General Motors care to be first with newfangled fomite concepts in the 1950s , But there ’s no acquiring around the fact that by the clip it rolled out the 1959 Chevrolet El Camino " sedan cartridge , " mischievous - challenger Ford had already been build up its similar Ranchero for two age . ( That must have been somewhat galling , considering Chevrolet ’s hand truck conception studio had explored a sedan pickup as early as 1952 . )
Both the Ranchero and El Camino were pioneer examples of what are now dub " crossovers , " vehicles that seek to attract to both motorcar and truck customer with a mixed bag of creature comforts and utility features .
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Before delving into origins , though , we call for to address the interrogative sentence just what is a sedan cartridge ? For role of this clause , see it to be a service program vehicle built on a rider - automobile human body , with passenger - machine frontal and cabin styling , and – this is cardinal – a freight boxful seamlessly integrated into the passenger - car design element .
Thus , early getaway based on rider - car chassis do n’t qualify . Nor do coupe models equipped with a pickup box in the deck possible action , such as Chevrolet ’s own 1936 - 1942 Coupe - Pickup . The 1937 - 1939 Studebaker Coupe - Express and Hudson pickup arm of the 1930s and forties are also leave off , due to their clearly disjoined load boxes .
There are antecedents to the Ranchero and El Camino , however . GM , Ford , and other auto manufacturer manufacture and marketed " utility program " coupe - pickup models in Australia as early as the mid 1930s . These Aussie " utes " typically combined the styling of a five - windowpane coupe physical structure with an integrated pick-me-up corner . ( GM ’s exportation organisation offered a Chevrolet utility as late as 1952 , and GM ’s Australian Holden fashion model ancestry continues to feature a distinctly El Camino - similar " ute . " )
Chevrolet ’s sincerely fashionable Cameo Carrier pickup truck , premise in mid 1955 , also help pave the way for the El Camino . Although a truck in every sentiency , the Cameo offered an unprecedented regalia of car - similar features . Two - tone paint , politic V-8 king , an automatic contagion , a comparatively luxurious interior , might assists , and more were among its attractions .
The Cameo Carrier ’s genesis can be found in design exercises execute in the former 1950s by a talented and enthusiastic new stylist in the GM truck design group . His name was Charles M. " Chuck " Jordan , and he was destined to retire from GM in 1992 as its fourth frailty president of design .
One of Jordan ’s former rendering for GM exhibit a 1952 Chevrolet rider car with an integrate pickup arm box . Jordan recalls that the intent sketch resulted from a discussion with GM ’s legendary conception chief , Harley Earl . It was Earl , Jordan say , who paint a picture , " taking the Chevrolet passenger - car sedan chair and making a deluxe getaway out of it . "
But Jordan say that his 1952 lottery had no direct connectedness to the original El Camino ; he had already been named chief clothes designer in the Cadillac studio by the prison term the 1959 Chevrolet styling program receive under manner . ( The draftsmanship was , however , the first in a chain of luxuriousness pickup truck exploration that led up to Jordan ’s design for the Cameo Carrier . ) Jordan also recall there was a later sketch done of a passenger - railway car pickup based on the 1955 Chevrolet plan .
The Cameo no doubt inspired Dodge , International , and Ford to volunteer moneyed - side load box on some of their 1957 pickup truck . But Ford had another surprise in entrepot for the competition in 1957 . It was , of course , the Ranchero .
In the next section , see how – and when – Chevrolet countered its contender ’s " surprise . "
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Chevrolet El Camino Counters the Ford Ranchero
The 1959 Chevrolet El Camino was Chevy ’s eventual response to the Ford Ranchero . But Ford had a head begin with its sedan pickup .
There were selling challenge brewing that in all likelihood contributed to Ford ’s decision to fetch out the cable car - based Ranchero . During the mid fifties , sales of " commercial-grade cars " – typically sparsely dress low - blood two - door estate car and sedan delivery – were generally decline .
Department stores , dry cleaners , florists , and other businesses had long trust on such models for manner of speaking chore . But novel suburban shopping sum , increase numbers of two - car menage , and other factors were boil down the demand for home - manner of speaking services . At the same time , four - door Dipper were quickly becoming the mob paddy wagon of pick . Thus , ideas for new models that could amplify bulk in the two - door commercial-grade model line were potential to be warmly received .
Regardless of the principle , it was all but inevitable that Chevrolet would offer a model to counter the Ranchero . In the head - to - forefront militant environment of the 1950s , they virtually had to . Why did the Chevrolet response appear two years later ? These factor are right away obvious :
Ironically , by the time Chevrolet unveiled the El Camino ( Spanish for " the road " ) , the full - size Ford Ranchero was already headed for the last roundup . Thus , El Camino and Ranchero would compete directly in only the 1959 model twelvemonth .
Chevrolet pick out to market the El Camino as part of its hand truck line ( as Ford did with the Ranchero ) . Gentleman husbandman , construction foremen , and others with generally light - responsibility rural or suburban cart need were place in advertising and marketing material .
Still , introductory sales agreement literature predicate , " In both appearance and operation , Chevrolet El Camino offers the better calibre of a fine passenger machine . " Though certainly unfeigned from the performance position , there were limitation to the coming into court , at least from the factory .
For more detail on the El Camino ’s styling , continue to the next section of this clause .
1959 Chevrolet El Camino Styling
Although Chevrolet considered the 1959 Chevrolet El Camino to be part of the lowly commercial - car model line , the outside was dressed up a bit with midlevel Bel Air - vogue side trim . That include tapering full - length bodyside moldings replete with Snowcrest White paint .
" El Camino " nameplates were affix to the front fenders in the same station in which " Bel Air " scripts would adorn a passenger car . Wide , brilliant moldings drag in up over the side window and rim the trailing border of the roof .
Other moldings lead under the side window and flowed right into the chromed landing strip that gird the top of the getaway box seat . The large , curved rear windowpane was also framed in chrome .
Inside , though , the stock three - across bench arse was trimmed in Biscayne - level leather - grain and patterned vinyl . There were no seating options . Three interior colors – gray , green , and blue – were available . flooring coverings were black vinyl , with colored specks molded in to match the upholstery color . ( Unfortunately , moisture could become ensnare beneath these mats , make level pans to corrode as the years go by . )
The El Camino ’s dramatic greenhouse was in essence a cut version of the thin , flat " flying wing " roof excogitation – with its classifiable rear overhang – first see on many 1959 GM four - door hardtops . The level roof panel and forward - push up rearward pillar give the El Camino a profile suggestive of powerboat of the era .
The massive rearward window – along with the large compound - curve windshield share with the passenger cars – contributed to El Camino ’s astonishing 4121 straight in of total looking glass area , providing what the introductory press release called , " ascendancy - tug profile . "
The 1959 El Camino was promoted as the first Chevrolet pickup built with a brand bed floor instead of wood . The floor was a corrugate sheetmetal cut-in , secured with 26 recessed bolts . hide beneath it was the trading floor genus Pan from the Brookwood two - door waggon , complete with pes wells . Box capacity was almost 33 cubic feet .
The tailboard make a perfectly story bed extension when close down , allowing for fully 91 inches of load duration ( the same as Ranchero , though its tailgate would n’t fold quite as flat ) . The permit - crustal plate carrier , house within the tailboard , was hinged to swing down when the gate was down , provide the scale to rest visible . With no position else to go , the full - size of it bare tire stood in upright readiness behind the passenger - side seatback . It was partially conceal by the build - in parcel ledge behind the seat .
Being invest with the styling of Chevrolet ’s 1959 passenger cars , the first El Camino shared their fabled " gullwing " tailfin and " cat ’s eye " taillamps . Each lamp unit was break open into two piece on the El Camino and other Chevy models with a tailgate . The fuel makeweight was located in the left rear quarter board on these models as well . El Caminos were available in all Chevrolet colors , including two - tones .
The El Camino was built on Chevy ’s 1959 rider - car form that featured a " safe - Girder " X - frame pattern and full - helix hanging , both of which had debuted on the 1958s . The 119 - inch wheel - base was 1.5 inches longer than that of the 1958 models , though . Overall duration for all 1959 Chevys was up to 210.9 inch .
The El Camino ’s payload evaluation ranged from 650 pound sign to 1150 pounds , with egregious vehicle weights ranging from 4400 to 4900 punt , reckon on powertrain and suspension alternative specified .
The somewhat soft , passenger - railcar - type standard respite activate the El Camino to support stage without a load . ( By direct contrast , the Ranchero come with stiffer heavy - obligation rear springs that cater it with a received 1100 - dog pound payload rating and gave it a distinct " rakehell " when unloaded . ) The quirky grade Air suspension option , in its 2d and final year , was listed as available , but was almost never see on any Chevrolet model , much less an El Camino .
The El Camino boasted an array of available powertrains , which are detail in the next section .
1959 Chevrolet El Camino Engineering
As a result of the 1959 Chevrolet El Camino ’s rider - car underpinnings , vendee found that they could savour unrestricted access to Chevrolet ’s overgenerous buffet of available powertrains .
The 283 - cid Turbo - fountain V-8 with two- or four - barrel carburetion and several Turbo - Thrust 348 - Criminal Investigation Command V-8s with four - barrel or ternary two - barrel carbs ( the latter with up to 335 bhp by mid 1959 ) were among the entrées . Even the 250- and 290 - bhp 283 - block Ramjet Fuel Injection locomotive were available – at least on paper .
Chevrolet group models within six - piston chamber and V-8 series in this epoch . Thus , the El Camino was officially the theoretical account 1180 with a six and model 1280 with a V-8 . ( Biscayne sedans and Brookwood paddy wagon were also 1100-/1200 - series vehicles . ) The 195 - bhp , two - barrel 283 was standard in the V-8 model , which listed for $ 2470 . The six - piston chamber model , priced $ 118 less at $ 2352 , came with Chevrolet ’s dependable 235.5 - Criminal Investigation Command Hi - Thrift six , which was newly detuned to 135 bhp in the stake of operate on saving .
look on the engine selected , a customer could choose a three - stop number manual transmission ( standard on both six and V-8 models ) , three - speed with overdrive , Powerglide two - speed robotic , or the seamlessly shifting Turboglide reflexive . A four - speed manual with flooring shift was available with any of the 348s and the two fuel - injected engine .
Hot Rodmagazine conducted a test of an El Camino fit out with the hot powertrain combination useable in former 1959 – a 315 - bhp , triple - carb , solid - lifter 348 V-8 mated to a four - speed . HRtesters time 0 - 60 - miles per hour times of around seven seconds , guess top speed at 130 miles per hour , and predicted 14 - second/100 - miles per hour quarter - mile functioning with a rear - axle ratio suited for serious pull racing installed .
The El Camino purchaser could purchase many deluxe body equipment detail – a right - hand sunblind / show upgrades such as wing ornaments and other ornamental trim – from Chevrolet ’s option catalogue . No doubt some dealers upgraded mark - new El Caminos with even more deluxe bolt - on trimming from the parts bin , both for their customers and for their own purposes .
A nicely accessorized and enhanced El Camino made a swell " parts pursuer . " ( Only the lack of uplevel inner trim sustain the original El Camino from fully realizing in 1959 the deluxe passenger - car tone arm Earl and Jordan had picture in 1952 – an supervision some El Camino refinisher have " corrected " by tally Impala trim features . ) Among the few factory accessory item denied the original purchaser of 1959 El Caminos were the " continental - case spare carrier " and Autronic Eye headlamp dimmer .
The original El Camino was something of a sensation when it first appeared . According to Arthur W. Jones , who work in GM Styling in the former 1950s , the 1959 El Camino was so admire by designers that some of them ordered one in place of the Corvette they typically drove . Across the nation , and especially in California , raging rodders and customizers found the new El Camino an extremely appealing vehicle for modification .
A aggregate of 22,246 El Caminos were produced for 1959 . That trump the numeration of 21,706 first - year Rancheros made in 1957 and the 14,169 Ford saloon pickups build in direct competition for the 1959 model yr . But 1960 would be a dissimilar story . Continue to the next section to learn why .
1960 Chevrolet El Camino
Below its beltline , the 1960 Chevrolet El Camino shared the toned - down styling of that year ’s full - size Chevrolets , admit flatter fins and a tax return to a series of small rotund taillight , as in 1958 . The license - plate mounting for all tailgate - fit models was now below the rear bumper . This necessitate the use of special dual license lamp , but decimate the dip - down hinge assembly used on corresponding 1959 models .
At first glance , the outside once again had a Bel Air facial expression , with that series ' bright - metal " spurt " appliqué and narrow-minded tracking mold used to punctuate the rear quarter . But , like Biscaynes , the new El Camino also used narrow-minded - dance orchestra trim to fill a portion of the upper - body character stock and did without a shiny edge around the concave rear cove that contained the rear lamp .
Inside , Biscayne / Brookwood naming also hold on ( a contrast to Ford , which had offered only a Custom - trim version of its final big Ranchero the year before ) . The seat was now covered in strip - pattern cloth with vinyl facing . Available internal clipping shades were once again gray , dismal , and green . Floor coverings were in medium - tone vinyl radical .
Mid-1959 powertrain availability was carried over with minimal changes for 1960 : The base 283 - cid V-8 was detuned a bit for fuel thriftiness and was now rated at 170 bhp , and the fuel - shoot engines were formally gone .
Base prices were up very slightly , start out at $ 2366 for the six - piston chamber model ; another $ 107 fetched a V-8 with the two - barrel 283 . However , orders plummet by a third , to just 14,163 . Meanwhile , Ford move 21,027 Rancheros , which were now based on the brand - new Falcon compact car .
The pioneering American sedan getaway just did n’t tie in with enough motorcar - buying Americans . Perhaps these former " crossovers " did n’t carry enough rider ; in a time when sister - boomer families dominated the market , three across was the best they could offer . The modest - level trim and selling efforts rivet almost exclusively on commercial client may have inhibited sales as well .
The basic theme was still viable , though . Ford proved it with the little Falcon Ranchero that was able to share parts with a two - door station waggon and sedan delivery . ( These way fade from the full - size Chevy line after 1960 . )
For a time , Chevrolet had only the rear - engine Corvair 95 Rampside pick-me-up to provide as some competition for the Ranchero , but even then , the Rampside ’s reliable rival from Dearborn was the E-100 Econoline . It was n’t until 1964 that Chevrolet fielded a more lineal competitor for the Ranchero via a revived El Camino spun off from the unexampled medium - grade Chevelle .
The midsized El Camino continued in production through four excogitation generation spanning more than two decades . ( It also outlasted the Ranchero , which wither in 1979 . ) In an unusual move , Chevrolet keep on production of the last - serial El Camino for four model age after the rear - drive Malibu on which it was ground was discontinued in 1983 . The 1987 El Caminos were the last of their sort . . . at least as of this escort .
The El Camino concept remains a powerful estimation today . Even though most new crossing vehicles are based on truck designs , Chevrolet has lately shown an El Camino concept car . This good contemporary " sedan pickup " persist true to the original El Camino .
Chevrolet is n’t saying it will build up something like it . . . but then again , it ’s not saying it wo n’t . Perhaps , then , the Chevrolet El Camino has not reached the end of the road after all .
