NEW PRICE! Very nice Arizona car. One high-quality repaint, 305 HO, beautiful interior. A/C, power windows and locks, tilt, cruise. Never used for work. Very clean, solid, and runs like a new car.
This silver SS spent almost the entirety of its life in Arizona, and you know the desert climate is kind to automobiles. As a result, it’s ultra-clean and very well-preserved, with one high-quality repaint a few years ago that matches the original color combination exactly. It was a trim-off job and the workmanship is quite good, with laser-straight bodywork underneath and even gaps on the doors and hood. Reproduction SS decals were affixed to the doors and tailgate and all the brightwork was polished up and reinstalled. The chrome bumpers show a shine that comes from living in the desert. In back, you can still put it to work thanks to a heavy-duty rubber bed mat that protects the bed, which actually doesn’t look like it ever had to work in the past.
The interior is borrowed from the Monte Carlo, so it should look familiar and it shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s comfortable and surprisingly luxurious. The gray fabric is in great shape, the seats are comfortable, and those are the original carpets still on the floor. Options include power windows and locks, cold A/C, cruise control, a tilt steering column, and a full set of gauges, including a tachometer. Some of the gray paint is scuffed off the steering wheel and there’s a split in the dash pad from the desert sun (now protected by a dash cover), but we can’t find may demerits beyond that. The original radio is gone, replaced by a Sony AM/FM/CD stereo that sounds pretty good in the well-insulated cabin and the spare tire is tucked behind the seat as it should be.
Power comes from the same 5.0 liter (305 cubic inch) V8 used by the Monte Carlo SS, and with a 4-barrel carburetor on top, it’s a lot of fun to drive. It makes 190 horsepower, 40 more than the standard El Camino engine, and 30 more than even the optional 5.7-liter version. It runs great and as a small block Chevy, probably will for a long, long time. It’s also completely stock, which is unusual for a car like this, and still feels fresh. Turn the key and it fires easily, idles smoothly, and doesn’t ask you for anything but regular gas and an oil change now and then. Talk about low maintenance, she’s going to love that! The engine bay is tidy but not detailed for show, and aside from basic maintenance items, it’s pretty much the way the factory made it. No issues, no problems to solve, just get in and go.
Even better, 1986 was the first year for the 200-4R automatic overdrive transmission, which makes this an effortless cruiser on the highway and it actually pulls down decent fuel economy if you can keep your foot out of the carburetor. 3.42 gears out back make it feel snappy around town and even with the heavy-duty rear suspension, it rides like a car. There’s exactly zero rust under the car in any of the critical places and every spot weld, seam, and reinforcing rib is visible so no fears about expensive problems coming back to haunt you. New shocks, a rumbling Flowmaster muffler, and recent 215/70/15 blackwall radials on Rally wheels make it ready to enjoy right away.
Affordable, fun, and remarkable practical, the El Camino still makes a lot of sense. This is one of the better examples we’ve seen and it’s the kind of car that you can enjoy every day of the week. Call today!
For more details and photos, please visit www.HarwoodMotors.com
