Ford got a step ahead of Chevrolet in 1959 by introducing the Ranchero, a pickup based on a station wagon platform rather than a truck. Chevy caught up in 1959 by introducing the El Camino when they redesigned their cars for the second year in a row. Over time, the El Camino would outsell the Ranchero, lasting from 1959 to 1960 and again from 1964 to 1987 (the Ranchero was retired in 1979). The seller has owned this first-year El Camino for 40 years and never got around to a restoration (he/she bought it just like you see it).
Both the Ranchero and El Camino are the same concept, using a 2-door station wagon as the base. Chevy sold 50% more El Caminos than Ford did Rancheros in 1959, which may have led Ford to shift the Ranchero to the new compact Falcon chassis in 1960. The El Camino initially stuck around for just two years, returning in 1964 using the new mid-size Chevelle as its baseline. The “gentlemen’s pickup” would stay in this format through the retirement of the mid-size rear-wheel drive intermediate Chevies 23 years later.
As the story goes, the seller bought this vehicle four decades ago to redo it. But life sometimes gets in the way, and this has never happened. After being outside for 20 years, it moved indoors for the second 20 years. Nothing has been done to the truck since 1984, and it moves around on dollies (with no tires on the wheels, so uploading it to a trailer will be fun).
There is ample rust to be found, particularly in the floorboards, and the right rear quarter panel took a hit of some kind, and an amateur job of repairing it was started. So, it may have to be replaced (can a ’59 passenger car quarter be transferrable as the supplies would be greater?). All the glass is present, but you’ll have to replace the cracked windshield. It came with an inline-6 engine and a 3-speed manual transmission. The motor is gone, and an automatic tranny was installed, yet the third pedal remains.
This looks like a tougher restoration project, but the vehicle seems too expensive to be a parts car. Would you take on the project and give it the Full Monty? Located in Billings, Missouri, this Chevy is available here on eBay where the opening bid of $8,000 hasn’t been cast, and the reserve is somewhere between that figure and the $10,000 Buy It Now price.
When I look at that multi-holed body “repair” on the rear quarter, I see, just to the right of it, Matthew McConaughey’ s face. Well, OK, I’ve had a couple tonight.
I see it too and I haven’t been drinking! It is his face from about the bridge of his nose, on up? 😅
Thank you, Ted. I almost stopped drinking.
1st pp typo: 1957
I have no words!
Someone REALLY likes using a dent puller. Can’t you access the inside of that panel through the taillight opening?
Oh sure, do it the easy way!
I thought that was a bee nest at first glance
I always wanted a 59 El Camino. But, not this one.
Love this year Camino, but there’s thousands worth of body work needing done before you can even think about paint. Better bring your own tires and rims just to get it on a trailer. Just too many problems before you can even get started.
beautiful year but hurts the condition
Shame to let a car get this bad … I had a ’59 Bel Air 2-door sedan, 283 three-speed … great car but got stolen in Chicago …
I only paid $75 for it … was the local pharmacist’s wife’s car … cluch was so bad the car wouldn’t move when clutch was let out – had to rev the engine just to get it to move… local mechanic replaced clutch, pressure plate, and throwout bearing for $20 – oh, those were the days …car ran great after that … had “legs” – would get 75-85 in second … great “date night” car … hated losing it …
Probably don’t have to worry about this being stolen any time soon!And I really like the 59 El camino.
What a mess. My all time dream vehicle since I was 15. Now 65 and still can’t afford a decent one. My life is failure. Guess I’ll charge the battery and go for a ride in vette.