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Necoa #: 12356
Location: 7(AL,GA,TN)
Joined: Aug 22, 2008
Posts: 2
Year: 1978
Model: El Camino
Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:22 am Post subject: My first El Camino
This also happens to be my first car...Now the story...
Scince I was about 10, I've always wanted an El Camino...And as far back as I could remember, I've never had a dad to "bond" with by restoring an old car...I turned 16 last Feb., and the condition for my license was that I have to get a vehicle first...My problem, was that I had a $1500.00 limit...
So I've been searching CraigsList, and the other day I found a topic with the title "1978 EL CAMINO - $1000." I intantly opened it, and there she was...'78 Elky, that ran, had a small tranny leak, and needs a new coat of paint...
I've worked in the shop of a motorcycle dealership, and at 15 I got a "silent" award for best mechanic of the month...yea...
I recently picked up an air compressor, a res. tank, and a vaccume gun, along with a hydrolic jack for free off of my old shop teacher...I plan on doing everything except for the initial tranny check myself...My mom knows folks that'll look at the leak for next to nothing. (buy a redneck a case of beer, and he'll bend over backerds for yeh ^.^)
Anyways, I don't have pics of my own right now, but I'll get recent pics up in a moment...I'm planning on putting These Rims on Red Line tires, and giving her a classy (she's late '70s, but she's still '70s) mean "General Lee" shade Orange with dual, Pinstriped black Racing stripes, and eventualy I might crop the top a few inches...New chrome trim, and an engine wash is also a must, and later I plan on dropping some Black/Orange Sparco seats, new black, low shag carpet, and diamond plated steel floor "matts"
As the project goes along, I'll post new pics...I'll get the previos owner's pics up in a sec. _________________ "Definition of 'irony'...A bunch of idiots dancing on a plane, to a song made famous by a band that died in a plane wreck." - The Convicted Pedophile from "Con-Air"
Necoa #: 12356
Location: 7(AL,GA,TN)
Joined: Aug 22, 2008
Posts: 2
Year: 1978
Model: El Camino
Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:02 am Post subject:
Previous owner/most recent pics -
Oh yeah...
As far as paint, can anyone direct me towards a good maker of paint?...I don't want anything but the best for my baby (hopefully my girlfriend wont mind )
Anybody know much about dropping Blowers on an Elky 305 Automatic?...Would it even look good? And would it be safe to do in mosquito/horsefly ridden Alabama?...I've heard blowers contantly get cloged with insect corpses...
If it would work. (fit/look/bug safe) I might drop a Chrome Blower system on her...I want to up the engine before anything else...planning on a Holly Carb and a SuperCharger Package. I also want to bore and stroke the engine.
And on the SuperCharger Package, I would like to know if someone can point me towards a good package...
Thanks in advance for the advise _________________ "Definition of 'irony'...A bunch of idiots dancing on a plane, to a song made famous by a band that died in a plane wreck." - The Convicted Pedophile from "Con-Air"
Welcome aboard, and good luck with your new project. It can be frustrating but also rewarding. Stick with it and you'll never regret it.
Mike _________________ "That the automobile has practically reached the limit of its development is suggested by the fact that during the past year no improvements of a radical nature have been introduced." (Scientific American January 2, 1909).
My first "real" car I owned was a 78 El Camino and looks to be in the same condition and looks as mine was. Congrats on it, enjoy it, and stick with it as someone above me said! It can get really tough and aggrivating especially if your gonna be learning how to work on it. But in the end you'll love it as I loved mine.
Necoa #: 1999
Location: 16(CO,MT,WY,UT)
Joined: Dec 17, 2003
Posts: 193
Year: 1967
Model: El Camino
Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:07 am Post subject:
Welcome aboard. That's a nice looking start you have there. And it appears the price was right. I'm sure it will be sweet when it's done. Never really liked 5th gens, but since meeting my girlfriend and being that she has two of them, they are quickly becoming my favorite.
Has far as paint....if you stick to the more well known ones you should be fine. PPG is one of the better known ones, as is House of Color. From my experence it isn't so much the brand of paint but more the prep that goes into the body it is being sprayed on.
I personally don't like the look of a blower on a 5th gen. By that I mean a roots style blower, which is what I assume you are talking about. Now turbine style like a Vortex or ProCharger I think are a much better choice. As far as the 305....I don't think I have ever seen a blown 305. While the 305 is dependable and good on gas. I don't think they do well for modifying. They do make on hell of a good boat anchor..I willl admit.
I hate to say it but I think you would be much happier with a 350. They is a ton of stuff to build them and are cheaper to do in the long run.
Last edited by 67elkybryan on Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:11 am; edited 1 time in total
My suggestion would be to include your girlfriend in the projects as you go along, that way she feels like she's got a little something in it too, and won't be forcing you to dump it off for what she thinks is a cooler looking ride.
Rattlesnake, that camino looks vaguely familiar. click the link below and you will see some pics of my before and after. A lot of hard work and a LOTTT of $ later. Just take your time and work on it as you can and you will get there.
Necoa #: 716
Location: 13(TX)
Joined: Mar 18, 2003
Posts: 194
Year: 1985
Model: El Camino
Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:42 pm Post subject:
Welcome to the forum. If you’re looking for older, seasoned, fatherly types to bond with and El Camino's, you found the right forum. If you were one of my boys, I would advise you to first pay attention to ensuring you have safe and reliable transportation. This is especially important when you are out with the ladies. So make a check list and get started. A few things to check would be brakes, lights, wipers, signals, tires and exhaust. There are many other items to check but these will get you started. Plus, once these items are addressed, you will have more time to focus on your upgrades and enjoy your ride. If you have any questions, please ask. Someone will know the answer.
Good luck! _________________ 77 HD Sportster
79 Corvette L82
85 El Camino SS LG4
93 Camaro Z28 LT1
05 Dodge Caravan daily driver - yeah baby!
Ditto on what Robert said. And some of us are more of the Grandfather type. But it's all good and some very knowledgeable owners here willing to help with that knowledge. Enjoy.
Doug _________________ 85 El Camino 305, TH350, K&N, dual exhausts
87 El Camino 305, 2004R, K&N, dual exhausts
1964-1/2 Mustang conv, 260 V8, dual exhausts
2002 Jaguar XJ8, 2000 Harley Road King
Lakewood, CO
Necoa #: 1875
Location: 3(DE,NJ,PA)
Joined: Nov 29, 2003
Posts: 467
Year: 1980
Model: El Camino
Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:52 am Post subject:
Yea, welcome to the best site on the web Rattlesnake!!! Here you will get answers, more questions, bad jokes and good friends. LOL
Don't be afraid to ask anything at all. We may tease you a little, but these people here know more than the guys at General Motors about these AWESOME Beasts that we love. You can also get catalogues that are so in depth, that you can almost buy the dirt from whatever year you have. I promise you. Check out OPGi.com, NPD, and elcaminostore.com.
I hope you and your girlfriend have a solid relationship. he he he 'cause you got a new love now. Some of us have learned alot even without a father figure around, and it sounds like you DO have people around to help with this and that.
It will be a journey, but if you are like me, I always tell everybody that I will get rid of my girlfriend b4 I get rid of my ride!!! HA
I envy you in a way, because you probably have a pretty solid platform to start out with, being a southern car.
How bad is the tranny leak? Can you tell where it's leaking from? Give it a good dueshing, trany/engine, and see if you can tell where it's leaking. And if you ARE going to replace the 305, build a good 350 and use your money on other parts of the Elky.
By the way, if you put stripes on yours, make them as big as you can like I did. It looks REALLY cool.
Again WELCOME and have fun.
Dug
P.S. Hey 67elkybrian,,,, did you hook up with your girlfriend BECAUSE she has 2 elkies??? LOL _________________ Douglas
1980 El Camino
1996 Chevy Blazer
1982 Camaro
1982 Fiat Spider 2000
My Gallery
Necoa #: 9074
Location: 25(All Other)
Joined: Feb 20, 2007
Posts: 1022
Year: 1975
Model: El Camino
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:50 pm Post subject:
Welcome to ECC from me to Chris.
It is always great to see young guys like you with so much enthusiasm and well laid out plans for their El Camino.
Another grandfather comment from me too, get your El Camino safe, running sweetly and some driving experience under your belt before rushing into performance mods. _________________ John (from Down Under)
Necoa #: 1999
Location: 16(CO,MT,WY,UT)
Joined: Dec 17, 2003
Posts: 193
Year: 1967
Model: El Camino
Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:47 am Post subject:
ElCafreak wrote:
P.S. Hey 67elkybrian,,,, did you hook up with your girlfriend BECAUSE she has 2 elkies??? LOL
No.....we meet through the Chevelle club we both joined a couple years ago. I joined in August, but had never made it to a meeting. She joined in November...I think. After she joined one of the club officers emailed both of us welcoming us to the club and suggested that we think about riding to meetings togeather since we were both new and in the same area of Denver. Turned out we were closer than just in the same area....we live only one mile from each other. It just sort of went from there. At that time she only had her 79 Cabellero. She picked up her 83 last year after I saw it on craigslist. I was going to buy it but she ended up with it instead.
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But it's all good and some very knowledgeable owners here willing to help with that knowledge. Enjoy.
