Features Marge Bailon's Tri-Five Pickup

Cool - Thanks

 

Hard to believe that Joe Bailon, known for his "spacey styling", actually built such a subtle custom as this. There's a ton of work in it, don't get me wrong, but it's so well integrated that it almost comes off as a mild custom...not counting the pickup conversion, that is. I've always loved this little truck. Wonder what ever happened to it?

 

Why can't we find out what happen to alot of these old cars before us old farts are gone?

Have they no ex employees or kids?

 

I have always been impressed and I guess even motivated with other peoples visions and their ability to bring those visions to reality. I had a copy of the 1958 Custom Cars magazine and the Bailon 55 Pickup became one of the first conversions I checked out and got me serious about designing my own 56 conversion. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/some-pics-of-my-friends-1956-elcamino.399170/
The larger 55 model was my first attempt at what I was considering. The smaller 56 model was the design I settled on for my build.
I liked that he used pieces from other cars and was totally impressed that he did all this using a sedan body. I took a slightly easier approach when I acquired a 2dr 210 Station Wagon body for my build. My build became less custom and more of a vision of what I thought an ElCamino might look like if they had made one in 1956. Thanks to guys like Joe Bailon who make this hobby so interesting and inspire many backyard builders like myself.

 

The ol' '55 is nice, best of the week I'd say. Don't think I would have run the rails down the back, but that's just me. This is one you can look at and go '...yeah...', with a couple o' slow nods. Cool.

 

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but the last time I saw this Wonderful Truck was on the Eastex Freeway in North Houston sitting in the front yard of an old house rusting into the ground. By now someone had added large tail fins from a Dodge to it which was totally out of character for it. Sorry guys! I do hope someone snapped it up and resurrected it to it's former glory.
Peace,
Chaz

 

I think it was AMT that had a model of a 55 Nomad with extra parts to convert it to a pickup. On the box, there was a picture of the Nomad and the pickup.

 

Maybe the factory was watching. My stock Holden ute (again).

 

X2, an all-time favorite. Gotta wonder where it is now. Seems to have disappeared without a trace, sure hope it didnt turn into a Toyota roof skin...

 

That is by far the best one yet!

 

this was a cool little elcarancho as well! My heart still leads me to the Horace Davi car though.

 

X2.

 

I have really enjoyed these custom posts Ryan, thank you and all the contributors.

 

Here's one of my favorite conversion pickups. Saw this at SEMA 2011

 

That's nice, too bad Chevrolet didn't produce them.

 

Do you have any more info on this car?

 

Google El Nomado and you'll find lots of info.

 

That '58 looks factory!!

 

thanks

 

love to see it ALL CLOSED UP......