-injection V6. The G8-ST, slated for release as a 2010 model, was to become GM's first coupe utility in North America after production of the El Camino ceased in 1987. In January 2009, however, GM notified Pontiac dealers that development of the G8-ST had been suspended due to budget cuts and restructuring.
The Australian cousins
The Australian GM subsidiary Holden has been offering a pick-up system based on its own car models since 1951, the Holden Ute . In a sense, these light commercial vehicles, very popular in their homeland, were the inspiration for Ford and GM's car pickups . Like these, they were originally designed for a more rural clientele and were partially exported to South Africa under the name Holden Kingswood . However, these vehicles were not and are not related to the El Camino.
useful information
- In the film Harold and Maude , the leading actress Ruth Gordon drives a light green Chevrolet El Camino, presumably the third generation.
- The supporting character Ryder in GTA: San Andreas drives a car based on the El Camino.
- In the series My Name Is Earl , the title character Earl drives a 1973 El Camino.
- El Caminos starred in the film The Mexican .
- An El Camino also plays a role in the film Four Brothers and is involved in an accident.
- In the film The Public Enemy No. 1 , “Brill” ( Gene Hackman ) drives an El Camino that is blown up.
- In the film The Return , a blue 5th Gen El Camino plays a role as a leading actor's vehicle, and again it is put to an end by an accident.
- The band Slant 6 dedicated the song El Camino Man to El Camino on their album Driving to the Edge .
- The band The Black Keys named their 2011 album "El Camino", but the cover shows a Plymouth Voyager .
- In the film Bodyguard , Kevin Costner drives an El Camino.
- In the US sitcom The Wild Seventies , Michael Kelso ( Ashton Kutcher ) tries to buy an El Camino from Leo ( Tommy Chong ).
- El Camino: A “Breaking Bad” film is also named after the car. An El Camino serves the protagonist as an escape vehicle.
- In the Gorillaz song Stylo, Bruce Willis drives a red El Camino and chases the Gorillaz
Individual evidence
- ^ El Camino Timeline - Changes From 1959-1987. In: http://blog.elcaminostore.com/el-camino-timeline-1959-1987/ . Retrieved October 12, 2019 .
- ↑ AmeriCar: 50 Years of Chevrolet El Camino History Review: Chevy's Personal Pick Up. In: https://www.americar.de/magazin/americar-inside/50-jahre-chevrolet-el-camino-history-rueckblick-chevy-s-personal-pick-up.708 . AmeriCar, accessed October 12, 2019 .
- ^ History: Chevrolet introduces the El Camino. In: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/chevrolet-introduces-the-el-camino . Retrieved October 12, 2019 .
- ↑ Chevrolet El Camino prehistory. In: https://auto.howstuffworks.com/1959-1960-chevrolet-el-camino.htm . Retrieved October 12, 2019 .
- ^ El Camino History. In: http://www.classic-car-history.com/1959-1960-el-camino.htm . Retrieved October 12, 2019 .
- ^ GM Chevrolet: GM Heritage Center - Vehicle Kit Information. In: https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits.html . Retrieved October 12, 2019 .
- ↑ 105 deleted: ART | August '06 | blechpiraten.de archived from the original (as of October 2018)
