1985 Chevrolet El Camino from North America

Summary:

Fun and reliable

Faults:

Nothing really. Just a little rust underneath, and the carburetor was replaced after sitting for a while.

General Comments:

She is wonderful and fast. I'm 16 and she's my first car, and she is safe, reliable and so much fun.

This is an 86 El Camino SS Choo Choo conversion with factory side pipes and sun roof.

Guys, this thing is fast, and very, very rare. Please give me some info on her.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th August, 2014

5th Sep 2014, 00:53

Less common than a standard El Camino, but not "very, very rare". Easy to find for sale online. There are four listed on eBay right now.

Whether it is "fast" with a 305 is a matter of opinion. Obviously you think it is, but compared to?

1982 Chevrolet El Camino Super Sport 350 ci from North America

Summary:

They are great to have as a toy.

Faults:

They are prone to rust behind the rear wheels in snowy areas.

There is rust along the rocker panels.

The doors sag when open.

The dash is cracked.

All other problems were due to errors made by former owners.

General Comments:

I loved the first one so much that I got a second one. That speaks for itself.

They handle good on dry roads as long as you are steady on the throttle in turns. The Super Sport I owned, had a Corvette engine put in it. With the right power, they are incredibly fast. You have really good visibility in every direction when you are in one. The Super Sports had a gauge cluster, meaning if something goes wrong, you know it instantly. The idiot lights in the regular ones can't get close.

They do have bad points though. They are so light on the drive wheels, that they lose traction quite easily. That is why you have to be careful in turns, they can fishtail on you if you don't know what you're doing. They are fair weather vehicles in my opinion. I took one out in the snow one time, and they spin and slide all over the place.

The doors are so heavy that they sag after just a couple years of everyday use. The dashes crack in them a lot.

For a while, my engine timing was wrong, and for some reason the shaking was affecting the steering. The low profile of the vehicle makes fitting a large engine in one difficult.

Also the slanting bed rails make it impossible to put a toolbox in one. The rear window is so low that a toolbox without sides will break the glass. I also think that they should have had a manual transmission option on the Super Sports.

In my opinion they are great. I have owned a regular El Camino and a Super Sport, and I like the Super Sport better. All El Caminos make great toys if you take good care of them. I drive my Super Sport as a daily driver, and it is just too much for it to take without having maintenance done often.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th November, 2009

1983 Chevrolet El Camino SS Royal Knight V8 350 ci. from North America

Summary:

Best car in the world

Faults:

Nothing at all has gone wrong with this car, the only thing that happened is I let my girlfriend at the time drive it, and she ramped over country railroad tracks and bust a hole into the oil pan.

General Comments:

This is pure American Muscle right here... the best of the best, true American spirit. It is a very comfortable ride, very smooth. Engine can stomp anything around... (I can bury the 85mph speedo like it's nothing).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th September, 2009

17th Mar 2010, 01:03

I just wanted to say I think the "EL CAMINO" is a truck and not a car, but that's just what I think.

I have have a 1981 El Camino Royal Knight; it's kind of nice to see someone else having a Royal Knight too.

1985 Chevrolet El Camino 5.0 V8 from North America

Summary:

Great looking car, too bad it is a Chevy!

Faults:

Complete tune up and water pump, all hoses and all belts replaced at 125000 right after I purchased just as a precaution.

Seat and carpets were pretty hammered when I got it.

So I did a full custom interior with Thunderbird Turbo Coupe seats.

Seized motor at 160000 miles. This motor was a fresh rebuild right be for I purchased the car. I saw the receipts.

Front and rear brakes complete, new rotors, drums, calipers, drums, pads etc. 160000.

Transmission went at 165000 miles.

Catalytic converter replaced at 166000

AC compressor went at 167000, had to change whole system for newer style Freon.

Radiator replaced at 180000.

Alternator replaced at 185000.

Had to do front brakes again at 195000.

Had to do rear brakes at 200000.

Had to replace master cylinder, rear brake cylinders and power servo at 200200.

Catalytic conveter replaced again at 200200.

Alternator again at 202500.

Rear wheel bearings need to be replaced at 203500.

General Comments:

I purchased this vehicle to replace 2 different ones. I had a 1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe and a 1985 Toyota SR5 PU. I then went through the El Camino and updated the interior, added a body kit, upgraded the suspension, and had it painted. I also had the motor checked out and had all belts, hoses, and fluids changed.

I then sold the Toyota and began to drive the El Camino as my main transportation.

I was sorry almost right away. The engine seemed to not have even as much power as my Toyota had, but it used gas like crazy. I kept taking it in for checkups and was told that it was running perfectly.

Then stuff started to break!

I am very happy that I kept the Tbird as I went back to using it as my main transpotation and only used the El Camino for hauling stuff. I have since put over 235000 miles on the Turbo Coupe and it is still going strong.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 20th September, 2007

15th Sep 2009, 09:21

Too bad it's a Chevy? What kind of a comment is that? I only buy GM cars / trucks, and my 1983 Royal Knight SS is still going strong after 250,000 miles on it. I have had to replace absolutely nothing on it, and the only thing I have changed was the stock radio (I put a Pioneer in with Rocksford Fosgate speakers)

27th Sep 2009, 18:34

Too bad it's a chevy? Are you high? Your problem is that you probably don't take care of your vehicles properly and that's why things break. I had a 1986 Camino with a 350 small block and it went through 100k miles with no problems. Catalytic converter? Take it off. It does nothing for a V8. And you're complaining about having to change an alternator at 185k miles? You HAVE to be high.

Go buy a civic.

30th Apr 2010, 08:22

LOL sounds like you replaced half the car. Whoever had it before you obviously didn't take very good care of it.

29th Apr 2021, 15:36

These are normal repairs on any car that mileage. By 120K miles, pretty much everything starts going on a car. Not all at once, but you have constant things to replace. As for the rebuilt engine, it was perhaps either the rebuild quality, or maybe even a scam from the garage who rebuilt it.

6th Sep 2021, 21:27

Perhaps the owner is overly critical of the car’s reliability, given the mileage. But how objective are your statements, given that you ‘only buy Chevys?’

It seems like small numbers of self-reported anecdotes don’t lead to good data. Go figure.