Hot Rods '56 "HELLCAMINO" -WORTH THE EFFORT?

View attachment 3144693 View attachment 3144707 View attachment 3144693 A local legend around the Des Moines area is this former '56 two door wagon. Yeah, it's a disaster, but if could be bought right, what about this: Redo the bondo work, ( a LOT of bondo work) satin black with "HELLCAMINO" on the quarters in lime green, drippy "Munsters" lettering. It already has a tilt front end, and a Mopar 400. lose the front bumper. Strip and polish the rear slots, or paint 'em grey to look like old magnesium wheels. Ball joint extensions or straight axle. Green tinted windows with a green sparkle steering wheel and low back buckets It would be a ton of labor, little on parts.Worth the effort, or still a mess?

 

While most on here dislike those conversions, I would say if the price is right go for it. The damage has already been done. It looks like a car that was built to be a driver and has been driven! Do whats needed to make it safe and drive it again!

 

I'm skeptical.

 

I could wax eloquent for hours on how horribly 90's that paint job is, but that is pointless. As was observed earlier, the damage is already done, but it could be turned into something better. If you are up to it, it is a lot of work, but go for it.

 

Personally I like your ideas...strip it and get rid of all the green (not a good color imho)...and see what you got...anything can be fixed, and especially if you are equipped to do it yourself...I like it, nice collection of parts...if the price is right...dudley

oh and get rid of the high backs and the scoop, please...

 

The frontend is '55 but back is '56. That is unless I'm going crazy.

 

Don't know it's worth it to you but I sure would like to see it happen.

 

I tried to get one locally a few months back that had survived and was ready for someone to care about it. The guy stripped it and scrapped it even knowing I wanted to save it from its death. I was pissed about not getting it, but it was his to destroy or save, not mine.

 

You must be really good at making "Chicken Salad"

 

Being from the salty North, there will definitely be some unpleasantness under that paint. I'd drive it for a year as is just to see the reactions.

Send it over to the "Photoshop thread to end all photoshop threads" and let them do their magic.

 

That's a bucket of ugly! but I would love to redo it. I'm thinking Gasser style with 56 tilt front to match the rear. Add a straight axel no front bumper moon tank, black primmer, nose bleed stance, race masters, cool name like Chicken Salad and take her to the strip!!!

 

Your not crazy. That is a 55 front clip. I did a lot of research on what others had done before I chose my design for my 56 ElCamino conversion. I found most of these type builds loose it in the back window area. This one kind of looses it in a lot of areas for me. Somehow I must have missed the Hellcamino in my design search.
Not sure where you would start. Maybe have Moose do photoshop on it and see if there is any chance of saving some of this green creation.
My build http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...my-friends-1956-elcamino.399170/#post-4345193

 

or leave the '55 front and run Lee Lenses in back...

http://leelenses.com/images/lenses/56c.jpg

http://leelenses.com/

 

You wouldn't have to worry about some guys moaning about restoring it OR hot rodding it!

 

If the owner gave the car to you & paid you to haul it away,
You'd still have more into redoing it than its worth.
Just exactly what do you think you might find under the crappy bondo work?

 

I would like to see you get it and just start it and see where it goes. Can't be any worse and the change might be a drastic improvement. I kind of dig the way he used the tailgate for the back window though.

 

Unless you can buy it at a giveaway price and have your heart set on a 70's Street Freak build, , I vote a definite NO. The $$$ and labor you put into this would be better spent on a better starting point.
The car has everything NOT going for it (440, Rear cab lift gate, rust, bondo, hood scoop, etc). I have to wonder if the drivetrain is also thrashed?
The pic reveals cancer coming through the tailpan, rockers, etc. I bet you'd find more cancer and possibly bad patch work under the paint/bondo. You said "redo the bondo work". To do it right, there will no doubt be a ton of serious metal work required. (sail panel looks to be fabbed from bondo).

While that car may have been the hot ticket several decades ago, it's been rode hard and put away wet. This is like finally getting to talk to the prom Queen...at your 30 year reunion and finding out 30 years had not played out like you thought it would.

A total rebuild of this may play out like a real bad episode of Counting Cars.

 

I'd be worried I wouldn't get much back from the bead blaster. and you'd need to mix bondo in a wheelbarrow. Aside from that... go for it

 

I've really been trying hard not to disparage someone's ride lately. But i have to make an exception in this case. That's just plum awful. I suspect the real horror show will begin when you strip that ghastly 80's paint job.

 

Hey 59'er, First thing is you have to loss all the green, you have to get passed the green thing. Tri Five look so much better in two tone, You can always do a green theme so you can keep the metal flake steering wheel and if you really what the green tinted windows, so you may have some rework under all the bondo, but isn't that why we build these cars. Next why would you put a Mopar engine in a GM car unless it was a Hemi. Now if you are going to put an axle under it and make a Gasser then the lettering would be cool. Then you need to put the 56 front end back on after all it's a 1956, not a 1955. Remember it's a car not a piece of art decko furniture. I like the idea of lifting it up some maybe a drop axle instead of a straight, the 440 has got to go, you don't have to replace the engine right away but the car needs the right engine just something that nice and clean and runs good. The one good thing is at least they didn't cut up a Nomad for the roof like they use to do in the earlier years. With that in mine, Yes you could make a pretty nice car out of it. How much time and drive do you have , remember once you get into it your committed. The whole Camino idea is cool but fixing someone else's mess can be a large pain. I think you should do it, take pic's of the build so you can show what it was and why it was change. The only place that horrible green belongs is back in the can it came from. There was a kid I went to high school with showed up one Monday morning with that green shit on his 1957 Chevy hardtop, he got so much shit, a week later it was painted a nice blue with a white top, and it looked great. The color you choose can kill a car in a heart beat. Well man I can make you do what I have told you but with all of the body work to do and change the color you have a handful right there, Just how far do you want to take it a full body of or redo what you have . Good luck and I really do hope you do it, it will be a cool car when your done.

 

Keep the green wheels to show respect for the original builder......

 

It kinda has a Patrick Starr from Spongebob Squarepants vibe going on... I think I like it! One truth; someone put a ton of love into that paintjob.

It would have to be CHEAP, and you would have to want attention. If those two things are in play, go for it!

 

...............................Classic.

 

A man who speaks from experience. I too rebuilt my heap from someone else's poor customizing. A lot more work. Don't think I would do it again.

It could be a nice truck, if you're willing.

 

From '80s trendy to post millenium trendy in one fell swoop? Sounds good. If there are still car forums 20 years from now, some guy will be saying "I found this hellcamino with flat black paint and a straight axle, can it be saved?"...

 

Leave it like that.Be different.

 

...........................Just be careful not to hit any bumps in the road!

 

Yikes! just move along, nothing worth saving here

 

That might be a 24 volt project.
I say do it if the price is right, and the skill set is up to the task.
Weigh the bondo and let us know how much you found.

 

This type of custom treatment on Nomads/Handyman wagons has been done many times in the past,sadly even revered builders don't always hit the mark.

The subject of this thread proves my point,that's not to say that the next owner that picks this old custom up for a reasonable price and puts his own spin on it and it could end up being the next best custom of the year.

There are a few examples of well done Nomad/handyman pickup conversions right here on the hamb. HRP