Buying an El Camino Project Car? Watch out…

by Dan Peters

Many people get bit when they buy a classic car, and El Caminos are no different. Often you look the car over, bring a friend or take it to a mechanic for a check and if all fares well, a deal is struck with a handshake and you’re driving or towing your new find home. Budget in mind, you probably say to yourself, “I bet I can get it done for (insert dollar amount) and (insert time).” Then you start digging into the car, pulling things apart just to find an unexpected surprise that means your faithful estimate is not even the tip of the iceberg.

This isn’t uncommon, even the pros get it wrong. How many times have you turned on Overhaulin’ or Fast N’ Loud to see they made the same errors in judgment? We make these errors even though we may be pros at knowing the typical problems with a ’57 Chevy or a ’69 Camaro. Still, every car has its unique issues and El Caminos have theirs. After years in the El Camino industry, we have compiled a short list of the dangerous curves in the road to watch for that are often overlooked, miscalculated, or are just not thought of when pursuing your project. Make sure you check all the typical stuff like drivetrain, safety, and electrical.