In 1957, Ford introduced a car-based pickup truck called the Ranchero. It used a 2-door station wagon as its foundation. Two years later, Chevrolet got into the game with a similar product they named El Camino. The initial run of the El Camino only lasted two years (1959 and 1960) but returned in 1964 on a smaller platform and stayed alive through 1987. The seller has a pair of first-year El Caminos, both projects, though one is a bit better than the other, so you might both end up with one workable vehicle.
Both of the seller’s Chevies are on trailers, so we assume the seller bought them as barn finds. Both are rusty and incomplete. The 1959 El Camino saw 22,000 units leave the assembly line, while the Ford product only mustered 14,000 units. That may or may not have had any impact on Ford’s decision to move the Ranchero over to the new Falcon compact platform in 1960 where it remained through 1965. Then it went head-to-head with the Chevelle-based El Camino through 1979.
1959 El Camino (Red/white paint)
This is said to be the better one. It has a V8 engine, which could be a 283 cubic inch motor paired with a 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. Besides rust and worn-out paint, the El Camino is going to need a lot of work, even after borrowing from the second pickup. There seem to be ample spare parts in boxes, too.
1959 El Camino (Blue paint)
The second one looks just about as rusty, but we don’t know whether it has a drivetrain from which you could borrow. The pair of projects can be found in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where the seller has listed them for sale here on eBay. Only one bid of $2,750 has been cast and there is no reserve, so you might be able to get the duo for not a lot more money.
I like the trailers
If you have another El Camino that needs parts, buy these two!
The rear trim is the hardest to find and then the top of the bed trim……just not seeing these two as good parts cars.
The engine pictured in the ad has a long water pump, signified by the passenger side alternator, that means it’s almost guaranteed to be a 69 or newer engine, most likely a 307, 350 or 305.
These are rough, if I were a potential buyer I’d only consider paying up to 50% of the value of the sellable parts. Just in case any possible restoration plans didn’t survive the disassembly process.
Steve R
I agree, the valve covers, water pump, alternator mount, type of divorced choke, etc all indicate it’s a 70-74 small block.
One intriguing detail are the holes in the hood of the red one. A 59 6 cylinder would have one line of holes for the “Chevrolet” script. A 283 added the second V shape set of four holes and the 348 came with 2 more holes above the V for the 348’s crossed flags. The red one quite possibly started life with a 348, not that it matters much now with the original engine long gone.
I’m a big fan of El Camino’s, but these two are a little to rough for me.
The engine is definitely of the later version with the drilled and tapped heads. That’s probably the biggest giveaway that it is not a 283 or 327. Most everything else is interchangeable. The down side to these years of El Camino’s and Impala’s is the frame. They are not very rigid and noted for flexing making the handling fairly pour. They do look pretty cool fixed up with the right stance and color. Regardless the ad has been removed so I’m guessing they are sold.
I have owned one of these in the past. Due to poor steel quality of the late 50s these cars are always needing floors, bed floors, gas tanks and headlamp pans. Not a project for the under funded faint of heart. Although when done and done correctly, they are absolutely one of the coolest cars you could ever own.
I’m with you. I’d never want to tackle this, but to me, the 59 El Camino was the best looking ever. I even remember having a model kit of one as a kid.
The current bid seems about right. I’m afraid that there are not too many redeeming qualities here. One would have to REALLY like ’59 El Camino’s to take a swing at this pair.
This is the 3rd time this guy has sold them and the price seems to go down each time.
The 59 El Camino is one of my favorite vehicles of all times. I don’t know why.
They just are. That said, given how rough all the “projects” out there seem to be these days, and how hard El Camino only parts are to find, (think trim), I’d buy one that was done and ready to go. I’m sure it would be cheaper in the long run and I could enjoy it while I can still drive.
Good luck to the buyer. I hope whoever takes this on much success.
Not one, but both of them have Oldsmobile SuperStock wheels??
A slightly modified 59……on a beer run.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4uh9_udbaQ