Car Wars: 'The General' Strikes Back
In the car business, success depends on being able to one-up the competition, be it in engine power, styling or technology innovation. This was especially the case in the mid- to late-twentieth century, when Chevy, Ford and Dodge found themselves in a constant struggle to best the latest effort of their cross-town Detroit rivals. The original Chevy El Camino was one such response. Originally built in 1959, it was General Motors' answer to the Ford Ranchero -- an innovative compromise of a solution to the old car-versus-truck dilemma. Chevy even went so far as to give its Ranchero-fighter a Spanish name: El Camino means "The Road" or "The Way." Chevy halted production on its original Camino after just two years, but introduced a brand-new version, based on its Chevelle passenger car, in 1964.
It sports the front end of a car, and if you face it head-on, you might mistake it for one. But look again: from any other angle you can clearly see that it's attached to the bed of a pick-up truck.
The Chevrolet El Camino, which ceased production in 1987 after more than three decades of sales, has over the years gained something of a cult following among muscle car enthusiasts. At one point in the model's lifecycle, buyers could get it with a 350-hp V-8 engine! With its sweeping lines and powerful engine options, the El Camino provided the answer to the ages-old "car or truck?" dilemma by answering, "Both."
It enjoyed an extremely long life, as far as car models go. After a brief hiatus, the El Camino graced new car lots from 1964 to 1987, and was badge engineered -- changed cosmetically without altering major components -- into different models for Chevy's sister brands at General Motors [source: ElCaminoCentral.com].
Unfortunately for the El Camino and its kind, the 1980s meant curtains for entire categories of cars as their markets vanished. Muscle car buyers of the '60s and '70s were by this time owners of minivans and holders of mortgages. Gas guzzling, rubber-laying beasts with little room for families were no longer selling well. Thus, Chevy declared the year 1987 the last for its living classic El Camino.
