I promise to limit my “time capsule” remarks to a minimum on this one. This really is a mind-blowing car, it’s a 1987 Chevrolet El Camino Conquista Edition and whether you think it’s too new or too pedestrian or not a collector car or not a classic car, or not even a car since it’s an El Camino – this is one unbelievable car/truck/car-truck. This beauty is listed on eBay with, shall we say, spirited bidding, and the current bid price is over $8,000. Nope, the reserve isn’t met yet, either. You can find it in beautiful Lakeland, Florida. This is a fly-in-and-drive-home sort of car.. truck..
I knew a guy in my hometown that owned a motel on the shores of Lake Superior and he had a fifth-generation El Camino that he nut-and-bolt restored, and that was in the mid-1980s! It must have succumbed to the ravages of Minnesota rust from the salty roads, but it wasn’t even a decade old. He put at least as much into that car as he paid for it new. With this one, it doesn’t look like you’ll have to do too much, other than get a roll of velvet to park it on in your heated and air-conditioned, humidity-controlled garage. It can sit there while you decide whether to actually drive it on actual public roads with actual human drivers doing all sorts of actual stupid things behind the wheel instead of actually driving. It’s getting scary out there on the roads, folks.
With only 71,298 miles, this beautiful car is hardly broken in yet, and I would have expected to see even fewer miles than that on this beauty. I love the rounded portion of the bed, that’s a great detail. But, as you can see from that box/bed photo, all is not perfect with this El Camino. Is that a rust spot on the lower left and on the upper right by the tailgate? And, you can see a few dings back there, too. And, does it look like it could have possibly been repainted? There may be some detailing left to do on this otherwise fantastic looking car.. truck.
The Conquista Edition was a trim package that included “an available special paint treatment molding package and special accent color.” That’s one of the most obscure trim package descriptions that I’ve ever heard! Chevy also offered a Black Knight and a Royal Knight SS edition. The interior appears to be “like new”, as they say in the car-selling business. And, power windows?! A very nice touch. Those seats look quite cushy, much more so than I would have imagined being in an El Camino, an vehicle that a person could theoretically haul things in the back of. But, I guess that’s like thinking that the average SUV owner would actually take them off-road.
Speaking of hauling, this is Chevy’s 305 cubic-inch V8 with 150 hp and 240 ft-lb of torque. Ok, so it’s not a 454 monster V8 from El Caminos of yore, but it should get up and go with modern traffic, if you’d be brave enough to drive something this nice in modern traffic. Have any of you owned a last-generation El Camino?
Super sharp, has it all! The Elcamino Choo Choo customs are interesting.
80’s stuff is cool, and 30 years old. It definitely belongs.
What werethe ones custom done with Pontiac front ?
Right, seen some pictures and fell in love, but thats because I’m a Poncho Boy.
Time capsule.
A great condition car.
But I noticed that the chrome molding in the driver’s door is peeling off.
Also, does anyone can tell me what is behind the seats? Looks like a removed T-Top?
MathieuB.
If I was going to guess, I’d say those things behind the seats are aftermarket rear wheel well skirts. That’s just a guess. Maybe someone else knows.
Yes it is probably skirts.
Thank you!
That peeling “chrome” strip is common, it’s a coated plastic.
For such a beauty, I am surprised by what looks like pretty big dents in the inside of the tailgate. That being said, if it was mine, it would have dents too!
GMC had a version of this car also, as I recall GMC had the Royal Knight while Chevy had the Super Sport.
GMC at this point I believe was a Caballero. The Royal Knight was a package on the Camino, as well as the SS – but thinking the SS came after the Royal Knight in this generation.
The GMC Caballero version of the “Royal Knight” was called “Diablo,” I believe. I had an El Camino briefly that I inheirited from my Dad who passed, it was an ’82 Conquista. That trim package just meant tri-tone paint scheme and badges on the tailgate and dash.
Standing at my buddys chevy store in 1987 I was looking at a new El Camino SS w a 4 speed manual. I was this close to pulling the trigger but instead I bought a nissan pickup and put a convertible top on it to use as a demo. It made business sense as I sold a ton of convertible pickups but still wanted that SS El Camino to this day.
An 86 with identical colors and 10 thousand miles in July HMN for 17.5k
Scotty, what part of Minnesota are you from? I also live in the shores of Lake Superior, but in Thunder Bay, Ontario!
In regards to the car, nothing more needs to be said. I love El Caminos – they are my dream cars. Although I won’t be buying this one, I will have more than one in my lifetime, that is for sure!
One would have thought that w/ the Conquista package, GM could have at least included a clock, or a tach, instead of that blank circular space in the gauge cluster!
Mopar guys tend to be salty about everything GM or Ford made… But in this situation, I 100% agree. It longs so incredibly bizarre to not have anything there.
Hey Iggy O., I absolutely like this Camino and would LOVE to have it. :-)
The trim progression for the end of these 5th generation models was: El Camino, El Camino Conquista, El Camino Super Sport and El Camino Royal Knight. The Royal Knight was the successor to the Black Knight, which fell victim to the PC axe, ran from 1978-1983 and had a “Super Sport” badge in the dash above the glove box. This is a picture of our 1982 Royal Knight, a 68k mile beauty in Redwood Metallic, which was the model featured in the dealer brochure for that year.
There is a gauge package that includes a tach for these cars I’m surprised this car does not have the tack, I thought it was standard w the gauge pkg.
This is one of the car/truck that is on my bucket list, too bad it is on the wrong side of the U.S. I already have my ’59 El Camino, since it was the first year made, now I need the last year version which is the 1987 which has not been mentioned as yet. This is a nice example, and I would be happy as all to make this my DD. I will keep looking for a nice clean CA lo mile Elky. Nice find!
I took a plain jane Arizona Camino and made a multiple best in show winner out of it! My vision, my cash. Daily Driver!
The brother bought a one owner off one of his customers because no one in the family wanted it. THEY’RE ALL OVER THE PLACE HERE IN DALLAS. Not rare at all – he has been replacing the normal not replaced stuff for awhile. They’re okay….not a 1972 down by any means !
I always really liked them and this looks like a cherry. I want it !
Very nice. Worth every penny. I think this was the last year for el camino production. I like these years more than many other years.
I have an 84 that I’ve been meaning to put back on the road. I still love her though. My first vehicle was my fathers 78 GMC Caballero that was bought new. Then fast forward about 5 yrs I bought an 82 that was a rust bucket then used everything good off of that to build the 84 I still have 16 years later.
My 86 Elky. Restored 17 years ago. Still a fun run ride. 305, mild cam, Edelbrock, shift kit in trans.
The last production was 1986 but GM had left over parts for 200 more at the Mexico plant and named them 1987s. If this is a real ’87 it is very rare. Serial #s will show. I had an ’86 picked up in North Carolina (40,000 miles). Unused original spare/jack and drove it home to Canada. Kept it for 3 years then sold it. It was my summer daily driver and never let me down. With the bench seat my GF would sit next to me as we all did in the “Good old days”!
Just bought a 1986 Conquista for a project car/truck and transported it home today. It has a few issues but nothing a hammer and paint brush can’t fix. Can’t wait to roll in the $1000s of dollars it will be worth. Only paid $350 to get this gem and I’m feeling real good!