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54K Mile: 1980 Chevrolet El Camino Conquista

Everyone needs a Conquista! As can be seen here on eBay, this 1980 Chevrolet El Camino two tone blue Conquista is for sale at a Buy It Now price of $7,500. The car is located in Valencia, California and the seller will consider a lower offer. This attractive El Camino looks very original and has logged only 54,000 miles.

I would prefer a 305 cubic inch V8 engine but this El Camino is equipped with the base V6 engine. Horsepower increased for the 229 cubic inch V6 engine in 1980 to 115 horsepower compared to the 200 cubic inch V6 engine in 1979 that only eked out 94 horsepower. First introduced in 1959, the El Camino has a long history of utility and style. This car represents the fifth generation of the El Camino before production ceased in 1987. The El Camino’s sister car is the GMC Caballero.

The dark blue interior looks nice and no rips in the seat or carpet is evident. The car is equipped with power steering, power brakes, tilt wheel, air conditioning and appears to retain its original radio. The exterior paint is said to be original but the clear coat is peeling. The ad states that the car has alloy wheels but I believe those are stamped Rally wheels. Please correct me if I am wrong.

This El Camino seems to be in good condition but I wish there were some pictures of the underside to ensure that the rust bug has not gotten a foot hold on the frame or body panels. The air conditioner and heater are said not to be working so that is going to cost you at least $700 to $1,500 to get fixed. If you are looking for a clean driver to fix up while you enjoy trips to Home Depot, this car deserves your consideration.

Comments

  1. Avatar CCFisher

    Very reassuring to know that it features a spare tire and jack, per the seller’s notes.

    Like 5
    • Avatar 19sixty5 Member

      I can tell you that many El Camino’s do not have a spare or the jack. They were mounted behind the passenger seat and if you have a flat, the spare and jack are tossed in the bed. They rarely were put back and frequently lost. The original spare tire covers are also frequently MIA.

      Like 6
  2. Avatar JohnfromSC

    My wife already has a Conquista. It began with a ring and a ceremony 25 years ago. I’ve been conquista’d ever since. :-)

    Like 7
  3. Avatar Steve Bush Member

    While it looks decent, it seems a bit pricey for a basic V6 car, especially with peeling paint and non working heater and AC. Would knock maybe $2k or so off the asking.

    Like 3
  4. Avatar Bmac777

    My friends dad had one of these. Looked exactly like this one.
    It had no power and for some reason (converter?) it constantly had the rotten egg smell when it ran.

    Like 3
    • Avatar lc

      What causes that ‘rotten egg smell’? It is a raunchy smell for sures.

      Like 1
      • Avatar JOHN Member

        A bad catalytic converter.

        Like 1
  5. HoA Howard A Member

    Nicest modern car/pickup made, I thought. Always wanted one. Like all car/pickups, there’s a lack of “covered” space. Several companies made small camper tops for these, that enclosed the back and still looked sharp. Nice find.

    Like 5
  6. Avatar Lon Sloan

    The drivers back to the seat is torn. You will have to go on eBay to see the res of the pictures. I believe the picture hides it will but it is there. It might not be a costly fix but I would like to see more pics of the entire inside, headliner, etc.

    Like 2
  7. Avatar Lon Sloan

    The drivers back of the seat is torn. You will have to go on eBay to see the res of the pictures. I believe the picture hides it will but it is there. It might not be a costly fix but I would like to see more pics of the entire inside, headliner, etc.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar lc

    The rear storage area would have been better if they came stock with a durable leather cover with pockets to put paper documents or other small items for storage instead of the carpet that they came with. The pockets would overlay each other in a staggered fashion. That’s what my 5th gen Elko has, and it’s nice. It attaches from below the rear window and drapes half way down covering the storage area. My 81 Ford Durango that I used to own had that carpet storage area covering. It was faded to a yellowish color which was not pleasant looking. The original color of the carpet covering used to be a burgandy.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Maestro1

    Sharp drivers, great for doing whatever you need to do in a stylish way, someone fix this and enjoy it.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Stevieg

    If both the air conditioning and the heat doesn’t work, it is probably just a blower motor not blowing. When air conditioning doesn’t work due to an equipment issue, that is costly. Usually the heat will still work fine. When the heat doesn’t work but the air conditioning does, that too can be costly. That could be a thermostat (no big deal), but usually the issues are deeper.
    When neither works, it is usually a simple switch or blower motor. Notta big deal.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Claudio

    Being from canada means that this beauty would cost me twice the price plus a few grand for transport
    So i will keep looking and waiting for something good to show up …

    Like 0
    • Avatar lc

      Sir, can you explain the costs that you are talking about. I didn’t know that it would cost more for you to purchase a car in the US, and have it shipped. Couldn’t you just drive it across the border? I would expect it being costly to ship cars to overseas locations, but not Canada.

      Like 0
  12. Avatar lc

    Great John. Strange because that’s what I figured too. I had taken my 81 El Camino to a Muffler shop, and they said my cats were fine. I had them fix a exhaust leak from the exhaust manifold on the right side of the engine. I had told them of vapor in the tank after the vehicle has been run awhile (like 20 miles). They suggested a smoke test. I’ve got two cats on it. Could they both be bad?

    Like 0

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