From its paint shade to the fresh V8 occupying its engine bay, this 1969 Chevrolet El Camino features a few custom touches to improve the ownership experience. It isn’t perfect, but it is a rock-solid, driver-grade classic that will attract plenty of attention. It is a turnkey vehicle offering a perfect blend of practicality and outright performance. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Jack M. for spotting the El Camino listed here on Craigslist in Corvallis, Oregon. The seller set their price for this beauty at $22,500.
Chevrolet introduced its Third Generation El Camino range for the 1968 model year. As with its predecessor, it based its latest offering on the existing Chevelle, though its larger physical dimensions increased load-carrying capacity. The company performed minor styling upgrades in 1969, which is when our feature vehicle rolled off the line. The Charcoal Gray paint is interesting because it doesn’t feature on that year’s El Camino color chart. However, it is a classy shade possessing a very healthy shine. Close inspection reveals scratches on several surfaces, but I believe a reputable shop can address them while achieving an acceptable color match. The bed features further scratches, and returning that area to its best at the same time would be worthwhile. The seller recently replaced the Black vinyl top, so it doesn’t require attention. This El Camino didn’t escape the dreaded rust issues, but the seller eliminated these with high-end repairs. It included replacement floor pans, while they powdercoated the new inner fenders and core support for longevity. The glass is new, and the trim is in excellent condition.
Lifting the hood reveals an engine bay that presents extremely well. The seller recently installed a 350 Crate Motor, teamed with a four-speed manual transmission, power steering, and power brakes. The small-block’s specifications are unclear, but it should produce enough power and torque to effortlessly haul whatever the buyer drops into the bed. The V8 has under 1,000 miles under its belt, and the steering box, front brake discs, various steering and suspension components, and the battery are new. The seller states that the rear end isn’t the Posi he was told that it was when he purchased the vehicle, but will include a shiny new Eaton limited-slip at an additional cost if the buyer is interested. They admit that the clutch springs are stiff, which appears to be the only mechanical issue. Otherwise, the El Camino runs and drives extremely well, and can be considered a turnkey proposition.
One aspect of the El Camino needing nothing is its interior. The seller recently performed a retrim, replacing almost everything inside this classic. They added custom kick panels to accommodate speakers for the modern stereo, fitted a column-mounted tachometer, and installed an additional underdash gauge cluster. The overall presentation is extremely nice, with no cosmetic shortcomings or signs of deterioration. It doesn’t feature such luxuries as air conditioning, but still looks like a pretty pleasant place to spend time as the miles roll effortlessly under the El Camino’s tires.
The Chevrolet El Camino is sometimes considered a sleeper in the classic world. Typically lighter than the Sedan on which they are based, they can deliver impressive performance thanks to their lower curb weight. The 350 Crate Motor powering this 1969 El Camino should provide an extremely entertaining driving experience, and would surprise the opposition at a “Traffic Light Grand Prix.” The vehicle needs work to present at its best, but the lack of urgency surrounding those tasks means the buyer could tackle them at their leisure. It has only been on the market for a short time, and I think it will find a home pretty quickly. Are you tempted to make it yours?
Looks like a nice El Camino with a 4 speed whats not to like. Would have to look at in person if everything checks out see if he would take 20K fair price in today’s market.
Yes. it is. But what’s not to like is the fact that the A/C has been taken apart and not put back together. For this price, the A/C should work as designed and put out nice cold air.
love the look of this, id buy a poster of it :)
Thats a good price for this,
another nice find Barn Finds
Photos of the engine bay and the dash vents indicate that it had AC from the factory. Where is the compressor and is anything else missing from the system?
looks like a solid car needing a lot of fine-tuning IMO. i do like these but this has a few to many mods for me and it’s a 4spd which where i live literally takes fun out of driving a classic car. i think 15-20k is the right area to be in all things considered here.
Seeing the kick panel speakers, I assumed they were left from a past owner. Never imagined they would’ve been done by choice, by the current one.
It’s a personal choice, but IMO it cheapens the interior look.
Thoe are the same kick panels I installed in my 70 C20 and my 62 Impala SS. They look great and sound awesome. If you don’t like them though, you could rip them out in about 15 minutes, replace them with stock replacement panels, then cut holes in the door panels for speakers ~ unless you prefer a mono AM radio. I kinda like my kickass stereos.
What a shame they didn’t get the A/C working again. At least the evaporator housing is still there, a compressor install would not be hard.
Makes ya wonder if the condenser is still in place ?
Nice driver quality El Camino Custom with a few nice upgrades, probably worth the price or at least close to it. The lack of A/C wouldn’t bother me at all and I don’t need posi in a daily. My main concern would be the overly stiff clutch.