![]() |
I have a rust free 67 El Camino rolling shell and lots of Pontiac parts so I did the only natural thing to do and use as many Pontiac parts as possible in the El Camino. I removed the Chevy motor mounts brackets and replaced them with Pontiac brakets and a Pontiac motor went right in, I didn't even have to drill any holes and the transmission lines up perfect to the trans crossmember. Hooker headers part #4901-1 also fit right in although I will have to relocate the metering block for the brakes. I am going to run a 400 with #48 heads and a 66 Tri Power with a BW T10 trans. I tried to use a 65 Tri Power with a big car air cleaner and ducting to the headlights but the hood will not shut with the big car air cleaner. I used a set of 65 GTO front springs with a coil cut out of them because I want the car slamed a little bit, the car sits right but the springs are a little too weak so I will proably use HO Racing front springs. The ugly Chevelle type interior had to go too. The Chevelle dash came out easy by drilling out the spot welds, I replaced the dash with one from a 65 Tempest Custom. The Tempest dash was not so easy to get out of the donor car, I used a cut off wheel and it became a lot more work than it had to be but I did not know it until after I had the dash out. I have all the GTO trim for the dash and the dash fits in the El Camino perfect, I tried using the 67 steering column but it is different and I had to use the 65 Pontiac column. The Tempest has factory A/C but I proably won't use it. I am going to use a 65 GTO 4 speed console and 66 GTO type upholstry, the door panels fit right on the El Camino doors without any modifications. I am thinking of using the heater and defroster cables for exhaust cutouts since I don't need a heater in AZ. I have a set of Rally 1 wheels but I think I am going to use a set of vintage Torq thrust wheels. I wonder if the El Camino could be considered a Pontiac since the body is by Fisher.
|
Hey Ken, got any pictures?
|
now if you can just get some pontiac sheetmetal to fit it. mike
|
I can take some pictures but I don't know how to post them. The El Camino has to be taken apart again for paint so at this point I am just roughing it out to make shure everything fits, the engine that is siting in it now is not the engine I will be using, the engine in it now is a bare block with heads and an intake that is hooked up to a bellhousing and transmission. I thought about reskining it as a GTO, the front clip and doors will bolt on but I would run into problems with the quarter panals and I don't think I could get Pontiac quarter panals to work right.
|
Ken,
Could you use a 67 Pontiac A-body sheet metal on the front end? I've seen it done with 70's El Caminos. It might need the core support But It should fit. The frames are common. It would look real COOL! ------------------ Gatomon A car is cheaper than a girlfriend. Better than a wife. If it gives you trouble you can park it and forget about it! |
what blackcat said. with all pontiac emblems, you could use the old "it's canadian , or it's overseas " line when people ask about it. mike
|
I figured out how to reskin the El Camino as a GTO. I have a 67 Tempest as a donor car. I am going to use the front clip and doors on the El Camino. I already put a hardtop 67 Tempest door on the El Camino and it fits, the contours are the same and the top body line matches up with the El Camino quarter panal. The bottom of the quarter in front of the rear wheels is different so I have to cut a section out of the Tempest and splice it into the El Camino quarter panal so it will still have the coke bottle look. I also have to remove the door window frames and use the window frames from the El Camino on the Tempest doors. If it was not 110 degrees outside I could probably do all the work in a few days time.
|
And the dead rise again!
How's it coming?WE WANT PICS!!!Besides,your comment about a "few days" has become over 2 years,if I looked correctly. |
So you are creating an El GTO?
|
Yes. The project is on hold until I can come up with a nice 67 core support. I had a rotten core support and tried welding a 67 top onto a 65 bottom and it does not fit right. All the sheet metal fit right until I tried changing the core suppport.
|
El GTO! This is the coolest project I have ever heard of. You simply must finish it and post some pics of the process. Really cool idea. Everyone will want one.
Pontiac's that haul ass with Pontiac engines! |
I have seen a El GTO car done, complete, I beleive they used a '66 GTO nose for it, and the rest of the body matched....rear bumper, everything was a GTO.....it was my favorite at the show I saw it at(Portland, Oregon, 1997)
Yeah, I am a Ford Guy.... |
| All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:54 PM. |