It’s a bit coals to Newcastle here at CC, but I’ve been shooting a lot of elk lately. Most of these are glossy, unlike next week’s hero Ranchero, but this fine black example pulls daily duties. Which includes hauling fridge.
Running a 348 and sitting on bags, it belongs to Garry – who has form with 1959 El Caminos.
That’s his other one, now gone.
The immaculate DB4GTZ tribute isn’t his, although he did do its interior trim.
But this is his.
Turns out I’d also caught Garry’s occasional driver curbside; this tastefully unappointed outlaw Austin Healey with a V8 straining the strap.
Nice arse.
I digress.
Nice arse.
The next year’s was a bit more subdued, but still sweet. This cherry example cops an honourable mention for its Victorian plates, but it now lives in Tassie. It belongs to erstwhile CCorrespondent Gav.
For as long as I’ve known him and before, Gav has owned US metal. And a nice selection too. But getting him to write about them is like pulling teeth.
Not so crazy for the 64-67 next gen. Got a nice backdrop for this one though.
After a four year hiatus, the El Camino was moved down to the A-body Chevelle. I still can’t feel the love for these intermediates, mostly because the Bs were so darn handsome.
But I’m no churl. I’d rather see a second gen than most other things on the road right now.
This 1971 is more my style, but not quite there yet. Fuller c-pillar makes the world of difference for the profile.
More faceted rear treatment a definite improvement.
That front end is a really striking piece of sculpture.
This gen lasted from 1968 to 1972 and seemed to have the most facial differentiation for each year.
Here’s a 1970 for comparison. I do believe this SS to be the genuine article.
This point in the story marks the entrance of no less than four golden-hued El Caminos I have captured around Melbourne.
Number two, from the 1973-77 generation. An even faster profile with nice long doors.
The nicest arse of them all, IMhO. I could stare at that forever.
I’m still acclimatising to the face, though.
This example should really be filed under the Colonnades of Melbourne series, but sometimes I just say to myself: what the heck.
Next generation lasted from 1978 to 1987, with a midway refresh in 1982. This one’s from that later period.
As is this one.
Both Conquistas too. Go figure.
These used to be my favourite – clean crisp frontclip sheet metal with the better quadlamp face from the 82+ years. And because Dwight Yoakam as well.
I still love them, but the 73+ gen has captured my heart now. Without stacklights but.
Still, you have to hand it to the original.
This has to be one of the most extraordinary rear ends of the 20th century.
…
Further Reading
1965 in red, forlorn by Paul Niedermeyer
1974 Spirit of America by Jason Shafer
1982+ in a rap video by Paul Niedermeyer
…
Wasn’t LHD illegal in Australia at one point?
Yes, but I couldn’t tell you exactly when it changed; late 90’s perhaps, for vehicles 30+ years old? There were still exemptions available though, for things like specialist vehicles.
The white and gold ’70 is very interesting – looks like it has been here since the 70’s!
Kita, LHD was so illegal here – there were a LOT of rules to protect the local industry – that anything you wanted to use on the road had to be converted. That’s up to and including a 300SL Gullwing, which I have vague idea was converted with factory help in the ’50’s, and which, disappointingly, has (I think) been reconverted in more recent times because of the value.
As I currently understand it, it’s a rolling 25 year exemption for ordinary road use.
The ’59 Elky is pushes a lot of boundaries. And that shot of it hauling a tall refrigerator is a gem. It’s the only one that really turns my crank.
Only in America – fins like that on a utility vehicle. Love it anyway.
Not sure about the Healey 100 with a V8 – it must devalue it. The later 100/6 and 3000 models are less precious and motor swaps would be more desirable and less damaging.
Meh, probably does devalue it, but the result’s going to be better than buggerising-around with that heavy, asthmatic old Austin lump, with the benefits also of better weight distribution and a sound to befit that lovely shape.
The designer of the ’64 Malibu/El Camino wanted flowing pillars on the El Camino, but he lost that battle to bean counters. However, he certainly “fixed” that on his own full custom El Camino! The last version of it contained, IIRC, a built Olds 455 Toro engine midships!
DFO
Here is Harry’s final 64 El Camino Kustom………….strange paint, perhaps influenced by a certain Star Trek episode? DFO
I have become more and more of a fan of the Colonnade Elky than I ever used to be. I am trying to figure out if your sole example came that way or was repainted by a lover of Tri-5 Chevys.
I too am coming around to the Colonnade El Camino. From a position of active dislike, though I do like some Colonnade coupes, and have since late 1972. I know that Melbourne is much larger than my California home town, but I think you’ve got more El Camino’s there than I see around here. Nice finds, nice pictures, nice commentary.
WRT A-body El Camino… For 64-65 there was a 2-door wagon in the lineup. I believe the El used the same door, but with a different window frame.
I’m not sure which door was used for the 2nd gen. Was it a bespoke door?
Colonnades used the Malibu coupe door. No window frame, but I believe the glass was different.
4th gen is I think a Malibu coupe door, but I’m not sure.
Just looking at pictures, it appears the ’64-67 used the same door as the ’64-65 2-door wagon, and the only difference in the frame is the top corner (curved on the Elky, sharp angle on the wagon). Similarly, the ’68-72 appears to have the same door as the base model “2-door sedan”/post coupe, but with a forward slant and curve to the window frame.
Theres an orange 59 El Camino in a nearby town owned by a panel shop it looks good until you get close and the brush marks in the paint job become obvious a good solid ute though it looks like its been combed but it has to be the most impractical ute bed ever designed sure its low easy liftover but those batwings dont help getting stuff in and out from the side, yes I know it was cheap and easy to peel the top off a two door wagon for a vehicle GM didnt know whether would sell or not but really, GMH had been building Chevy utes for a couple of decades they coulda picked up the phone.
At first glance I thought the fridge was a portable dunny.
Also.
The only Colonnades that work for me are the ones with the endura bumpers…In the case of Chevy, it would be with the Laguna front ends
The ’73 endura Laguna is nice too…
although from this angle, the front of the ’73 Laguna evokes the character of the Mustang II…from a distance
Grand-Am//El Camino mash-up looks mighty fine…even though I’m not typically a fan of these kinds of efforts…
Don’t mind the Grand Am, but I’d take the 73 Laguna’s nose for the ute.
When I was 15 years old I bought a 1973 El Camino 350 big block posi traction I fell in love with that car I took the bench seats out and put in bar stool seats my dream was to make it a convertible because I used to like to go to the drive-in theaters . I was hit in the rear end my left corner panel was destroyed and I couldn’t find one to replace it bench out and put bar stool seats in it so I can turn as I got in auto accident I was hit in the rear end the corner panel was destroyed and I couldn’t find one to replace it everything was original I had a air conditioner out of 8-track cassette. I would like to have another one I still love the El Camino
Travon Ivery I
Terrific collection of great shots. In 2020, I prefer the original bat-wing ’59 to the toned-down ’60 model. It looks great in glossy black, which accentuates its smooth lines.
I can’t prove it but I remain convinced that Batman kept a 59 El Camino for a back up car when the Batmobile was being serviced. There are no days off for a crime fighter.
Any day is a good day when a previously unseen 1959 Chev enters into my world. The 1973 is a nice look too, but a distant second. Thanks for this post.
I’ve been a fan of the El Camino/Ranchero/Aussie ute ever since my car model days in the ’60’s. I like ’em all.
That being said, I’d either like a ’60. Or a ’65.
Most of the pics appear to be around the Caulfield, St.Kilda area. My neighbourhood well Elwood to be precise.
I really like that Colonnade El Camino. The two tone paint is very nice, and the aftermarket wheels really set it off.
One of the things I’ve always noticed about these is those taillights in the read bumper. They look like the taillights on a ‘68 Impala…. strike that… Bel Air (since there’s only two on each side). I found it strange that they went a little bit retro there, but since the ‘68 is my favorite Impala, I’ve always liked this generation’s Elky look, better than the previous generations.
Oddly enough though, I’m not as much of a fan of the Colonnade Mailbus, preferring the previous generation of that car.
Until I saw a ‘60 El Camino at a car show about a decade ago, I had no idea that the El Camino got its start back then and asked the owner if his ‘60 Chevy was custom. He set me straight after complimenting me on knowing the year. I laughed and told him that I was a 1960 model too. When he said that the first one was a 1959, I tried to imagine the thing with the bat wings, and couldn’t. Thanks for the pictures. Nice ass indeed!
I think the blue one is a 72 since the front marker lights don’t have a separator in them, a 71 would
The 72 has the pinstriping detail separating the lights and grille.
Whereas the 71 doesn’t which makes me think this is ours
just completed this Monogram model. I think I finally get the fins. IMO they were trying to emulate the delta wing jets like the B-58 that were just coming out. When you look straight on rear you think gullwing. With this view you get more of the delta wing effect.
That might just be this car’s best angle.
Very Nice, Dave!
ha ha thanks. what I did during covid-19 lockdown. Aspen Green Poly with Snowcrest White top. Actually 348 tri-power, pretty cool little model.
My god, you must live in very wild jungle, those gigantic leaves, yet you park it casually………oh! Apologies.
That’s a beautiful model.
More seriously, it really is beautifully done, and I agree it’s the best view of these crazily exuberant cars.
The 60 looks RHD. Was it a conversion or were El Camino’s ever sold there?
No, they weren’t.
Massive tariffs on anything imported meant ute versions of everything locally done, from strange Chryslers to the weeniest of wonky Austins, so an El Camino didn’t happen
And anyway, the Oz of 1960 was a white, prim, and – so it thought, ridiculously – an English place, so a ute with bat-pieces would’ve been considered gauche and terribly American.
I should add that the sedan WAS assembled in small numbers from Canadian kits by Holden, but fitted with the old six and Powerglide just to make sure it was no more interesting than any Holden of the time. (Understandable, really: why would a company muck around with 50% market share and stonking per-unit profit on each of those locally-made Holdens?!)
Love the ’59.
+1
As the Dottore implies, it’s an outrageous sculpture.
And for mine, completely necessary for its time.
Batmobile with Shatmobile, I thought on glancing at photo No.1. Kenny himself gone all upmarket.
But it’s the El’s butt (sans butt smells) with church for me. One of your finest pics, if I might, Dr A.
Just wondering if he should check the wiring on those taillights on the ’59. The inside is lit on the driver’s side while the outside is lit on the passenger side…in two photos…?
I am late to the party but another masterful piece Don! I too like the 70-72s and the colonades. I agree though as nice as the colonnades are from the back and side, the front is bland. And this is coming from a guy who owns and loves his colonnade Chevy.
The ’59 is also near the top for me. That lead pic is phenomenal. I see ’59s fairly often but the ’60s like hen’s teeth.