1978 Chevrolet El Camino

V-8

1WSOL8R481454

Clear

Originally sold by Johnson Chevrolet of Dallas, TX on 6-28-78 to a J.C. Kuhn of Mabank, TX. We bought the car out of Laurel, MD. It is our understanding that this car has lived in the south and mid-Atlantic all its life. The odometer shows 130k, but it is unknown if this is accurate. Exterior This car has the later aftermarket SS front fascia panel (fiberglass) and the Corvette tail light panel (also fiberglass). The car, door jambs, and the inside of the rear pick-up body were painted Concord Purple about six years ago. There is some light damage on the right front fender. There is also paint cracking around the passenger door lock and on the tailgate. See photos of these areas. There is a right front turn signal lens missing. Overall the body and paint looks good and flat, with a few minor door dings and imperfections. The wheels are 14” x 6” GM rallys with chrome rings and original GM center caps. The tires are Firestone PR505s, P205/70R14 in the front and rear. All four tires are in as new condition. The headlights are properly aimed and all lights work as they should. The paint is decent with a nice shine. There are a few spots around the car as noted above, but overall the paint is flat with no dry spots or orange peel. Interior This car has a bucket seat interior without a console. Somewhere in the past someone replaced the original gauge panel with a custom VDO gauge set. The work that was done there was tastefully completed with a 7,000 RPM tachometer, 120 mph speedometer (not accurate), a temperature gauge (not working), an oil pressure gauge, a fuel gauge, turn signal indicator lamps, a high beam indicator lamp and warning lights for oil pressure and temperature. Also mounted in the dash are a vacuum gauge and a volt gauge. The car has air conditioning but some of the air conditioning hoses are missing. It is unknown if this system is operational, but most system components appear to be in place. I am certain it would take some work to make the A/C functional. Overall the interior is nice, with older carpet with some stains and some wear on some of the plastic interior panels. The factory AM/FM radio and speakers are not very impressive, but they work. Overall on a scale of 1 to 10, I would give the interior a 7. Drive Train When I purchased the car I was told it had a 350-cubic inch motor that had been built. I cannot check the numbers because the block has been decked. I will present it as a small block Chevrolet with Doug Thorley Tri-Y headers, an Edelbrock aluminum high rise intake manifold, an Edelbrock carburetor and a chrome air cleaner. I was told it has roller rockers and lots of internal work, but I can’t substantiate that. The roller pilot bushing, clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing were all replaced within the last month. The flywheel was surfaced and all components were cleaned, with some being painted. While it was apart, the shifter bushings and retainer clips were replaced with new components. The rear axle is a positraction 1989 El Camino SS unit. The rear axle does not whine or groan and is in good operating condition. The rear axle also has a factory sway bar. The engine always start and runs well. There is no ticking or strange noises. One small exhaust leak noted. The brakes work well with no squealing or pulling. This is not a 100-point show car, nor is it a rat. I am starting this auction at $2,500 with no reserve. I am always available to answer any questions you may have.