Maybe it's an adverse reaction to excellent crossovers continually gaining share. In today's automotive landscape, most spectators like to make hard distinctions between cars and trucks. I wouldn’t be inclined to criticize that person if they did choose to perform such an upgrade, but it will be interesting to see what our readers think.Body Off Restored El Camino Restomod 502ci V8 508hp 5spd Manual A/C 4 Wheel Disc It makes me wonder whether the next owner will leave the car as it currently stands, or whether something with a few additional ponies might find its way under the hood. This one would appear to be a good one, and that would explain why the bidding has been strong up to this point. We have seen a few examples pop up on the desks here at Barn Finds in recent times, and their condition has ranged from the very impressive right through to the pretty awful. I’ve never shied away from admitting just how much I like the 1959 El Camino because I have always felt that the styling was something very special. Given the multitude of choices on offer in 1959, it would be possible to slot a fairly potent 283ci or 348ci V8 into the engine bay, but still be able to pay homage to the El Camino’s roots. The next owner could also choose to slot something a bit more potent under the hood. There would seem to be no reason why this problem couldn’t be fixed, maintaining the car’s originality. This is the issue that made me raise my initial question about originality. It would certainly be worth investigating. That’s an interesting one because to me that sounds like there might be somewhere in the top of the motor that oil isn’t finding its way to quite fast enough. He does say that it settles down after a few moments of running. However, when it first starts from cold, there is a top-end noise in the engine which the owner identifies as rocker noise. The good news here is that the car is said to run and drive quite nicely, with the engine not producing any smoke. This engine produced an honest 135hp, which made the El Camino quite capable of hauling its designed loads. The owner provides no engine photos, but we do know that the Chevy comes equipped with a 235ci 6-cylinder engine and a 3-speed manual transmission. As I’ve said in the past, these sorts of issues are pretty insignificant, but it is the attention to the finest of details that separates a good restoration from a great one. The wheel also has some cracks and would need to be restored or replaced to really finish it off. With the rest of it looking so good, the aged appearance of the pedals is a disappointment. What does surprise me is that while the old interior was removed for the refurbishment, someone didn’t go to the trouble of painting the steel on the pedals. The owner does have them but hasn’t managed to get around to the installation at this point. It is obvious in this photo that the kick panels are not installed. There’s not a lot to be critical of here, with it all presenting so nicely. Someone has been more than happy to spend a penny or two on the El Camino because the interior is all new. What he does say is that all of the glass is new, and from our own observations, all of the trim and chrome appears to be present and in good condition. He also says that the floors have received some patches, but doesn’t indicate what sort of quality these patches are, or whether there are any further rust problems. It has received at least a partial repaint at some point because the owner acknowledges the fact that both lower rear quarter panels have been replaced to address some rust problems. The panels look nice and straight, with no signs of any dings or dents. Lighter colors tend to allow you to see the curves more easily, but having said all of that, there is very little to be critical of with this one. It tends to disguise the sculptured appearance of the car, which to me, is one of its truly great strengths. While I generally am quite partial to Tuxedo Black as a color, I don’t think that it is a shade that does the styling of the El Camino any real favors. Speaking of personal preference, I’m going to go out on a limb here. Bidding has reached $13,433 at the time of writing, but the reserve hasn’t been met. The Chevy is located in Cleveland, Missouri, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. I suspect that in the end, it will come down to the next owner’s personal preferences. As you look at the El Camino, you will find that there are solid arguments for following either pathway. Alternatively, the next owner might also choose to treat the car to a bit of a performance boost. It runs and drives well, so it could easily be left exactly as it stands. The vehicle is very original and is rust-free. The next owner of this 1959 Chevrolet El Camino has some decisions to make.
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