- Seller: Noah R (Contact)
- Location: Rehoboth, Massachusetts
- Mileage: 162,000 Shown
- Chassis #: 3GCCW80H8FS916118
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 305 cui V8
- Transmission: Automatic
There’s a line in the Barenaked Ladies song “If I Had $1,000,000” that discusses the merits of eating “Kraft Dinner” as a millionaire. The response, “of course we would, we’d just eat more,” mirrors how I feel about car collecting. Someone recently asked me which car I’d buy if money weren’t an object, and I replied that I would keep buying what I buy now; I’d just buy more. It goes without saying that I’d have a 1973-87 El Camino or two, and one of them might be similar to this one, which is being offered as a Barn Finds Auction in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. The seller bought it from the original owner, and the title is still in that person’s name, so you could be the second owner of this “Connecticut car” that was “used by the original owner as a fun weekend driver.”
The original owner ordered the peppiest powertrain available, the “high-compression” 305 with 150 horsepower and 240 lb.-ft. of torque. With a limited-slip rear axle and a light rear end, some brake-standing hooliganism wouldn’t be out of the question. The El Camino has 162,000 miles on it, but it “runs and drives [with] no problems at all,” and has had a recent oil change, cooling system flush, and a new alternator. The tires were replaced a year ago.
The owner says that the “interior is very clean, with the smallest cracks near the glove box door and radio, but [it has] no missing chunks like you always see on these cars.” More importantly, the frame, body mounts, and bed mounts are solid, which is a question you’re bound to ask when looking at a car from our great Northeast.
There’s a great channel on YouTube called TestDriveJunkie that posts an unreal number of dealer laserdisc features from the early 1980s. I’ve been watching too many of them lately, and one of them was this feature on the 1983 El Camino. One of the most fascinating facets of this already fascinating vehicle, which is highlighted in the film, is the “smuggler’s box,” a fairly large void behind the seat that would have made up the rear footwell in the other G-Body models with which the El Camino shared a platform. Used for storage in the El Camino, it’s a neat little nook.
A kid in my neighborhood drives a silver “fifth-generation” El Camino very similar to this auction car, and every time I see it, the same thing occurs to me: This is now an antique car. The ’85 El Camino is 40 years old now, but it’s still a perfectly functional and practical car/truck that just happens to be more interesting than most of the other cars on the road, and you can drive this one as-is or give it a new paint job and have a really nice looking old Chevy. Bid now if you want to live those million-dollar dreams.
Bid On This Auction
Mike bid $2,100.00 2025-10-27 10:07:51
Bigdaddy bid $2,000.00 2025-10-24 21:33:09
Anders bid $1,500.00 2025-10-21 14:46:38
Vrabel bid $1,000.00 2025-10-21 13:42:21
David bid $500.00 2025-10-21 09:40:03
Corky bid $200.00 2025-10-21 05:22:05
Bob Rogers bid $100.00 2025-10-20 09:06:20
Shouldn’t the spare tire be in the “smuggler’s box”?
There are some pictures in the gallery that show the spare tire in its proper location; I think the owner took it out for a picture or two.
Hey CCFisher,
I took it out to show inside the smuggler’s box, but it is in there with a full size spare in the gallery, sorry for the confusion
Looks like Olds hubcaps.
Replace the front rubber bumper strip, dual exhaust, a set of 8″ Corvette rally’s and fresh set of BF Goodrich raised white letter tires, and this is a totally different car. Pull it in the garage each winter and continue the improvements of your choice.
Please respectfully keep opinions to yourself, I don’t need your opinion,
Thank you
Great article and link đ thanks.
“If I had a million dollars, I’d buy you an ElCamino! But not a real ElCamino, that’d be cruel!”
this is the last & 3rd gen of the chevelle
â73/7, only one I liked. Was it cuz the ol man
had 1 asa company car? No, again back to âfashionâ. I
liked the big square grill, straight lines after the âhumps over
the wheelsâ as the ’60s muscle. If I went chevelle Iâd go this as
I really like the curved window and bed, not seen elsewhere, eh?
I agree, this body style and 1959 the best looking ElCaminos in my opinion.
I had an ’80, same body style as this jewel, bought it with a 229 Chevy V/6 & a 3 speed stick on the floor . it was painted “Cinnibar” a pukie looking red/orange with a tan interior , When I was done with it it had a mildly worked 350 with a BW ST-10 4 speed behind it , I painted it Black and changed the interior to Dove Grey. It rode on 8″ Corvette Rallye Wheels , It looked pretty good and ran very very good . It eventually suffered from frame rot in the rear from the rear end to the rear bumper so it found a new owner with a frame change in his plans . I liked it a lot.
Mines currently got a little bit of rot in the same area, I’ll save er.
I’m sorry, after looking at the pictures, I see the rust through’s have started and will require a fair amount of repair.
the seller should have spent some time getting this detailed. it would really make a difference. they really should replace those olds cutlass caps with some chevy caps or rally wheels. it would stand out. seat covers should have been removed to show condition of seats as well as that cover on the steering wheel. GLWA
Hey everyone,
Either bid on the car or don’t, please respectfully keep your opinions to yourself, I’m sorry the wheels are “ugly” it’s just hub caps at the end of the day. The point of this car is that it starts runs and drives with no problems and has no frame rot anywhere, so unless you are interested in the car, keep your opinions to yourself please,
I don’t want to start a pissing match but if you put something out there on the WWW you need to be able to ignore negative comments . Everyone is an “Expert” & entitled to their opinions whether to your liking or theirs .
They certainly are entitled to their own opinions, and I respectfully asked to just please keep them to yourselves, if I don’t like something on somebody’s car, I just keep my opinions to myself , I don’t say he should’ve done this or that or certainly call his car ugly, That is just rude
Good luck with the auction.
These cars are unique, and this one looks pretty good for its age. I had one years ago, and it was able to do car as well as truck duties.
As someone else mentioned, this could be a real head turner with minor cosmetics. Always nice to start with a solid car.
the seller really needs to take a chill pill. the critiques are really just suggestions that could help bring more money for the sale. don’t take it personal
Its a truck, its a car. Ha. Love these and my son (younger generation car lover) just absolutely is dying for an El Camino. I had to laugh just a bit at the Super Sport emblem with the 305. I remember when these came out and they were all the rage. I used to just yawn at the 305s but I think it is very cool that this retains the original. Makes a great cruiser. And to top it off you’ve got the obligatory Buss fuses and Queensryche. I couldn’t tell you one song they sang but they are on tour fall of 2025. If Queensryche can make a come back then this nice El Camino can sure be put back to splendor for sure. Seller is right though. Pretty clean and unbroken and cracked interior. I never knew about the spare being locked in with a seat belt. Is that right? If so, that adds a cool factor. Love it.