LSA El Camino Is Absolute Restomod Perfection
From tip to tail and bottom to top, this 1969 Chevrolet El Camino is brand new again. It’s a blacked-out and supercharged monster!
While the Chevrolet El Camino certainly has its own cult following, we can’t help but feel like it’s a bit underloved compared to its brethren. The Camaro, Impala, Nova, and other classics seem to leave the ‘ol Elky in the dust. That’s a bit unfair, we think. After all, it serves as a perfect middle ground for performance and practicality as a starting platform. Pack plenty of power under the hood and plenty of gear in the bed. What’s not to love? All that said, the 1969 El Camino made at most 375 horsepower. While that was decent for the time, it’s a bit underwhelming by modern standards. Other outdated components, like the suspension and brakes, could use a little love, too.
Fortunately, that’s exactly what the owner of this 1969 El Camino on Bring A Trailer got up to. No expense was spared in making this Elky the absolute epitome of the word “Restomod.” At the time of writing, it has a high bid of $40,000 with three days remaining. We’re confident it will go up a decent bit from there. Still, acquiring this car for under $75,000 would be an absolute steal. There is a monumental amount of work in this thing.
No Stone Left Unturned
First and foremost: the powerplant. This El Camino has a Chevrolet LSA supercharged 6.2-liter V8. Though there are no horsepower figures in the listing, a crate connect and cruise LSA packs 556 horsepower and 551 pound-feet of torque. That power makes its way through a 4L85-E automatic transmission and eventually to the rear wheels via a Ford nine-inch rear end. Of course, packing that amount of power into an old car necessitates some supporting modifications. Putting the power down and bringing the car to a stop at a reasonable distance both need some attention.
Enter the Level 3 QA1 complete coilover suspension system and full Wilwood disc brake conversion. Modern suspension, brakes, and power have undoubtedly completely transformed this El Camino’s driving feel. Though north of 550 horsepower is pretty substantial; these sorts of upgrades bring a sliver of daily drivability into the equation.
Creature Comforts to Top it All Off
Furthering its daily drivability is a Vintage Air climate control system, a fully customized interior with titanium upholstery, TMI seats, and an Alpine stereo system, making this as comfortable as any modern car. Though, of course, it’ll turn more heads as you cruise down the road. Those snapped necks can also be accredited to the custom metallic black paint and bodywork as well as the custom grille and power-bulge hood, giving it the full classic muscle appearance.
Overall, it’s awesome to see the El Camino world get some restomod love. One thing is for sure: the new owner of this car is going to have a smile on their face as they cruise down the road. Isn’t that the whole point?
Photos: Bring A Trailer
