Hooniverse Truck Thursday – 1979 Chevrolet El Camino

You know how you know you’ve moved into the right town? When you can snap photos of not just one but two blue El Caminos. I’ve posted the earlier sighting some time ago, outside a garage that works on anything with an engine by the looks of it, and here’s the other one. I’ve also seen a green one driving around, which means I can keep posting El Camino content in the future, too; that’s just a question of timing.

I like being able to photograph cars of a distinctive colour. Yesterday’s Volvo was a bright yellow thing, and today’s Chevy is a vivid electric blue. It’s a respray, of course, but looks like a quality job and the colour can even be close to the actual original shade. Just how overly bulbous does that Isuzu D-Max behind the Chevy look, by the way?

Chrome’s all present, but some of it has pitted and rusted. Still, it looks like someone’s done a good job of bringing the El Camino to a good nick. And design-wise, I love the little wave on the middle of the hood and the grille.

Up close, you see it’s not perfect. But it’s behind the grille what counts; unlike the previous 3.8 sighting, this El Camino rocks a 305 with a TH350 – claimed to be a 250-hp powerplant in an old ad for this car. That’s the way an El Camino should be, actual business in the front (seriously, when will the simile keel over?).

I do prefer the 1982-onwards quad-setup front to the lighter-lighted ’78-’81 front; it looks meaner and tougher.

Studded Goodyear winter tires on winter rally wheels.

It’s the cabin section that I like the best on the Chevy. Rakish flying buttresses, A-shaped window glass, curved rear glass. It’s a classic.

 

[Images: Copyright 2012 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]

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