{"id":84270,"date":"2021-04-24T16:30:37","date_gmt":"2021-04-24T20:30:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/?p=84270"},"modified":"2021-04-24T16:30:37","modified_gmt":"2021-04-24T20:30:37","slug":"collector-car-corner-reader-recalls-a-nostalgic-helpful-hand-with-his-beautiful-1966-el-camino","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2021\/04\/24\/collector-car-corner-reader-recalls-a-nostalgic-helpful-hand-with-his-beautiful-1966-el-camino\/","title":{"rendered":"Collector Car Corner – Reader recalls a nostalgic \u2018helpful hand\u2019 with his beautiful 1966 El Camino"},"content":{"rendered":"

Q: Hello Greg. I just read your article on nostalgia from the \u201850s and \u201860s and wanted to share an experience from about five years ago. My wife and I were taking my 1966 El Camino to the Devil\u2019s Run car show in North Dakota when the car started running terribly. It was very low on power and backfiring whenever we had to go up a small hill or anything that put a load on the engine.<\/p>\n

We were on Highway 2, heading west, and decided to pull into the little town of Michigan, North Dakota where there sat this old time gas station and we pulled in. I had a good guess what was wrong with the car and asked if I could borrow a set of feeler gauges, as I was sure that my ignition points had closed up. The young man I talked to said to go ahead and take what I needed out of his toolbox. <\/p>\n

As I was looking through his toolbox he noticed my \u201966 El Camino sitting in his lot. He asked me if that was my car and that his dad, a retired Chevy mechanic, would probably love to set the ignition points on the old classic. I don\u2019t remember the name of the station or even if there was a name out front. It was just an old time gas station that survived from the 50s or 60s, with dirt driveway and a couple of old gas pumps.<\/p>\n

\"Collector<\/a>

The interior shows not only its beautiful condition, but more so that Jerry\u2019s El Camino features an original Muncie four-speed transmission that hooks to a potent non-original 350-V8. It also features tilt steering option. Submitted photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

My wife then said she was hungry and wanted to go for a walk downtown. Well there aren\u2019t many stores in Michigan but we did find a grocery store but it was closed. There was a sign in the door that said something came up for the owners but they would be back in about a half hour. So we walked back to the gas station where the son\u2019s dad was just finishing up my car. He didn\u2019t just adjust the points with a feeler gauge like I was going to; he adjusted the dwell and ignition timing, too.<\/p>\n

We went inside the station and wanted to get a can of pop (soda) but didn\u2019t see any around. I asked the son if they had any pop and he said it\u2019s in the refrigerator and was 50-cents a can. I opened the fridge and there was a cigar box in there with a lot of cash in it. The son explained that some of the locals take a can of pop sometimes but don\u2019t have any money, but then the next time they come they might throw a five or ten dollar bill in the box.<\/p>\n

After pleading with the son and his dad to take payment for the work on my car (they wouldn\u2019t accept any payment) we left with fond memories. On our return trip back home we stopped and each got a pop and gas and left a sizable chunk in the cigar box. <\/p>\n

I have attached a few photos of my El Camino that I purchased back in 1974. I am the second owner as the first owner bought the car in Washington State and then moved to northern Minnesota after he traded it on a new Dodge pickup. <\/p>\n

Sadly my El Camino doesn\u2019t have the original 275-horse 327-engine in it anymore. Back in the late \u201870s I was racing dirt track stock cars and wasn\u2019t driving the “Elke” anymore and pulled the engine for my stock car. I wish I had done that differently. The car has a 350 with the old camel back heads, stock dual exhaust and Rochester Quadrajet carb, Muncie M-20 four-speed, 12-bolt rear and 3.73 gears. Other than the engine, it\u2019s original and rare. <\/p>\n

Thanks Greg. Sincerely, Jerry K., near Bemidji, Minnesota.<\/p>\n

\"Collector<\/a>

Although the 1966 El Camino was not an official SS model, the three 396 engine options of 325, 360 and 375 horsepower were the same as Chevelle SS offered that year. It was the beginning of the most popular muscle car years of the decade, and these El Camino car style pickups were major players. The first official El Camino SS396 appeared in 1968, but the 1966 and 1967 models were serious muscle cars even with a 327 under the hood. (Compliments Chevrolet)<\/p><\/div>\n

A: Jerry thanks much for your letter recalling the skilled hands of a former Chevrolet mechanic. As for your El Camino, its debut first generation lasted only two years of 1959 and 1960 and was built on a full-size 119-inch Chevy station wagon chassis. Then, after a three-model year layoff, Chevy came back with the intermediate size, 115-inch wheelbase, El Camino from 1964 to 1987, including generations two through six. Chevy did not make an El Camino in 1961 to 1963 as most felt Chevy\u2019s decision to pull the full-size El Camino from production was due to poor 1960 sales, while others say that Chevy was simply retooling to bring El Camino back as an intermediate. Turns out the El Camino retooling enthusiasts were correct. <\/p>\n

Chevrolet re-entered the carlike truck market with its new 1964 El Camino based on the intermediate Chevelle line and competing with Ford\u2019s new intermediate size Ranchero. As for the muscle car engines and transmissions, the 327 V8 took over as El Camino\u2019s top power choice when it returned in 1964. The 300-horse 327 was available, and other engines included the 283 up to 220 horses and two inline-6 engines. In 1965, the engines were similar but a 350-horse L79 327 joined in. Then things really moved forward concerning the El Camino beginning in 1966 right on through 1970. In addition to the inline-6 and small block V8s mentioned above, the \u201966 and \u201967 powerplants included the 396 El Caminos, which were sibling to the Chevelle coupe SS396, minus the SS badges, and included all of the 396 big blocks. In \u201968, Chevy officially released an SS396 El Camino. Further, even though you had to replace your original 275-horse 327 with its current 350, it is still a very valuable piece thanks to all that rare original equipment.  <\/p>\n

Take good care of your\u201966 El Camino, as it sure is a beauty and thanks for your nostalgic memories of that old gas station and its generous owners. Thanks also for your kind words. We\u2019ll end by letting my readers know the Devils Run Car Show is on foe 2021 at Devils Lake, North Dakota on June 4, 5 and 6. It attracts over 1,000 cars over the three days and info is available www.greaterdakotaclassics.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(Greg Zyla is a syndicated columnist. He welcomes reader questions on collector cars and auto nostalgia at greg@gregzyla.com<\/a> or at 303 Roosevelt St., Sayre, Pa. 18840).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Q: Hello Greg. 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