El Caminos, love 'em or hate 'em, are a unique piece of the American landscape. With decades of tradition behind it, this 1981 Chevrolet El Camino is a cool street cruiser from the '80s and presents in remarkably well-preserved condition. If you've been looking for one that hasn't been worked to death or modified beyond recognition, this might be your last chance. El Caminos really were trucks, and most of them were used like trucks and left for dead when they gave up. Fortunately, this nicely preserved original example has most likely been a cherished toy for most of its life, and thanks to life down south where the roads are warm and dry, it doesn't suffer from the dreaded tin worm, either. The original two-tone paint scheme is tasteful and actually quite handsome, which, considering the age in which it was built, is remarkably all by itself. It was repainted at some point and shows some signs of use, but fit and finish are above average, especially for a GM product of this era. A steel cowl-induction hood was added during the restoration and we'll admit we love the look with the blue SS stripes on top. And if you want a nice one, just take a look at the bed, which looks like it hasn't carried anything more substantial than a few sacks of groceries and looks almost completely unused today. The plush blue fabric interior is a fantastic reminder that this is no ordinary pickup truck. Upscale luxury was a sharp contrast to the working-class pickups and from behind the wheel, it's almost impossible to tell that there's a bed out back. It's extremely nice, with few signs of wear and no notable damage to the seating surfaces, which look very correct for 1981. The matching door panels are equally sharp, with no UV damage or cracking like you so often see on cars from the '80s. The El Camino was a bit sporty inside, too, with a full array of gauges plus aftermarket gauges built right into the dash, an aftermarket speedometer down low, and a tachometer perched above the radio where it's easy to see. Speaking of the radio, it's the stock AM/FM stereo head unit that works just fine today and a tilt steering column makes it easy to get comfortable behind the wheel. This is definitely not a bad place to spend some time. You can forget the original wheezing 305, it's been replaced by a thundering 400 cubic inch small block V8. Smooth and torquey, it's a great companion in the El Camino and as a small block Chevy, you know it'll run this well practically forever. As you might expect, the engine bay has been freshened with the arrival of the new engine, which is equipped with a Holley 4-barrel carburetor, center-bolt heads and a high-rise intake manifold. There's plenty of torque on tap, yet it loves to rev and feels like it could pull forever. It's backed by a TH350 3-speed automatic spinning a standard 10-bolt rear end, and if you're looking around underneath, check out the healthy dual exhaust system with Flowmaster mufflers and oversized pipes. Handsome Weld wheels finish the sporty look with 245/60/15 front and 275/60/15 rear blackwall radials. So El Camino fans rejoice, this clean late-model has been preserved for your enjoyment and is ready to go today. Call now!
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