Author Topic: El Camino / Caballero (Read 9169 times)

dave500 · « **Reply #25 on:** January 01, 2013, 11:42:46 PM »

elcaminos are all terrifico so long as you dont get #$%*ed aroundo!

Stev-o · « **Reply #26 on:** January 02, 2013, 01:25:23 AM »

Is there a car ferry to get it to Oahu?

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #27 on:** January 02, 2013, 02:14:08 AM »

Not anymore. Inter-island shipping isn't expensive though. I might have to take another trip back there to ship it over though, because the cheapest one requires you to make reservations two weeks in advance. Overall it's still cheaper than the several I looked at here.

dave500 · « **Reply #28 on:** January 02, 2013, 02:30:54 AM »

nice "ute"(utility vehicle).

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #29 on:** January 02, 2013, 03:08:46 AM »

Yep, I'm familiar with the term ute, both auto and moto groups I'm in have Aussies, and they make it a point to point out America's late of utes

dave500 · « **Reply #30 on:** January 02, 2013, 03:53:45 AM »

im not familiar with the cabberleorolasso(or how ever #$%* you spell it)are they carbied and smogged badly?if so can you shoe horn a decent efi late engine in with out engineer reports and stupid tests and what not?

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #31 on:** January 02, 2013, 11:41:48 AM »

Well, Caballero is just a GMC badged El Camino that's 9" longer. They are carbed and choked badly. The one I was looking at had a whopping 130hp (around 100kW)! Most choked cars can be remedied by swapping out the heads. Funny you should mention it, while I was looking up some repair parts for the Caballero, I found a set of engine mounts to bolt in an LS1. Thankfully there's no smog checks here, so I can do whatever I want, as long as it doesn't piss off the neighbors (just ask them about my CB).

From what I heard you guys don't have the equivalent of an El Camino. Someone showed me a Holden HQ ute though. DAMN I want one. And this badass flatbed, obviously built for mad skids.

dave500 · « **Reply #32 on:** January 02, 2013, 12:44:55 PM »

imagine that on a wet road?

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #33 on:** January 02, 2013, 02:16:02 PM »

Sounds like even MORE fun.

dave500 · « **Reply #34 on:** January 02, 2013, 03:25:03 PM »

mines bad enough when its wet with half the grunt that tray back would have,we call them "one tonners"

rockadoo · « **Reply #35 on:** January 02, 2013, 03:37:05 PM »

My gf had a Caballero back in 85. It is what it is..305 is a slug for performance but all in all her's was reliable. It's just a re-badged El Camino. I fit my 57 pan shovel in the back for a trip home after a nasty carb fire. Had to leave the tailgate down though.

BLUE71TURBO · « **Reply #36 on:** January 03, 2013, 01:46:55 AM »

Here's one of my El Camino's that i restored. I regret everyday selling it.

1971 SS 454 LS5 This picture was taken in 1995 at the Norton Air Force Base here in San Bernardino. They held drag racing there during the summer. Fun times.

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #37 on:** January 03, 2013, 02:27:51 AM »

Nice!

Flying out in the morning to take a look at that El Camino. A Ranchero just popped up on craigslist (on the same island) and I'll take a look at it for #$%*s n gigs if I can get ahold of the owner.

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #38 on:** January 03, 2013, 11:26:21 PM »

Mine now.

Was rustier than I thought it would be. Bought it without even test driving it. The guy talked himself down from 2500 to 1000, just by me saying that it was worse than he led me to believe.

Work that needs to be done:
Bleed/fill/rebuild/replace brakes.
New tires.
Rebuild/clean carb.
Chop out all the rusty parts and replace with new metal.
Any interior/exterior wiring.
Driver side window motor.

Work that will be done eventually:
Full interior.
Paint job.
Engine/trans/suspension rebuild.

Not sure what direction I want to go in though. My friend is suggesting a cruiser, but not like a lowrider or mall parking lot car; something I can cruise around the island with. I will be doing a rebuild, but I'm torn between a regular 350 or a 383 stroker. Maybe put AC back in? It has the dash controls for it, but no compressor and likely no plumbing.

dave500 · « **Reply #39 on:** January 04, 2013, 02:11:34 AM »

just use a 350,spend money on the body and drive line,,,and the brakes!i like it.,the ac will cost a fortune if its incomplete and you need to find used parts that are buggered anyway.

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #40 on:** January 04, 2013, 11:14:44 AM »

Gonna be doing all the work (except trans and interior) myself, so money will only be going to parts and maybe some machining.

Stev-o · « **Reply #41 on:** January 04, 2013, 05:58:25 PM »

Nice! How's it currently run?

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #42 on:** January 04, 2013, 07:42:14 PM »

The trans feels fine (but I'd like to rebuild it for peace of mind), the engine feels strong (but I'd like to rebuilt it for the same reason, or to upgrade), but the carb definitely needs cleaning. When I first got it, it really only wanted to go to 30 fine, then started struggling after that. I got a bottle of fuel system treatment, dumped it in, and now it feels fine up to 40, then starts struggling. That was perfectly fine by me though, I was too scared to go faster than that with the condition of the brakes and tires.

I just hope it isn't raining when I pick it up on Monday (not Saturday, the port is closed

). The road I'm taking from the port to my house, the speed limit will be 45 in most places.

dave500 · « **Reply #43 on:** January 04, 2013, 07:44:24 PM »

like these old bikes itll need the ignition gone over replacing stuff and the carb stripped and cleaned for a start.

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #44 on:** January 04, 2013, 07:52:18 PM »

Dave, I'll be doing a complete tune-up when I get it to my house. I'll likely be upgrading to MSD ignition. Nothing like red stuff in your engine bay to show someone you mean business!

I talked to my friend who does quality upholstering (guy with a CB550, I'm sure he's registered here, he just doesn't post often), and we discussed how I wanted the interior, and what exterior color I wanted. I think I've decided to go with the classic white/sky blue scheme like this, and also copy the interior color, tan. But I still have to check the sticker for what the stock color/interior was, and if I like it, I'll go back to it.

This is what the interior looks like right now:

It feels very tired and ... musty? Like when you sit in there, you get a smell (not stench) on you and it doesn't go away. It doesn't smell while you're in there (mainly because it's an oven and I keep the windows down), but boy does it sure stay on you. Can't really tell from the picture, but the padding is really THICK. I think it's interfering with how the doors close.

dave500 · « **Reply #45 on:** January 04, 2013, 07:59:30 PM »

thousand bucks?you did well,i just had two mufflers fitted for 260,a quarter the value of your whole car,,and their just so/so mufflers!what engine/drive line has it got rear end ratio?do they have a full chassis?our hq utes do,the sedans and wagons have a sturdy removable front sub frame assembly,the panel vans had a full chassis aswell and could be optioned with 308cid/4 speed with gts instruments etc.

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #46 on:** January 04, 2013, 08:15:54 PM »

It has a SBC 350 and a TH350 3spd auto trans. I'm not too familiar with the chassis, but I know it's based off the Chevelle chassis.

dave500 · « **Reply #47 on:** January 04, 2013, 08:23:40 PM »

i like the th350 over the 400,the chevy 350 you can get a million parts for them,,id try and get it running smoother,then if compression is ok a new performer dual plane and exhaust,,id leave the auto untill it buggers up,,unless you want it to shift better,what sort of emission crap do they have?we had minimal untill the 80s

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #48 on:** January 04, 2013, 09:08:36 PM »

Well, after I get it all tuned up, I'll do a compression test. It's mainly the heads designed for low emissions (read: low power) and fuel efficiency. But there's some other stuff too, but I'm not really sure what it is

dave500 · « **Reply #49 on:** January 04, 2013, 10:52:36 PM »

small port heads,smogerized qjet,feeble advance in dissy with thermo restricted vac advance,,if you use early heads and qjet its half the battle,,id keep the gm hei though if you can get the dissy reworked,,the advance port is different on those smog carbs aswell,the cam will be lame aswell,almost cheaper to toss a crate motor into it?

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Author Topic: El Camino / Caballero (Read 9169 times)