This 1971 El Camino came into Don’s possession by chance; he had gone to look at an entirely different El Camino when he spotted this one had just arrived on the dealer lot. This example was much cleaner, so he picked it up instead.
Don’s El Camino is powered by a 1969 Corvette 350/300hp small block sporting a rebuilt Edelbrock carburetor, intake manifold, and also a tuned HEI ignition conversion. He is currently in the process of installing a Street Fighter TH350 transmission to replace the original unit, and it utilizes a posi-traction rear end with 3.31 gears.
While this 1971 El Camino is an ongoing project, the body and paint work has been completed already. Don’s also done some mild interior refreshing as well, by adding a full SS dash with gauges and including all LED illumination in place of the stock bulbs. The under hood wiring has all been replaced with new components, as he didn’t put much trust in what was left of the original looms, and if you’re going this far you might as well do it right.
“When I was younger, I owned a 1970-1/2 Camaro and really enjoyed it. I was looking for something different that had a small block in it. This fit the bill perfectly. I really enjoy working on and driving the El Camino.”
Don
Don still has some work to do before he’ll totally be satisfied with the end results, but these restorations are never truly finished.
