1985 El Camino

[grouch]

I have a prospective trade for my PT Cruiser. There is a fellow near Detroit that is specifically looking for either a Sebring or PT Cruiser convertible with the 2.4, but NOT 2.7 engine. He wants my car and is willing to trade a 1985 El Camino project that sort of runs. It needs a fuel pump and a little brake work. He also has a BUNCH of restoration parts.

It currently has a 4.3 6 banger and automatic. Included is a year correct 350 with a slightly hotter camshaft along with a transmission. Does anybody know if it will need different motor mounts? If I swap the engine and transmission, I will probably put new mounts in anyway, along with a new transmission mount and front seal on the transmission, just because.

It's a 460 mile drive with a trailer. About 7-8 hours. He really wants my car and the Elco is what I've been looking for to restore.

Anyway, anybody got any tips on it? I worked on them back in the day but it's been a few years (Decades really) since I did. Anybody here in the Detroit Mi./Toledo Oh. area? I figure to drive up, overnight in a hotel then drive back the next day. I konw areas in Detroit can be sketchy.

 

[grouch]

Here are some pictures of the car. I got burned bad on a El Camino once so I was hesitant at first but the list of new in the box parts like a cowl induction hood is fairly long. It's in Michigan and he's told me it has some rust.



I'll get it running while I look at the body work. I want to make sure it's a solid body for driving before I swap the year correct 350 and transmission into it.

 

[Blackcar]

Just making sure your see rusted out on bottom of door that's open and on front fender. Looks to have inside door panel is screwed on.
Be nice if you could see picture of frame the more pictures the better Good luck with your trade.

 

[grouch]

Just making sure your see rusted out on bottom of door that's open and on front fender. Looks to have inside door panel is screwed on.
Be nice if you could see picture of frame the more pictures the better Good luck with your trade.

It has 2 new door shells that come with the car. It's a Michigan car so yes, it has rust. The seller said there is one spot on the frame, with a repair part, that he's going to take a photo of and send to me. One thing I'm concerned about is the amount of parts. Hood, doors, carpet, fabric for a tonnau cover, front end parts,all sorts of trim parts and so on. It's getting all the parts in the bed of my truck, the bed and cab of the Elko as well as some in the cab of my truck. My biggest concern is the hood. It's a $500-$800 part.

I used to get parts from National Parts Depot but they don't seem to have much anymore. I have an old PDF catalog and when I went to get a new one, I couldn't find one.

 

[blackelky]

Here are some pictures of the car. I got burned bad on a El Camino once so I was hesitant at first but the list of new in the box parts like a cowl induction hood is fairly long. It's in Michigan and he's told me it has some rust.

View attachment 417712View attachment 417713View attachment 417714View attachment 417715

I'll get it running while I look at the body work. I want to make sure it's a solid body for driving before I swap the year correct 350 and transmission into it.

Those came 305ci but yeah i 350 and 700r4 swapped mine the 200r4 in those are terrible.

 

[Trey Hardy]

Here are some pictures of the car. I got burned bad on a El Camino once so I was hesitant at first but the list of new in the box parts like a cowl induction hood is fairly long. It's in Michigan and he's told me it has some rust.

View attachment 417712View attachment 417713View attachment 417714View attachment 417715

I'll get it running while I look at the body work. I want to make sure it's a solid body for driving before I swap the year correct 350 and transmission into it.

Looks to be in good enough shape even with the rust the list of parts probably would help justify getting rid of the pt looser.
Need to find you a good body work guy to get rid of that rust!
Salt is so bad on the coast where I’m at the last body work job I had done we coated the whole truck in that green zinc paint like you put on steel haul trawlers. Then a couple coats of grey primer
If that zinc is applied good you shouldn’t have much to worry about once it’s done.
I’ll have to get a pic of the old Camino up from granny’s house she’s the two tone like off white top with the burgandy bottom she’s pretty cool looking.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

If it is rust free, an El Camino would be a great addition to anyone's fleet.

 

[grouch]

I copied the sellers ad. After trimming, here's a partial list of the parts I'll get with it.

Parts include;

• New Tires – already installed on truck
• New Steel (REAL) Cowl Induction Hood - New in box
• New Both complete Door Shells - New in box
• New Correct Carpet, including for the spare tire area, (Correct Color; “Claret” which is a Winish/Red) - (See Photos) - New in box
• New Dash Pad - New in box
• New Threshold Molding Tim (Sill Plates) - New in box
• New Sill Plate “Fisher Body” Emblems – New in box
• New Power Door Lock Switches - New in box
• New Power Window Switches - New in box
• New Floor Pans – New in boxes
• New Grille - New in box
• New Headlight Bezels - New in box -
• New White SS Stripes and Installation Solution - New in box
• New License Plate Housing (For Tailgate)- New in box
• New Door Weatherstrips - New in box
• New Roof Rail Weatherstrips - New in box
• New Belt line (Door to Glass Sweeps) Weatherstrips - New in box
• New Interior Door Pull Kit (Correct Color) - New in box
• New Tilt Column Cover Kit - New in box
• New Hood Pins - New in box
• New Front End Steering/Suspension Parts Kit; All New, New in box
  - Inner Tie Rods

- Outer Tie Rods

- Upper Ball Joints

- Lower Ball Joints

- Sway Bar Links

- Upper Control Arm Bushings

- Lower Control Arm Bushings


I'm still figuring numbers but I downloaded a PDF file for Classic Industries and so far, I'm up to $5300 in parts and I haven't priced all of them. The bolt of cloth is NOT cheap. I don't remember how many yards are in a bolt but when I do headliners,s fabric runs $19 to $60 per square yard. I'm working on my welding skills and a friend isn't much of a mechanic but he can weld and lay paint good. I had a wrinkled fender for my '52 Power Wagon a few years back and when he got done, it was like new. I'm figuring $1000 for the engine transmission that is included but I suspect it's more like $1500-2000 with fresh work on them.

I don't feel so bad getting so deep in the PT restoration.

 

[Doubeleive]

I have a prospective trade for my PT Cruiser. There is a fellow near Detroit that is specifically looking for either a Sebring or PT Cruiser convertible with the 2.4, but NOT 2.7 engine. He wants my car and is willing to trade a 1985 El Camino project that sort of runs. It needs a fuel pump and a little brake work. He also has a BUNCH of restoration parts.

It currently has a 4.3 6 banger and automatic. Included is a year correct 350 with a slightly hotter camshaft along with a transmission. Does anybody know if it will need different motor mounts? If I swap the engine and transmission, I will probably put new mounts in anyway, along with a new transmission mount and front seal on the transmission, just because.

It's a 460 mile drive with a trailer. About 7-8 hours. He really wants my car and the Elco is what I've been looking for to restore.

Anyway, anybody got any tips on it? I worked on them back in the day but it's been a few years (Decades really) since I did. Anybody here in the Detroit Mi./Toledo Oh. area? I figure to drive up, overnight in a hotel then drive back the next day. I konw areas in Detroit can be sketchy.

I don't know about the motor mounts but restoring a g body should be relatively easy if you can find the parts. I have done a couple f body's el camino shouldn't any more difficult.
I bet that 6 banger will run forever though.
the included extra parts are a plus
*black carpet would be my choice though

 

[grouch]

I don't know about the motor mounts but restoring a g body should be relatively easy if you can find the parts. I have done a couple f body's el camino shouldn't any more difficult.
I bet that 6 banger will run forever though.
the included extra parts are a plus
*black carpet would be my choice though

Mine too, but the carpet set is about $400 and I'm cheap.