Hot Rods Rare 1955 EL Camino found!

Yah, I know... Chevy didn't make a El Camino in 1955, but if they had it might have looked something like this. I talked to the guy who made it in the 70's, started with a 4 door Bel-Air and almost got it done. He was pretty cool about letting me take photos. He said the roll bar was for "structual integrity" hopefully he'll get it going again, it was pretty cool. Sorry for the crap cell phone photos.

 

Wow could be cool if done as a mild custom maybe

 

What is that sittin in front of it?

 

That's mad,luvit!

 

It's a Triumph TR3 I think, aka "the next project"

 

I really like that, the proportions are pretty good. I thought flower car, but he's done good so far.

I saw something like that the other say. I was driving along, and a 55 chevy was coming the opposite way. I could see a stack of boxes behind it, it was pretty confusing. As he got closer, I saw that it was probably a 4dr, cut off to make a truck cab, and had a stepside bed behind it. It looked really good, I really like that concept.

 

I doubt that if Chevy created an El Camino in 1955 that it would look like this.....

 

yup, TR3 up in front.

 

Interesting; several times, I've thought about how a project like this could be done. It seems that using the four-door front door with the upper door frame added on, combined with the small quarter window produces a cab that reminds me of that red art-deco LaBatts beer truck from back in the late '30's.

I think that by giving it a slightly longer roofline using the front doors from a two-door sedan, and then adding the upper window frame from the rear door to tie into the quarter window, it would give a more balanced side profile. This would also make the hood/rear deck ratio more proportional. That way it would look less like one of those silly clown car Chevies where someone just chopped 2' out of the middle of the frame and body.

Photoshop, anyone? Kinky6

 

Looks more like a UTE than a El Camino to me.

 

The El Camino look really comes thru if you start with a Nomad....I agree this one looks more like a Ute.

 

Looks like he knew what he was doing. Thanks for sharing that thing is bad ass

 

I think its pretty cool

 

I'm an El Camino guy, so it's nice to see El Caminos that could've been. I've seen El Camino customs for 55-58 and like the ones made out of wagons best. Haven't seen any 61s, but I think a 2 or 4 door post with rear wrap around window would be best.

 

See if I got this right. if its a ford truck version of a car its a ranchero & if its a chevrolet version its an el camino?

What about the other guys, olds pontiac etc.

 

I think the back glass kills or back quarter looks like a '59. I like the wrap around backlite more so and think it keeps it from looking like a Nomad. Cool concept for sure.

 

Me and a friend of mine did that with a '65 Mustang fastback once in the '80's. This is the only pic I have. Was totaled in an accident in the 90's.

 

PS: Lot of potential there.

 

i thought i saw this on craigslist a few months ago, pretty cool custom

 

I often hear the comment that any Chevy El Camino "conversions" dont look "factory" and more like a home made truck ,than OEM,etc etc.
I can't help thinking that the 57 58 59 Ford Rancheros also fall into that home made -added on category,certainly looked like it to me.......
They were built to use and style was just not of the utmost importance,obviously.
All Utes looked sorta Hokey as well.

 

I saw one years ago at back to the 50's started out with a wagon looked really cool. Jet black as well straight as can be.

 

A friend of mine had a 1955 Cadillac undertaker's flower car in the mid 60-s. Windshield looked the same as my 55 Chevy. I am sure this was a hearse conversion back when.

 

This one turned out righteous.

 

damn, I think they all definitely have their good points, I'd really like to see more pics of the one above to be sure

 

I like the idea on that '58, but that back window is too big for the cab. Proportions are all wrong.

I helped do a '65 Mustang in the '80s. We started with a coupe, moved the rear roofline fwd until the the 1/4 window was eliminated and fabbed a box inside the trunk/rear seat area. We even kept the rear edge of the deck lid complete with lock. From the rear, it wasn't apparent until you got close. Red outside and Levi's blue denum interior (it was the 80s!)

 

i wouldnt have the heart to cut up a nomad. but thats just me.

 

The '58 looks fine from all angles. Esp. in person. And she was driven a lot Here she is at the Pile Up! (before it became pile on by all the looky-loo's) Looking good and hauling parts. Kenny Baker built this.

 

I would guess that from a side shot the 55 El Camino looks a bit goofy.

 

dam, someone cut up a NOMAD