Not that long ago, Choo Choo Customs was a bit of a household name, taking the General’s most popular vehicles and giving them some extra attitude. This 1985 Chevy El Camino SS here on eBay is said to be a recent barn find example of an increasingly rare cosmetic option package available through Chevy’s dealer network. 

While slapping on some aero bits and special graphics may seem like a waste of time, these Choo Choo-conversions were pretty saucy when you saw them rolling down the street. I can remember a local parade had at least one Chevy short-bed pickup truck sporting a Choo Choo kit, and like many of the kids in attendance, I was easily impressed by wild colors and graphics. This El Camino almost looks subdued in its robin’s egg blue paint job with a white cap on the bed, but the wide Centerline-style wheels help it stand out.

They didn’t do much work under the hood, so unless a previous owner made some adjustments, the 305 V8 likely remains in standard form. What we don’t know is if this was a factory SS vehicle, as I’ve read that sometimes Choo Choo made more plain-jane El Caminos into SS clones. That’s the trouble with these random aftermarket specials: you just never quite know what you’re getting into. This example does have a Choo Choo badge in the door jamb but there should also be a Choo Choo emblem in the engine bay and on the dash, neither of which I see here.

There must be a following out there for these special edition El Caminos, as 44 bids have already lobbed in hopes of owning this vestige of the 80s. The miles are high, at 158,000, so this Choo Choo has definitely been used. But if the seller’s description is accurate, which is that the car’s primary needs are cosmetic in nature, this could be an afforable way into owning a vehicle on the cheap that actually might appreciate while you drive it – and haul a few loads of mulch from the hardware store, too.