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Necoa #: 8571
Location: 12(MO,OK,KS)
Joined: Nov 22, 2006
Posts: 6
Year: 1980
Model: El Camino
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 1:10 pm Post subject: A little help please?!?!?!
Hello, my name is Justin I recently just came into a 1980 El Camino that I purchased from my wife's dad, as a project car. As it sets now it's just the frame/body. The interior is all destroyed, my wifes brother thought it was his car and ripped the bucket seats out, the dash with all gages, etc... Door panels are gone the works!
El Camino's have always been one of my favorite cars. I would really like to keep all of the Original Chrome that's on the 1980 El Camino Ie: Front and back bumper, and side striping.
I really need some info/help on finding some of these parts, so I can start the restoration process, I'd really like to keep it all original as far as the interior and outside chrome goes.
Any help anyone could provide would be great, links other topics, etc...
Welcome Justin, You can go to our Sponsors sites from the main page and find many parts needed their also try OPGI and ebay. We also have and area for members selling parts check both those areas and if you can't find something let us know. You can also try some local junk yards and you might get lucky and still find some good parts.
Good luck with your project and let us know how it is progressing with pictures of corse, we like pictures. _________________ 78 Hot Rod Elky, Black Knight
68 Chevy longbed stepside
99 custom built Harley
Region 8 Director
Just looked at your pics. Since I'm not emotionally involved with your elky I can be a little more realistic. I know you don't want to hear this and I'm sure you really want to bring her back to life BUT reality is you'll spend over $10,000. Why not just look for a nicer clean complete elky for under $5000 and either use parts from this one as needed or part this car out and let it save a few other cars.
Not trying to insult you or put down your efforts, just trying to look at it realistically. The dash alone w/o any gauges runs about $800. Door panels, interior trim, carpet, seats, headliners, etc, could cost you $2000+. I didn't see an engine or trans, radiator, condenser......looking at another few thousand. Take a look on ebay and see what complete clean 5th gens are bringing than go take another look at all yours needs. Again sorry to be so brutally honest, but.....
Necoa #: 7439
Location: 4(MD,VA)
Joined: May 07, 2006
Posts: 685
Year: 1967
Model: El Camino
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:47 pm Post subject:
Justin,
I've got to agree with Bobby. This could be a good parts car, but I'd go for something more complete. There are a lot of 5th gens out there. _________________
On the plains of hesitation, bleach the bones of countless millions who on the threshold of victory sat down to wait and waiting they died.
Necoa #: 8571
Location: 12(MO,OK,KS)
Joined: Nov 22, 2006
Posts: 6
Year: 1980
Model: El Camino
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:51 pm Post subject:
Lol, I do respect your honesty. I'm looking for a big project car, and I figured why not let it be one of the cars I'm fasinated with the most. I do understand that this car is a very big, time and money comsuming car! I also understand that it'll be worth it every time I get in/out of it, or even look at it setting in my drive way!
I do have things like the dash, door panels, Hood etc.. They just need to have the cracks fixed and probably recoverd to match what ever color/style i go with.
Necoa #: 8571
Location: 12(MO,OK,KS)
Joined: Nov 22, 2006
Posts: 6
Year: 1980
Model: El Camino
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 7:42 pm Post subject:
Thanks man, much appreciated.
Yeah, I'm looking at this project like my very own "OverHaulin"
Lol, I wish it had an engine and Tranny in it, I'd have it overhauled and just have to pay the taxes on it!
Necoa #: 8571
Location: 12(MO,OK,KS)
Joined: Nov 22, 2006
Posts: 6
Year: 1980
Model: El Camino
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 3:04 am Post subject:
Well I have decided to go with something a little more less money conssuming!
While money isn't the issue, I did allot of research today and I estimate around 12,000+ to get this car in mint condition or show room available like I want it.
So I am going to hunt down a decent looking 5Gen Camino for allot lower cost, and still do the custimzation work to it that I want to do.
When it happens (Little less then a month) I'll keep everyone here updated with pictures, prices, etc...
Necoa #: 7439
Location: 4(MD,VA)
Joined: May 07, 2006
Posts: 685
Year: 1967
Model: El Camino
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:07 am Post subject:
Justin,
Good hunting and keep us posted. _________________
On the plains of hesitation, bleach the bones of countless millions who on the threshold of victory sat down to wait and waiting they died.
I think you made the right decision. I had kinda the same decision to make. My father gave me his Caballero several years ago. It ran great but spent much of it's life out in the Florida sun. The interior is dried up and cracked and the paint and chrome are in bad shape. I really love the car so started to check into what it would cost to make it a nice daily driver. After doing the research, I knew that I could find a really nice one for less, and I did find an El Camino. I still have and drive my Dad's car (he passed away in August). Maybe some day I can fix it up when I retire, with one of my grandchildren.
Jerry _________________ 1980 Caballero
1980 El Camino Conquista
Necoa #: 8671
Location: 7(AL,GA,TN)
Joined: Dec 13, 2006
Posts: 2
Year: 1970
Model: El Camino
Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:53 pm Post subject:
dash pad $180
door panels $119 each
head liner $56
carpet $120
junk yard seat with snug covers $375
steering $100
custom dash board if you know how $150
mirror/trims $150
Visor DIY reupholster $25
chem strip interior $10
Prime and paint interior $50
total = $1454 give o take for interior restoration - electronics......with factory repro harness it'll bring it up to about two grand, but if you're gonna diy, you can chop off a couple hundred
if you're gonna buy an old engine, buy one that needs to be rebuilt with a tranny that needs to be rebuilt......kits for the tranny is about $100 from advance auto and they will be ok as long as you're not looking for big muscle......you can pick a 350 up around here for $100 as long as you rebuild it, same goes for a th-350 tranny.....so if you're lucky $400-$800 on motor and tranny if you diy and are luckey with the deal........
paintjob-mine cost me $20k, so don't ask me how to save money on that....I had every nook and cranny sand blasted on my elky ...it's in its primer stage right now and chassis waiting to be powder coated along with misc things....i split these into several different sessions so that I can still have a house to live in
I built my own custom interior out of fiberglass and anything that was salvagable textile, my wife reupholstered it.... i have 16 alum racing wheels for mine only because i got the borbet set for free....
I'm not done with the engine yet, i'm still in decision of weather imma stick with a 2 barrel or go with 4......honestly, i don't really care...it's new anyways....i'm just planning to dress it up....
all in all, with 100% true body work and by that i mean i used no filler, new engine with less than 6k miles on it, powder coat, media blast, custom fab and paint....by the time I'm done, it'll cost me around 40k bottom end, so don't let that 10k scare you away.....make that baby your dream car
and I decided to do most of the work myself not to save me money, but to know my car inside and out....to bad the engine's new, otherwise i'd tear it apart....oh wells, have fun.....if you have any questions on custom fab work for your interior you can shoot me an email...for the rest of it, im sure there are guys on here that knows 10x better than myself.... anywho.....if you want to know who i get my parts from, shoot me a pm if that doesn't violate tos....ok chau
hey justin, you can get by fairly cheap if you do the work yourself and be patient, there are several vendors out there who will have what you need. www.theelcaminostore.comwww.mikesmontes.com then theres ebay national parts depot etc. you can also roam the local wrecking yards and leave your contact number so if they get a 5th gen. in they can notify you. also carry a list in your wallet of what your needing. also remember the general made millions of these type cars and montes, buicks, station wagons, and malibu parts will work just as well. _________________ 78 elky 350 375hp turbo 350
Patients..... That is what it really takes. Over the time the cost is really not as significant as someone may think. Over 5 years I've spent just about 20,000.00. Sounds like a bunch and it is! But when it's finished it's mine, it's "New" not a used Elky but a New El Camino. It will be just what I wanted, just like I want it to be in every minor detail and I'll have been the one that did all the work, well the Lion's share of work. I have friends and a few family members that have helped me from time to time. I can work on it when I want, it's not my daily driver.
I learned with the 76 I have that the project doesn't stop, not for me, just because it's drivable or looks finished. So with my 80 I decided to rip it to the basic pieces, and then re-do everything, ground up. I didn't care if it ran the engine it had was never ever going to be the engine I was going to have in the vehicle or the Transmission. So they were going anyway may as well have a truck I didn't really spend any money to get and doesn't have anything I need to haul off.
So, my recommendation is, if you know what you want, and a 305 or a THM350 is not in the mix, then buy a Elky without those things you're going to replace them anyway... What difference is it going to make? One less thing to haul off! I paid 300.00 for my 80 SS. Didn't run, did have partial engine and a transmission but they were not going to stay in the truck. Mine had bench seats, I wasn't going to keep them so why buy a truck with them in it already? Almost every 5th Generation El Camino needs dash work, door panels, window seals and things like that some even need a lot of the interior plastic so if it's bad big deal replace it the parts are out there in abundance and moderately inexpensive.
Have fun with it, take pride in it and you'll keep it! Buy it and it's just not the same, to me anyway. _________________ Home Site: http://www.elcaminoplace.com
1972 El Camino Custom 400
1976 El Camino Classic
1980 El Camino Super Sport
E-Mail: engstrvr@sbcglobal.net
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