May be buying a 64 El Camino

[mwood]

I came across a great deal on a 64 Elco with a 350 engine. Car is very straight and clean in and out, good paint and only minor damage to the pass door. At $3500 it's a deal I don't think I can pass!

[cmbdiesel]

Great candidate for a chop! Lot easier than a full sedan length.

[mwood]

I'll know in a couple days whether or not I'm buying it. I have to take a closer look under the car and at the floor pans to check for rust. I don't think there is any as it is a CA car with original black plates, but you never know. My plan will be to fix the dent in the door, repaint that area and sell it ASAP.

[cmbdiesel]

Are you a bodyman?

[t walgamuth]

Looks like a good candidate for a 617 swap!

[Hatterasguy]

There is one of those running around here with a blower sticking out of the hood.

Kind of like this.

[t walgamuth]

617s have blowers too.

[mwood]

Originally Posted by cmbdiesel

Are you a bodyman?

No I'm not, but I do have a friend who is, he does all my paint and body and treats me very well.

[mgburg]

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

There is one of those running around here with a blower sticking out of the hood.

Kind of like this.

It's a '66!

[mgburg]

Originally Posted by mwood

I'll know in a couple days whether or not I'm buying it. I have to take a closer look under the car and at the floor pans to check for rust. I don't think there is any as it is a CA car with original black plates, but you never know. My plan will be to fix the dent in the door, repaint that area and sell it ASAP.

Check the frame, CAREFULLY, in front of both doors and in the rear where the shocks are fastened to the frame itself...then look closely at any other contact point where the body comes in contact with the frame...all the way from the front bumper back to the rear bumper...in the right conditions (any for that matter) those frames disappear like a sugar cube in a hot cup of MickeyD's Morning Best...

Good Luck!

[Skid Row Joe]

Neighbor has a '67 Chevelle El Camino.
427 c.i. 4-speed, buckets black gloss on black in color.

Same neighbor has a one-owner 1965 Corvette 327/350 HP 4-speed red over black convertible, interior. Lake pipes 35K miles.

Same guy has a black '32 Duece Coupe 409 c.i.

Same guy also has a '57 Chevy two-door

[cmbdiesel]

Originally Posted by mwood

No I'm not, but I do have a friend who is, he does all my paint and body and treats me very well.

Even better, less dust

[mwood]

Originally Posted by mgburg

Check the frame, CAREFULLY, in front of both doors and in the rear where the shocks are fastened to the frame itself...then look closely at any other contact point where the body comes in contact with the frame...all the way from the front bumper back to the rear bumper...in the right conditions (any for that matter) those frames disappear like a sugar cube in a hot cup of MickeyD's Morning Best...

Good Luck!

I'll get it up on a lift and give it a good look. Thanks for the heads up.

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by mwood

I'll know in a couple days whether or not I'm buying it. I have to take a closer look under the car and at the floor pans to check for rust. I don't think there is any as it is a CA car with original black plates, but you never know. My plan will be to fix the dent in the door, repaint that area and sell it ASAP.

My first car was a 1964 Chevelle in Almond Fawn, which looks like the same color of this one you are eyeing.


So if it has a 350 mill in there it is only a "resto-rod", and those custom wheels, too, also, they only make it good for no more than a "show and shine car", because for '64, the first year of the Chevelle, they only came with a 230 ci 6 cyl, or a 283 V8, with a 2 or 4 bbl. (Though cramming a 350 in there like in this case, could make it faster especially with a 350 turbo hydramatic transmission, as the original was the 2 speed Powerglide automatic or a 3 on the tree manual shift, which usually was factory mated with the 230, on the '64, the first year for the Chevelle.)

The car you are looking at is also WRONG because it is missing its CHEVELLE and 283 or 230 script for the front fender, and the side mouldings on it. You can try YEAR ONE or some such place to try and replace them where they need to be, but the non stock/non period corect 350 engine devalues it irredeemably.


If you can find the big, telephone-sized red Helm Service manual for it, that would be a helpful bonus.


The original California alphanmeric 1964 plates should not be the passenger ones, like for instance on mine, "BBM 050", but for the El Caminos, truck commercial ones, for example "P 65 332"


If you are buying it to repaint and "flip" for a fast profit, you'd do better to bring it back to stock paint, equipment, ditch those nasty wheels and put stock steelies, with either painted wheels and dog dish hubcaps, or black steelies and '64 Chevelle full sized, optional, hubcaps.

A customized hot rod is worth a lot less than an original one, for the simple reason it is not a collectible but a custom creation that reflects the personal individualized taste of the customer, and finding such a buyer with the exact same personal taste, is very hard. An unmolested, stock original is always going to be worth more, if they are otherwise in equal good condition.


Black California plates suggest a lifetime California car, not so likely to be rust from the door handles down.

The dash board controls like for the heater are made from pot metal, and very expensive to fix or replace, because the parts aren't in the bin, anymore, and the "chrome" dashboard is actually silver paint over plastic, so be sure those two things are in excellent shape.


A Rochester V8 2 or 4 bbl carb has ALWAYS been expensive, about $1,000 or more even in '64, so be sure it's in good shape.

[LUVMBDiesels]

Since it is already rodded, I would go with the side 'lake' pipes and Cragar SS type wheels. I have had success with the Edlebrock Carter 4BBL carbs instead of the Rochesters -- Although the Rochester carbs are really good once they are set up properly. The 350 opens up a lot of performance potential! Much better than the 283!

I always liked the look of the early ElCo. Nothing like a classy Chevelle based truck!