The 1974 model year was one where the Chevrolet El Camino received some minor external upgrades, but the company added the Classic as its range-topping offering. This didn’t bring any performance upgrades to the table but added more luxurious trim items to make the driving experience more enjoyable. This El Camino Classic is a tidy survivor with only a few minor flaws. It has an exceptionally low odometer reading and is ready to be driven and enjoyed by a lucky new owner. If you find yourself strangely drawn to the El Camino, you will find it located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has sailed past the reserve to sit at $8,100 at the time of writing. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Larry D for spotting this classic pickup for us.
While it might not be to everyone’s taste, this El Camino is finished in an interesting combination of Medium Green and Antique White. This was 1-of-8 two-tone paint combinations that Chevrolet offered on the ’74 Classic. Its overall condition appears to be extremely good, with no significant flaws or defects in the panels or paint beyond a ding in the passenger side door. There are the usual small nicks and chips, but that’s to be expected on a vehicle of this age. The owner indicates that the sealer in the bed has begun to shrink, but replacing this should not be difficult. The bed itself is in excellent order, with no signs of the type of damage that might suggest abuse or a hard working life. There is no visible rust, and the owner doesn’t mention any hidden secrets below the surface. The original owner ordered this Classic with tinted glass, and this remains free from flaws. The exterior trim is intact, with the chrome pieces shining impressively. The bed rails are a practical aftermarket addition, while the damage-prone hubcaps look faultless.
The El Camino’s interior delivers mixed messages because while some aspects appear faultless, others have significant problems. Beginning with the worst of them, the dash pad is badly cracked. It seems that the sun has done its worst here, and I believe that it has deteriorated beyond the point of no return. This could prove to be an issue because replacement pads are hard to locate. There are a few options that the buyer could consider. The first would be to spend around $60 on a cover that would hide the damage. However, with the cracks beginning to extend down the front of the pad, this may only be effective for a short time. The next would be to install a dash cap. These glue in place and can be effective. I researched these, and the feedback from those who’ve used them is positive if the buyer opts for a high-quality cap. These sell for around $160, but they would need to be painted to match the existing pad. The next choice would be to scour a pick-a-part for a replacement, but chances are any that you find in those locations will be no better than what we see here. The final option is to exercise patience and wait for a NOS or good secondhand one to appear on eBay. This option may require patience, but it would be worth the effort if the buyer seeks originality. The door trims are slightly discolored, and the carpet shows some patchiness, but neither issue is particularly bad. It seems that the seat has worn a plastic cover since new, meaning that the upholstery is flawless. The owner says that the air conditioning doesn’t blow cold and that there is a noisy bearing in the compressor. Beyond that, the luxury touches include an AM/FM radio and a tilt wheel.
The owner seems unsure about what V8 occupies this El Camino’s engine bay, but the VIN indicates that it is the 350-2V unit that would produce 145hp and a very respectable 250 ft/lbs of torque. The rest of the drivetrain includes a three-speed Turbo Hydramatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. The news for potential buyers with this Classic seems to be nothing but positive. The owner claims that the vehicle has 22,000 genuine miles on the clock but doesn’t indicate whether he holds verifying evidence. However, if we consider the condition of the panels, paint, and engine bay, they make the claim seem plausible. Looking beyond that, the El Camino is said to run and drive well. The engine seems to have no vises, the transmission shifts smoothly, and the brakes feel strong. It appears that this Classic is ready to hit the road with a new owner behind the wheel.
This 1974 El Camino Classic looks like a tidy survivor that needs little to push its presentation to the next level. The dash pad issue is the major problem, but it would turn heads with that, and the door ding addressed. It’s no secret that the El Camino continues to perform well in the classic market, with values continuing to rise. However, they remain affordable, and I would expect to see this one reach around $15,000 before the reserve is met. From there, I believe it won’t go beyond $16,500 before the hammer falls. If a light pickup is on your radar, it could be worth monitoring this auction.
Just curious. What does it cost to ship a car from one coast to the other?
About $1200-1500
I suggest flying in, checking it out in person, and then driving it home if possible.
While there, visit the Corvette Assembly Plant and Museum – well worth the trip!
As some one who does this pretty often, there are a lot of variables: does the vehicle run? Is it located in a major hub area? Is it a pickup, sedan, coupe, etc. ? How flexible are you with the pickup and delivery times? I just had a Mercury Bobcat wagon shipped from the west coast to the east coast, it was a non-runner and not in a major hub area, cost was $2000.
I owned a 1973 model El Camino. What a pig! Cornered like the Queen Mary, hood is way too long on this. Mine originally had a camper shell on it (what could be any worse?) I removed it and sold the shell to a zealous young man who wanted it so bad when I told him the price, he offered to pay DOUBLE! We settled somewhere in the middle. I couldn’t get rid of that El Camino fast enough.
Agreed. I had a 77. One of the few cars from back in the day I don’t have fond memories of.
This El Camino has been repainted so I doubt the mileage claim..
For what it is and at current bid it looks like a decent buy. It may seem promising at first glance but I’m not sure whether we see something going on where the LH rear cab wall meets the floor…?
Definately of the better Colonnade Elkys we’ve seen on BF and that’s an attractive period color combo – just a tiny bit on the yucky side but IMO that’s how a 70s vehicle should be. Personally I prefer the ’76/’77 Classic quad light face. Those bed side guard rails though… 😣 oh man they totally screw up the Colonnade Elky’s swooshy profile …
That’s a fair price.
I sold a 73 Ranchero and a 76 Ranchero GT for around that price just recently……both in good drivable condition.
I have to admit the vehicle looks pretty good for it’s age but it would be worth a close examination to check for bondo, known problem with vehicles of the age. I had a 74 Malibu Classic with the 350-2 and 3 on the tree, boy was that a gas guzzling dog in stock form. Hard to start and ran like crap, and I bought it new. Biggest improvement you could make for short $$ was a little carb work, recurve the distributor and find a port for live vacuum to hook the distributor to. Those simple changes got me about 4-5 mpg improvement which wasn’t great at about 15 mpg but definitely better than the 10 I got when it was stock.
Not a fan of the Els body after 72…….now the Rancheros I like until the behemoth looking LOOOOOONG hood 77’s came out.
The 72 “fish mouth” front end is very popular with the Ranchero crowd.
Man I should have put my 73 Ranchero on fleabay! Can’t believe bidding on this is up to almost 14K!
I had a nice medium Blue with blue interior old build on a 351C and I let her go for $8,500 just a few months ago….a few rust spots but not bad!
Thats the tan-est looking medium green I’ve ever seen, maybe it’s me, I’d say the interior color (saddle tan) matched the non white body color. This el Camino is pretty clean and it’s a shame the dash pad didn’t hold up as well as the rest of the car, the condition of all the painted surfaces leads me to believe a repaint was done sometime in the recent past, especially the paint in the bed. I’d buy it but not at the price it will probably sell at.
I believe the color is Sandstone, not green, which would make perfectly good sense with the saddle interior. IF it were green, the interior would’ve been green as well. Probably the least attractive of the available two-tones on these.
I sold Chevrolets in 1974. I’d say Sandstone too. The 350-2bbls were the most common engine in Chevelles that year… and 4bbl versions were only available in California. There was also a 400 2bbl… even worse gas mileage. And of course the 4bbl versions generally got better gas mileage… if you kept your foot out of the secondaries :-) That dash is suspicious. I’ve had several cars with over 100K miles on them that looked that good. Without documentation, I’m not buying the 22k miles. I wouldn’t mind owning it at the right price… but current bid is way out in dreamland… unless you know the owner and history of the car.
It’s an H code, 145 HP 350.
not into the Cheb too much but the 3rd gen Chevelle (this one, Malibu, M. Classic, etc) just strike me a good looking. The fat grill, this here hasa curved back window, if it must B a cheb this, the wagon, even the 2dor (’56/60 & ’63 vette too) would bring my smiles 4 miles~.
One if the big problems with these is the interior plastic trim around the windshield, rear window and around the doors as well as the lower door panels, if you have swivel bucket seats the shells on the backs of the seats as well, the plastic becomes brittle as well as the surfaces turn to a crumbly powder. None of the interior plastic stuff is reproduced except the two vertical windshield side moldings and lower door panels. I had to make moulds and reproduce them in fiberglass for my ’77 Classic.
Over 13 G currently
Looks like someone smacked the dash to get a blower motor working or kicked it. Baby sh#t color, fugly bed rails, broken dash pad, weak motor. Repaint it bronze, nice wheels and tires, GM crate engine with some real power. WAY to.much money imho