As a college kid, I spent a summer working at the local automotive paint store as a delivery driver. One day, I showed up to find a derelict car parked in the corner of our gravel parking lot, a GMC Caballero. It was the first time I was properly introduced to GMC’s badge-engineered El Camino, and as it turns out, GMC had been producing these rebranded carriers since 1971. Pre-1978 models were called the Sprint (apparently, GM decided in 1978 that “Sprint” didn’t hold a candle to the romance of “El Camino”). This first-year Sprint on eBay in Washington is a special one: it was ordered with a factory big-block and a four-speed. Although it now has a Turbo 400 and needs a restoration, it’s not a bad starting point if you find yourself liking General Motors’ car/truck hybrid.
Any El Camino or Sprint from 1968-1972 is a valuable vehicle, but a big-block car is, let’s face it, a muscle car. Compression ratios were cut in 1971 when this Sprint was built, but the 402 was still rated at 300 horsepower gross (260 net). The nice thing about GMC is that because they only sold trucks, they long included the more realistic net horsepower ratings in their sales brochures. By the way, GMC bought into Chevrolet’s baffling convention of labeling the 402 a “400.” The 400 small-block was not available in the Sprint for 1971, so at least that confusion was avoided. It’s certainly caught me out a couple times.
The 402 in this Sprint isn’t running, but a previous owner apparently said it was “rebuilt with a cam and ran awesome,” but that and seven dollars will get you a latte. As an aside, is that a Holley 4010 on top? You don’t see those every day; they were based on the Autolite 4100, which was a good carburetor.
The seller says that there’s a Turbo 400 in the car right now, but the manual transmission shifter, linkages, and pedals come with the car. The car also has a factory tachometer, which reinforces the claim that it’s a 402/four-speed car.
There’s no getting around the fact that this Sprint will need and probably deserves a restoration, and as a “muscle truck,” non-GMC specific parts are all available to do that. The seller includes a variety of pictures of areas that have rust (it’s not bad by Midwest standards, but your standards may differ), but with a $4,600 starting price and a $5,800 “Buy It Now” option, nobody has bitten yet. What do you think? Is it too much of a project for the financial upside? Or is it a hidden gem?
..” but that and seven dollars will get you a latte”.. 😆 Great play on an age-old expression, Aaron! And some good research there insofar as GMC being realistic about their net HP ratings-never thought about that until you brought it to point.
Would really like to like this “Ute” as it is what I wanted my ‘72 El Camino to be but a niggling little voice in my head tells me to “Run away! Run away!” after seeing the moss and rust inside and out.
GL to whoever the new owner may be.
As an aside, you’re an entertaining and excellent writer/researcher yourself, Aaron and I’ll bet you have logged more than a few hundred hours under the hood too!
Thank you for the compliment! I’m happy to say that I’m no stranger to the mechanical bits and pieces.
I’d SPRINT right over this overpriced parts car. GLWTS, it will be needed.
What’s the hole for in the quarter panel?
Looks like it probably was for an auxiliary fuel tank at some point in time. Probably needed the extra fuel to make it from one gas station to the next! ;-)
Or a CB antena…
Ok so $5800 for this big block 4 speed GMC sprint
Or
$35K for the 68 charger base model listed above
Both need a lot of work but in comparison the choice seems obvious I may be jaded as I am on my 8th el Camino and the one I wish I had back was similar to this one it was a dark bronze 71 with black vinyl top and interior ss396(402) with auto buckets and console
To me, That looks like the hole for an old 102 inch whip CB antenna that was all the rage back in the 70’s. Probably mounted there and the end would have been tied down at the rear bumper somewhere. Saw many and drilled a few back in that day.
I love the Camino/Sprint. I had a ’77 GMC Sprint and then 6 more El Caminos after that.
Everything a SS would have in a plain wrapper…..if the Biscayne guy is passing so will I….almost at the BIN price.
That big hole shows lotsa gas spillage to the tank thats laying on the bed in the back; along with all the luggage rack holes drilled along the side. Without taking the time on a firewall tag search, the 5400 RPM tach says SBC and the engine with the one tooth off HEI, Holley spread bore, and aluminum water pump??? Some kids’ been in there pretty deep. Liking the cut out heater core housing too; and the by-passed hose routing. Needed a shorter sawzall blade LOL. And finally a MUNCIE mystery shifter with a 3rd pedal brake pedal anyway… Do LOTS of math here!
That is a big block tach, small blocks had a 5,000rpm redline, hydraulic lifter big blocks had a 5,500 redline.
Steve R
Lotsa duct tape seaing the front and back glass too! Maybe if the #’s turn out to be an LS6 a few grand. Otherwise make sure you pack a banjo when going up to look at it.
Sold on 1/27/2025 with a high bid of $4,951.
Steve R