For years, GMC was the truck arm of General Motors as an alternative to the Chevrolet brand. In many cases, GMC products were sold alongside Buick automobiles (which is still the case here locally). They expanded their portfolio by adding the Sprint in 1971, which was a rebadged Chevy El Camino car-based pickup. This ’71 edition of the Sprint, which was 12% of overall El Camino/Sprint sales that year, doesn’t run and is pretty rough cosmetically. But it doesn’t appear to be a rusted-out mess, so it’s available here on craigslist in Tempe, Arizona, for $7,000 OBO. Credit goes to “Chuck F 55chevy” for the tip.
There wasn’t much to differentiate a Sprint from an El Camino. Every time a major change came to the El Camino, it also did for the Sprint. When the vehicles were downsized along with the Chevelles in 1978, GMC dropped the Sprint name and went with Caballero instead. Both the El Camino and Caballero disappeared after 1988 as rear-wheel-drive was dropped on GM’s mid-size products. In 1971, GM sold more than 47,000 “Utes” (utility coupes), of which 5,500 were Sprints.
We don’t know the history of this GMC, but it looks as though it hasn’t moved in quite some time. The bed was full of bits and pieces in one photo, and the interior is in disarray, but it comes with a few empty beer cans you could recycle and make a couple of dimes off of. It has a non-functional small-block V8, which would be either a 307 or 350 cubic inch motor from Chevrolet. It also has an automatic transmission (TH-350?), and other goodies like factory air conditioning. So, this could have been a pretty snappy truck when new.
A full restoration is in order unless you think $7,000 is the right price for a donor. Its Arizona inhabitation speaks for the pickup being corrosion-free, but it certainly has more than its fair share of surface rust. Believe it or not, this GMC has just 26,000 miles per the seller (if true, how did it get this bad off and why?). GMC Sprints are far rarer than Chevy El Caminos, so does that add value to this project? BTW, sorry about the pics (the seller didn’t include the whole pickup).
I believe it only has 26,000 original lines just as much as the sell will get close to $7,000 for this non-running mess that they say “needs total restoration” as the first line in the ad.
I like El Camino’s, I’ve had several, I just think the asking price is way too aggressive for one in this condition. The GMC Sprint designation means next to nothing when a car is in this condition. It might be a different story if is was an SP model.
Steve R
When I saw $7k & looked at the supplied pics, I thought it was that joker in Celeste, TX. Then I read that’s it’s in Tempe, AZ. All I can say is: It ain’t gonna happen for that much $.
Several years ago I sold a non running 71 GMC sprint to a guy from Canada. For 5k so in reality 7k is not that far off given the fact it’s an arizona car is even better. El-camino/ sprints were notorious for rust especially in the rear quarter section. But the original mileage claim would be highly doubtful. An original mileage car would have better orginal paint and interior even if it was sun baked at best. 126000 is more believable. Unless documentation can prove otherwise. Best of luck to whoever is buying it, with today’s prices for parts and paint……your going to be buying your very own Bankruptcy starter kit!!!………:) Enjoy!
7 G’s?? This guy is nuts. Less than a parts car.
not much info or pics.26k no way. looks solid but need to see the frame to confirm no rust. 5k if solid may be doable but it needs another 30k. you would have to do it for love because you will not make money redoing it.
Other than having the optional gauge package dash in it, I don’t see much to be positive about with this Sprint. It appears it’s been painted 2 or 3 times, with blue, white and silver (or gray) all appearing on the body, door jams and bed, leaving the 26000 mile claim even far more unbelievable. There was a name of some sort (a business maybe) painted on the tailgate, but it’s hard to read. I love the body style of the 68-72 El Camino and Sprints, but I’d pass on this one.
Why do the writers on here always insist on calling El Camino’s and Ranchero’s Ute’s? Ute is an Australian term coined in the 30’s for car based pickups that were popular in rural areas of Australia. I’ve owned El Camino’s since 1971, and I’ve come to know lots of other El Camino, Sprint and Ranchero owners in the 55 years since. No one I’ve ever known or met in the US has ever called an El Camino or Ranchero a Ute.
I think at least one of the writers for this site either lives in Australia or used to.
Steve R
$7000.00 is dreaming for this pile of junk.
Seller should smash his “GLASS DI%#” and get back to reality.
$500. Cars like this used to be $500.. Thanks Beverly Hills.
Interesting that BarnFinds has been inundated with multiple “Sprint” models.
In the last month, this is the second GMC Sprint reviewed. We’ve had a Falcon Sprint, Firebird Sprint and even a Ventura Sprint.
All these “Sprint” references make me pine for the fantastic 1966 Tempest Custom Sprint OHC-6 4-speed that I had for three of the years (1966-1968) I went to the University of Texas at Austin.