.....found this over at Hemmings...

"Some minor rust. needs restored" would be the typical ad copy if this were on Craigslist. Still, I think it's salvageable.

Very!

Looks like the road to Tijuana.

Far far worse have been brought back, it's not 'bad' from the one pic.

This one was salvaged from the wreck of the Andrea Doria.

The tires look to be in much better shape than the car.

A bit of Elco trivia I found--in Mexico, it was sold as the Chevy Conquistador.

This one was salvaged from the wreck of the Andrea Doria.

Ha- the cars on the AD have literally disintegrated. Check the pics of Miss Belvedere fresh from it's vault - this Elky is nothing like that car

Sorry for snark. Srsly, I hope somebody buys it and returns it to original factory condition, inline six and three on the tree... all of it.

iT Would have to be done for love not profit.

It may be better served as being turned into a Rat Rod. The Patina is already what many pay to have done. Many even fake the rust now.

Edited November 22, 201213 yr by hyperv6

Why? :-/

I don't know.

A bit of Elco trivia I found--in Mexico, it was sold as the Chevy Conquistador.

Where did you find this?

A bit of Elco trivia I found--in Mexico, it was sold as the Chevy Conquistador.

Where did you find this?

Wikipedia...seen it elsewhere in the past, not 100% sure of the accuracy, though. I wonder if they were badged as such in Mexico..

I'm calling BS on the "Conquistador" nameplate.

No real evidence exists on the web.

I've seen this before, and it always turns out to be some fool's mis-reading of the "Conquista" trim level on 5th gen Caminos.

Who knows? Long ago and far away..

I have heard of Conquistador being used many times. Also there were other links on the web also starting the same. Not sure if they are just copying the others but I suspect there is something to it.

Also GM did use it on a specail graphics package in the 80 too. It was similar tot he black knight package.

All I know is I have heard of this long ago before I ever saw it on the web.

If it were true, I probably would have found it long ago.

I have heard of Conquistador being used many times. Also there were other links on the web also starting the same. Not sure if they are just copying the others but I suspect there is something to it.

Also GM did use it on a special graphics package in the 80's too. It was similar tot he black knight package.

All I know is I have heard of this long ago before I ever saw it on the web.

Edited November 23, 201213 yr by hyperv6

Someone in Mexico probably knows the truth

Also GM did use it on a specail graphics package in the 80 too. It was similar tot he black knight package.

That was the GMC Caballero "Diablo"

I know about that one but there also was a graphic package model of the other too. The name was a decal not a emblem and I know what it said. There were few of them and they may have been a one year limited model but I know I have seen the name in use.

Ok, I found the packag was the El Camino Conquista. That is the name I was looking for that I remembered. It was a Two Tone package and trim on a El Camino for many years Think of it as like Tahoe trim on a S-10

Edited November 23, 201213 yr by hyperv6

Ummm, "Conquista" was a very common trim package, not a special edition of any kind.

That's what you were thinking of?

Ummm, "Conquista" was a very common trim package, not a special edition of any kind.

That's what you were thinking of?

Yes that is what I was thinking of but I just confused it with the Diablo trim.

Hell it has been how many years since I really cared.

Yes it was somewhat common but not well known to the average person today having been left to the dust bins of history.

If you don't care, why are you in here/ poking around the web on the issue?

And why are you always 'speaking' for this "average person" demographic?

If you don't care, why are you in here/ poking around the web on the issue?

And why are you always 'speaking' for this "average person" demographic?

If you really need to know it has been a long time since I cared thought about the "Conquista" since they have not made the El Camino for so many years. I have much more important things to worry about of late. Mother in the Hospital with heart issues, Basket Ball practice, Christmas shopping, 16 Trillion dollar debts and the implosion in the middle east, JR is really dead now. Sorry I am easily distracted.

I find asking why someone brings in the average person perspective to the conversation on new vehicles, products and features very telling.

So you want to know why I speak for the Average customer? Because too often in our conversations here too many tend to forget about the majority average customer and leave them out. . What is more important in building a vehicled for todays market than meeting the expectations and wants of the majority average custmer? Sorry if you do not like the big picture injected but that is the reality of it. The Camary is not the best car on paper but in the eyes of the Average Joe it is everything he wants and needs.

Sorry but there is a larger world outside the Autoblog bubble and we need to let it in to keep things real.

But that is another story and another battle, in this case my use here was just a simple phrase to express few people really remember the "Conquista" package including many on this site.

Edited November 24, 201213 yr by hyperv6

This isn't a discussion of a new vehicle. It's a discussion of a vintage vehicle, and thusly, the so-called 'average customer' today isn't relevant here. It's just very left-field to constantly interject your interpretation of the 'average customer' into so many irrelevant conversations. This is a car enthusiast site, not Consumer Reports' forum. It's no different than bringing up the customer preferences of 1950 when discussing a camry.

And, in light of that, back to the '59 in question.

It looks quite solid to me - just surface rust rather than rot.

And it looks very complete.

Ocn: Do you have a link to the listing?

What is the price?

My only meaing of what I said here was to indicate most people today would not remember the same thing I also forgot from years ago. Some of us have lives and do forget some things over time.

Don't make this into something it is not. If you want to argue find someone else in another thread .

I do support a open view on new models but that does not mean I always like what I see or think should happen. When we do discuss new model my thoughts are what will sell and what will make a profit to keep GM alive. I look at new models not so much as what I want but what the market wants. It is all about making money, those who do live those who done. go bankrupt.

Too hard to judge from this photo. The things you can't see are the things I would worry about.

Fenders and quarters look to have rot but the rockers look good. I wonder how the frame and floor is.

And, in light of that, back to the '59 in question.

It looks quite solid to me - just surface rust rather than rot.

And it looks very complete.

Ocn: Do you have a link to the listing?

What is the price?

$2,750

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chevrolet/el_camino/1382960.html

Has to have been sitting for decades outside. Floors are gone, bet the bed is too. Still, it's nothing that cannot be repaired, and on a desirable car.

That said, the price is a bit high for the condition.

Comps ::

http://classicsplusauto.com/1959chevelcamino.htm

http://woodstock-ct.americanlisted.com/cars/1959-chevrolet-el-camino_19202571.html

http://www.classiccar.com/chevrolet/el-camino/chevrolet-elcamino_28743/?back=chevrolet%2Fel-camino

It has gotten to the point with many cars anymore that it is cheaper to spend more on a better car and restore it or just get a fully restored car unless you can do the work all yourself.

Also on many cars anymore some parts are near impossible to find or afford.

The Pontiac site I go on has often people restoring cars that spend much more than the car will ever be worth. Unless it is a car that the owner has owned all his life or if it has been in the family all these years they would often be better off finding a car for just a little more money and spend much less restoring.

Even doing all the work yourself can get expensive. My buddy restored a 67 400 Firebird with all new sheet metal etc. He did all the work himself and just barely got what he had in it when he sold it. This was years ago when prices were even higher. He paid $1000 for the car and said he should have just used it for parts looking back. He is doing a 68 GTO now and started with a much better car to save money in the long run.

Just comes down to how much a car is worth to the guy buying it and how hard it is to find another. Some times some cars are so rare you have to take what you can find.

Edited November 25, 201213 yr by hyperv6

Good thing there are guys who do it for love, not money. It is up to the individual what to spend his money on.

Good thing there are guys who do it for love, not money. It is up to the individual what to spend his money on.

If it were not for the love of some and the fact some of the lesser models are left in the garages of older folks who leave them in good condition we would have lost many cars.

I always find it nice to find a non SS 4 door hard top Chevelle at a car show or a non GTO Lemans in good condition. Years from now kids will think the SS was the normal Chevelle on the street back in the 60's.

When I was working at a gas station when I was in School we used to get many of these older customers in cars that you would rarely see. I had one older lady in a base Lemans with a OHC six. Another customer with a 61 Sedan Deville with only 7,000 miles.

The one I treasured was the 65 Riv GS with the factory duel quad that had less than 12,000 miles. I am sad to say the Buick was crashed in the 90's by his son after he passed and it left sitting in a yard to rot and even after many attempts of my buddy will not part with the car. It is just a case where this guy would rather let this thing rot than see it saved. It would not take much to fix it now but in another 5-10 years sitting were it is the car will become a parts car.

I see what cars that are worth restoring from the 80's will be very difficult to restore. The great amounts of plastic in the cars and how it falls appart will make many parts hard to replace.

The guys working on Fiero's now are having a difficult time finding the skeletons under the console that holds everything together. Nearly all are broken. Same on t top gaskests as some nos gasket sets now sell for more than some cars are worth. Other than Corvettes, F bodies and Mustangs I see little repo items being made and the lack of NOS part driving prices even higer with demand.

That last one...

I know... That's exactly why I saved it for last.

The Road ......................

Love the first one...just needs less low.

Love the auto's, like Balthazar I do love the last one especially since it is not sitting on the freakin ground. Not every auto needs to be Cig pack high or lower. Never been a fan of laying the frame on the ground. No purpose or usability there to me.

These are some lovely rides Thanks for posting.