1970 was a one-year-only front-end design for the Chevrolet Chevelle. The sedans, El Caminos, and wagons all shared the same front end making parts for these cars fairly readily available. This particular wagon resides in Ridgefield, Washington and can be found here on eBay with no bids as of the time of this writing. There is no engine installed in the car, leaving a blank slate for the new owner. What would your ideal powerplant and transmission combo be?
The seller states the car is a west coast car and hasn’t seen any road salt. There are a few rust issues, mainly on the bottom of the car and around the rear windows. The floor pans look okay as well as the rear cargo area. There is surface rust all over this car, but it doesn’t look structural in nature. A thorough inspection would tell the story. Certainly being from Washington state, it has probably seen its fair share of rain over the years.
As mentioned above, there is no engine or transmission in this car. The seller states it originally came with 307 cubic inch V8 with a 350 automatic transmission. If this were my car, I’d probably put a 572 crate engine in it! How fun would a 12-second grocery-getter with original patina be?
The interior has certainly seen better days. The whole thing needs refreshing including the following: the rear cargo area, door panels, and rear seat covering. The front seats and some of the door panels look okay. As with most popular Chevrolet years, parts are easy to come by, but wagon parts may be more of a challenge.
With the monotone brown/gold interior and rusty exterior, this car would make a perfect sleeper car. How would you build it if it was your project?
Not much of a Chevy guy but wagons have grown on me. Would live to make this an LS6 clone. If it had the factory power plant I’d restore it to factory spec because who does that anymore.
The steering wheel is from a much later year and there is a subtle difference in the front ends. El Caminos had circular turn signals in the bumper. I found this out the hard way on my 1970 El Camino.
1970 El Camino and 1970 Monte Carlo shared bumpers.
Perspective from a mid westerner. Road salt and sea salt seem to have a lot in common, just sayin
It’s too rusty for me to begin with, but if it were solid needing a drive-line I’d be inclined to find a junkyard 5.3L/4L60E combo and daily drive it to work.
I had a maroon one with a 350 2 barrel dualexuast and big old fat tires in back ,it was a slug ,can only guess how slow a 307 would be 🐢
Wagons and El Caminos did not share sheet metal with the 2 door or 4 door Chevelle’s only the hood is interchangeable.
This thing is rough, it might make a better parts car than restoration project.
Steve R
There’s a green A body wagon in the background of these pics.. Wondered if this thing wasn’t a donor for it.
That’s a full sized Buick wagon in the background.
Steve R
I am sur that is what the seller thought when he bought it.
He probably took the engine and trans out for another project and is selling the rest.
I had a ’70 sedan, dark green vinyl top with this popular green body color. 307 and a Powerglide…liked to eat rings and I couldn’t afford to feed it. Not a bad-driving car, however
Whatever is seen here; sadly I am just not seeing it.
Good luck new owner.
That’s just begging for a 6L LS twin turbo set up with a 4L80. Id leave the rest as is and have some fun.
As stated above, 70-72 el camino and chevelle wagon fenders interchange but are different from 70-72 chevelle 2 dr and 4 dr sedan fenders. I found this out the hard way when i wrecked my 71 el camino, about 1988. It sat fir a couple of years til my brother found a wagon in a wrecking yard. Sad thing was my ec had an ss hood and dash w/ tach and gauges that i had swapped from a 70 chevelle ss before the wreck (buddies knees took out the dash even with seatbelts on!) It went back to stock with flat hood and “sweep” speedo. Later I did find another ss hood i swapped on. I sold it around 1993 or so. Like all my other cars, i wish i still had it…
West coast car? There is more rust on that than there should be. Maybe spent its first 20 years in Chicago.
Washington State is damp, damp, damp… road salt in the midwest is a car killer… moisture in the Pacific Northwest does just about the same… beware!!!
I’m from Washington State, and unless a car is parked in a clean dry garage, with nothing salty and wet, it’ll generally rust to dust.
The rust holes around the rear windows let water in and that caused the rust at the bottoms of the rear quarters, that makes the pans of the cargo area suspect for rust no video or photo of these areas. Locks all gone, medallions cut out of the seats with a knife. Many trim pieces are missing. This is a second hand parts car.
Road salt, sea salt, same result.
Washington state is pot legal, I think someone has over indulged.
I’ve always been a GM car guy. I like other American cars, but GMs have always been my favourite. My favourites have always been Chevy Chevelle wagons, Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser, and the Buick Special/Skylark Sportwagons. I hope whoever buys this Chevelle wagon is able to restore it. I’d put a 350 (5.7 litre) Chevy V8 under its hood. :)
If a better base to start would make for a great Super Sport wagon w/396 under the cowl hooded forest green w/SS twin stripes all the way back and talley wheels w/15″ Goodyear White letter tires all around would look killer sweet……and I’m not even a Chevy guy!!!
I have a perfect running 5.7L GM diesel out of my 82 Buick wagon
Convert to French fry/biodiesel and really have them questioning my sanity. I have had a dozen of these old smokers and love that sound.
Nope…440 with a 4 speed or a 12 valve Cummins and 5 speed. Let the haters hate.
I don’t hate the idea. I love the idea of a diesel engine in a car like this. I’m just not sure a large 5.9 litre Cummins would work for a car like this. The suspension would have to be super strong in order to withstand the weight of the engine without buckling. You’d have to have a good rugged drivetrain that can take the torque. For a car like this, I’d go for the 3.9 litre Cummins 4BT. The suspension would still have to be beefed up, but not as much as if you went with the 6BT Cummins.
Nope…440 with a 4 speed or 12 valve Cummins with a 5 speed. Haters gonna hate but they are always sticking a SBC or LS in other brands. Turn about is fair play. 🤯🤪😂
Can’t say I agree with you about your choice but I also do not agree with dropping a sbc or Ls in other brands that have hi-po engines available. Chevy for Cheys, Ford for Fords, Mopar for Mopars.
I agree.
They made the El Caminos from the station wagons under that rear panel in the back of the bed of the El Camino the seat belt holes are actually there from the station wagon
The fact this is even here is pretty amazing. These were the workhorse of the American family. Most often, unwashed, unloved, unmaintained, did their duty, and were scrapped, after taking the motor for a Nova project, which is probably what happened here. I wouldn’t waste my time or money on this. I’m sure there’s better wagons out there to buy.
I reckon you’re right. It probably would be best to spend money and time restoring an SS model.
This model year is very coveted. And I see allot of em at car shows. So I recall the round vs rectangular parking lights in the bumper. But I just can’t fathom the differences in the front clip between the 2/4 door units. And the wagon/El C. These GM cars shared the same chassis across the board. Um told you could bolt a nose from a Sky Lark to a Cutless if you choose. Can anyone shead more light on this?
I had a ’70 Chevelle, a buddy doing a burn out one night lost control, smacked my car hard. I sourced new fenders, grill, bumper and I got the headlight bezels off a ’70 Chevelle wagon. They stuck out on both sides by about an inch. That’s when I learned the wagons were different.
I have a 70’s LS-7 in my garage ,never been off the original shipping pallet.This car is too rusty to receive my mill.
A rust bucket! Forget about it!