Ugh!

Had a Cavalier loaner when my '87 Camino was in for service once - worst POS with a bowtie I ever drove.

Hated every minute of it.

Pure, rattly, junk.

I have a photo of a proposed '89 El Camino, based on the Cavalier around here somewhere. Shoot, if I can find it I'll be sure to post it.

That's just cruel, Ocn.

I have an illustration of a Celebrity-based El Camino. Same roofline as the ST- but the straight-edged lines look pretty decent...

sorry robert mcQ, just teasing

Noooooo!

I sincerely hope that the Camino stays dead if the alternative is an FWD version.

I just couldn't tolerate that, I'd probably be arrested for vandalizing them on the lot.

It sure would look funny with air shocks in the FRONT, with 60-series Kelly white letter tires and Cragar S/S rims!

What a mental image that is!

Almost like a jackrabbit with his hind legs out front.

A Lumina based one might have looked pretty decent. So would have a 2dr wagon, IMHO.

The Lumina Euro coupe actually wasn't a bad looking car. I saw a white one in mint condition the other day.

The Magnum would be a natural for conversion into an El Camino style vehicle. I plan to do that eventually w/ a Revell 1:25th scale model kit.

An El Camino based off the last W- Monte Carlo could have been interesting..

The Lumina Euro coupe actually wasn't a bad looking car. I saw a white one in mint condition the other day.

That reminds me, I saw a dark gold base '90 2dr Lumina (gray egg crate style grille) in really clean condition recently. Not something you see very often in any condition.

I have a photo of a proposed '89 El Camino, based on the Cavalier around here somewhere. Shoot, if I can find it I'll be sure to post it.

Saw this bad boy months ago, wish I could have gotten more pics.

The Magnum would be a natural for conversion into an El Camino style vehicle. I plan to do that eventually w/ a Revell 1:25th scale model kit.

An El Camino based off the last W- Monte Carlo could have been interesting..

Yes to the Magnum, or better yet, the Challenger.

No to the painfully ugly Monte, even the Lumina was better looking than that.

Saw this bad boy months ago, wish I could have gotten more pics.

That's just hilarious, especially parked next to the big Ford.

Yeah, its pretty sad up close. Not exactly a high quality customization.

That would be a new use for a Vocal GPS, as the mullet would be on the front.

Annoying female voice "Blind Camino Driver, left in two hundred yards....one hundred yards...you have contacted a mailbox....you have contacted a parked car....you have contacted a curb..."

On another forum they had pics of a Kia minivan made into a Phaeton like touring car, with a very long and awkward convertible top.

ughhh...most home built rebuilds...But I did see one VERY professionally done 55 chev Nomad into an El camino vehicle...didn't look half bad....

Chris

A couple of the worst home-brew car-pickup conversions I've seen were genuine 'Keys Cruisers' (got their picture in the Saturday Keynoter newspaper in the Florida Keys)---a '72 Torino wagon that had been converted into a rusty 2dr convertible pickup w/ flat bed and a '73 or so Mercury Colony Park wagon that had been made into a 4dr pickup (the rear roof area cut off, sawed through D-pillars still sticking up a few inches)..

On another forum they had pics of a Kia minivan made into a Phaeton like touring car, with a very long and awkward convertible top.

ughhh...most home built rebuilds...But I did see one VERY professionally done 55 chev Nomad into an El camino vehicle...didn't look half bad....

Chris

A very natural conversion - the lines are perfect for it.

I've seen many of them that were sweet (55-57)

I'd never cut up a Nomad to do it, but I'd buy one converted back in the day.

The AMT '55 Chevy Nomad 1:25th scale model kit has parts to convert it into an El Camino style pickup. I built one that way once, makes a very nice looking El Camino...

Tried to find pics of 55-57 Nomads converted to El Caminos.

No luck.

The well done ones look so factory it's amazing.

I would bet a number of them were done from the 'regular' 2-dr wagons.

I know where a '55 Pontiac 2-dr wagon 'el Camino' is/was.

I drooled after that car for many long years.

On the Nomad/Safari, though, the roof already has cutlines and the door window frames are cut at an appropriately sporty angle.

On the Nomad/Safari, though, the roof already has cutlines and the door window frames are cut at an appropriately sporty angle.

Which makes all the difference.

The Nomad tailgate adds a nice touch as well - can't beat that slant and the chrome strips.

Speaking of phantoms...I've always wanted to do a sedan delivery based on a nomad or a Safari...

That would be cool...as a 60's drag car with slicks and a solid front axle...as a resto look car that should have "come from the factory" that way...as a modern pro touring style car, slammed, with an LS series motor...

Chris

You guys are right, of course, but it pains me to even think of cutting up a rare Nomad / Safari.

The Nom/Fari B-pillar I can't argue, tho note the regular wagons had (not as much) slanted tailgates, too.

I could cut a regular wagon, tho that'd be tough, too. Any sheetmetal 'deficiencies' from the regulars vs. the 'sports' can easily be remedied with sheetmetal, a welder and a good eye.

The way I look at it is that enough Nomads have already been converted over the years, so I would never cut one up.

But if I ever run across a nice one and have cash on hand, I'm buying it.

I love phantoms, but I couldn't kill a real Nomad to create one.

I'm wondering how much it would cost to create the stampings for just a few nomad pices so that one could be built from a 4 door sedan.

They've already got enough pieces to build a ragtop from a 4 door...why not a Nomad?

Chris

That thought crossed my mind as well.

Wheelbase could be an issue, I'd have to research that.

They make aftermarket frames for Tri-Fives...with all of the goodies attached if you wish.

Sedan delivery is still the 55 I want though...

That thought crossed my mind as well.

Wheelbase could be an issue, I'd have to research that.

I think all '55-57 Chevies have the same wheelbase, regardless of bodystyle.

I wonder if Dynacorn or one of the others will make repro bodies for '55s..I think they are making '57 convertibles now.

I'm almost certain the '55 body is also being reproduced.

Interesting to ponder the degree of interest to reproduce an entire vintage automobile BODY, eh?

BTW- wheelbases ARE the same '55-57 Chevy : 115".

Nice.

If they did the Nomad body...

The 80's J cars were cool!

One of my fav. cars was an 85 chev Cavalier 5 speed coupe...NEAT little car...and probably why I'm so addicted to the idea of sport compacts now.

GM spoiled me with that car!

Chris

Yep...loved my blue 2 door RS! It was very tossable, and to me it just looked sporty.

I guess that's why this "Aveo RS" caught my attention.

Anyways, I'd love a GN or a T type...

I'm almost certain the '55 body is also being reproduced.

Interesting to ponder the degree of interest to reproduce an entire vintage automobile BODY, eh?

BTW- wheelbases ARE the same '55-57 Chevy : 115".

Found this..

Cars Inc makes a '55 Chevy convertible body...

55 Chevy body

Here's Dynacorn's list of GM bodies they offer..

Dynacorn

No '80s Cavalier bodies that I can find yet.

hmmm...they make a 70 Chevelle ragtop body....hmmm...

Some pleasant surprises in what's available.

Gather all the parts for a particular car through various companies and put them in a big box, it would be like a metal body 1:1 scale model kit

Edited January 5, 201016 yr by Cubical-aka-Moltar

Expensive, but worth it to save otherwise unsaveable cars.

Nice to see the '69 Firebird on that list.

Absof*cklootly amazing !!! I can hardly believe this, esp from the POV of a guy who's lucky to work on something for which repro weatherstripping is available. I'd seen finished examples of the '55 before, but they look like any other restoration/rod - this is the first time I've seen the starting point. You could easily spend $7500 for rust repair on a 50-yr old car and still risk waves, misalignment... or you could buy a 100%, real steel repro ready for paint and do a 'catalog' build. It's all there!

DAMMNIT- why didn't I develop a taste for Chevys ???

Camino- IMO, and coming from the same East Coast rust belt.... those prices are completely worth it for what you get.

Edited January 5, 201016 yr by balthazar

I agree that the price is worth it, but still quite alot to spend in one shot. Spending $13,500 on a bare shell without frame, running gear, front clip, interior, drivetrain, and a VIN is a big pill to swallow.

Back to 'Aminos... Geoamino.

A trailer hitch?

To tow a tiny trailer. I saw an interesting Metro the other day when random googling on hypermiling..some one had cut down the roofline of a Geo Metro to make it more aero, looked like a Honda CRX sorta kinda..

Back to 'Aminos... Geoamino.

Hmmm...

Sweet, even with his toolbox in there, he still has room for the proverbial 4X8 sheet of plywood (4X8 inches, that is.)