The El Camino is often thought of as being light in the rear end. This is not necessarily true. The El Camino has a front/rear weight distribution similar to other V8 front-engined, rear-wheel-drive coupes of the era. For 1964-1967, the El Camino has a slightly heavier forward bias than a comparably equipped Chevelle coupe. However, for 1968-1972, the El Camino actually has a better weight distribution than a comparably equipped Chevelle coupe ! For example, Chevrolet's published vehicle weights for a 1968 V8 Malibu 2-door coupe (with no options) are 1810 lbs front and 1395 lbs rear (3205 total). That equates to 56.5% of the vehicle's weight resting on the front tires. A comparably equipped 1968 V8 Custom El Camino is listed at 1800 lbs front and 1410 rear (3210 total). That equates to 56.1% of the vehicle's weight up front.
The 396 was first offered in the El Camino in 1966, two years before the first SS El Camino was built.
The 1968-1972 SS package for the El Camino contained everything that was in the SS package for the Chevelle, with one exception. It was not possible to get the F41 heavy duty suspension (rear anti-sway bar) on the El Camino. It is believed that this was prohibited due to the hauling nature of the vehicle, and the rear air shocks that came as standard equipment.
1968 was the first year for an SS El Camino. Exactly 5190 1968 SS El Caminos were built.
1968 and 1978-1987 were the only years that the El Camino SS was a separate model. From 1969-1977, the El Camino SS was a Custom model, with an SS option package. The 1969-1971 SS El Caminos can be especially difficult to authenticate. No production totals are known for the 1969-1977 SS El Caminos.
Unlike the Chevelle, the 1970-1972 SS El Caminos did not have "SS" emblems on the door panels. This was because the El Camino had vent window cranks where the SS emblems were placed in the Chevelle.
Genuine 1972 SS-454 El Caminos have a "W" as the fifth character in the VIN.
Diesel-powered El Caminos and Caballeros were built from 1982 to 1984.
All of the 1985 and newer El Caminos and Caballeros were assembled in Mexico
350 V-8 Engine
In 1968, a new version of the El Camino was introduced based on the station wagon. The new El Camino featured four doors and a covering over the cargo bed. In 1969, the legendary Chevrolet 350 V-8 was put into the El Camino, giving it muscle car power.
El Camino Classic
The El Camino Classic was produced in 1974 and had features previously seen in the Malibu Classic--such as upgraded door panels and notchback seats with vinyl or cloth armrests--continuing the trend of yearly style redesigns that Chevrolet continued until the 1978 model.
Four Models
In 1978, the fifth generation of El Caminos with a longer wheel base was produced. During the 10-year period from 1978 to 1987, buyers could choose from four models of El Camino: Royal Knight, Conquista, Super Sport and El Camino.
Actually the name "El Camino" was used some years before. Cadillac presented their project car called El Camino at the 1954 GM Motorama. A 2-passenger coupe with a lot of features which were included in the following years of Cadillac models. The exhaust configuration, windshield, roof saddle, spoked wheels, quad headlights, fluted side panel, gull-wing bumpers with "bullet" tips all turned up the following year on the production prototype for the Eldorado Brougham; the shape of the tail-fins turned up on the production Eldorado models of 1955, 1956, the Eldorado Brougham of 1957-1958 and the standard 1958 Cadillac production models. The pointed bullet-shaped, gull-wing front bumper was shared with many Cadillac showcars of the period; the "bullets" were sometimes rubber tipped; these rubber tips appeared on stock Cadillac models in 1957 and 1958. "El Camino" was finished in silver-gray and featured a brushed stainless-steel roof. The fluted lower body panel on the front fender and door was duplicated on the rear fender of the Brougham prototype for 1955; The "El Camino" and "La Espada" were the first Cadillacs on which quad headlights appeared; these became an industry standard in 1958. Powered by the Cadillac 230 horsepower overhead valve V8 engine, the El Camino had an over-all length of 200.6 inches and an over-all height of 51.6 inches. Its maximum over-all width was 79.9 inches. Like the striking La Espada, the two aircraft type seats were high backed and built into headrests which flow back to the rear window. A distinctive pioneer in its exterior color as it was in its styling, the El Camino was strikingly attired in a pearlescent Silver color. The instrument panel was covered with a gray leather as were the door hang-ons. The lower roll and cover of the instrument panel cluster area was chrome plated. The insert area behind the instrument dials was hand-brushed aluminum. The tunnel pedestal's upper surfaces were hand-brushed aluminum and the convex shoulders and sides of the pedestal were leather covered as was the armrest. Seat inserts, the bolsters and facings, as well as the upper side wall of the interior and the triangular armrest on each fluted aluminum door panel was graced by distinctive Gun Metal Gray leather. The steering column, horn button and horn ring were bright chrome plated. The wheel rim was wrapped in gray nylon cord. The headlining for the hand-brushed aluminum top was perforated gray Naugahyde which provides an acoustical effect further reducing any operational sound that might be evident. The rear shelf was pearlescent silver fiberglass. The carpet was of gray nylon loop frieze. Instruments and controls for the El Camino were aircraft type and were identical with those used in the La Espada. In the El Camino, Cadillac had again pioneered the ultimate in motoring design and performance and achieved in this car the link of today with the future. Four hooded headlights had been incorporated into the front end - an outer pair for normal city driving and an inner pair for long range, pencil-beam use. The latter set were put out of action automatically by an Autronic-Eye when in traffic.
