Automotive badge engineering has been around for a long time. You know, take one manufacturer’s division model, change the orientation of the grille, rename it, and give it to the manufacturer’s other division. Some reengineering is more significant than others – take for example this Oldsmobile Omega post from a few days ago. The Nova, Omega, Ventura, and Apollo were basically the same car but with different nose pieces, interiors, and in some cases, engines. Today’s find is a more obscure example, a 1974 GMC Sprint which is essentially a Chevrolet El Camino. In this case, however, it’s really only the nameplates that differ. Regardless, these don’t turn up often so let’s look it over. Residing in Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin, this Ute is available, here on craigslist for $18,000. Rocco B. gets the nod for this tip!

GMC got in on the El Camino wannabe movement in ’71 and stayed there through ’87, so that’s three generations of renaming, Gen-1 (’71-’72), Gen-2 (’73-’77), and Gen-3 (’78-’87). Of note, GMC dropped the Sprint nameplate after ’77 and started utilizing Caballero for their third, and final version. The Gen-2 Sprint is based on the ’73-’77 El Camino and those are the editions of Chevy’s car/truck that are least often featured here on BF, so it’s not surprising that they, too, are seldomly encountered – they just don’t have the popularity that other generations possess. Our subject vehicle appears to be a Custom trim level with the “SP” performance package added – it’s the same as Chevrolet’s SS package. Additionally, there was a two-tone “Sierra Madre del Sur” (there’s a mouthful!) and a faux wood-paneled “High Sierra” variant available.

A few observations, the SP came equipped with dual side stripes that extended from the rear of the quarter panel, at about door handle height, to just beyond the leading edge of the door and headed off by a large “SP” decal badge. Body color “sport” mirrors were part of the package too – wonder what happened to those? Also, the wheels are incorrect as Chevrolet’s “seen everywhere on everything” rally wheels were not a Sprint option, this one should have been outfitted with Turbine wheel covers – no big deal, just an observation. Another thought, that “454” fender badge looks like it got boosted from something else. Chevrolet stopped putting engine badges on Chevelles and El Caminos in early ’74, ostensibly because of the October ’73 oil embargo – they didn’t want to flaunt engine size anymore. The badge that was used on the Chevelle and Camino, before they got the vaudeville hook, was more compressed. The finish, chrome, trim, and vinyl top on this 90K mile example present very well – there’s no indication of rust or crash damage. I’d like to get a look at the cargo bed but no glimpses are offered. There are a few shots of the underside and it all looks clean – surprising for a Wisconsin vehicle but maybe it either hasn’t been there long or was not used in inclement, winter weather. As a side note, I’d like to see the driver’s side of this rig…

The big deal with this truck is the 235 gross HP, 454 CI V8 engine. It’s a Chevrolet engine of course – GMC stopped using their own engines long before this Sprint rolled off of a GM assembly line. And while 235 HP out of a 7.4-liter engine is pretty measly, there is an abundant amount of stump-pulling torque available right under the driver’s right foot. The engine is nice and clean looking – it has probably been touched up and the only thing out of place is that 454 crossed flag air cleaner decal – those were dropped after the ’70 model year. A Turbo-Hydramatic 400 automatic transmission makes the rear wheel connection and it’s mentioned that it has had a shift kit installed. The seller can also provide extensive maintenance documentation.

How’s the interior? Search me fish, no image is provided and that’s a big faux pas. Yes, it’s a small environment but details matter – at least it’s air-conditioned. From what I can make out, I’d suggest that a bench seat is in place and that was standard equipment with swivel buckets being an option.

While this is a badge-engineered model, it’s so similar, almost identical actually, to a ’74 El Camino that parts sourcing shouldn’t be a problem. It’s a nice alternative I guess, but there’s really not enought of a difference that there’s any distinction. So, El Camino or Sprint, which would you prefer?