This is quite likely the nicest 1970 El Camino you’ve ever seen. That isn’t a sales pitch or hyperbole, just a fact. It’s a lifetime California car that was meticulously restored over about a seven year period and treated to the best of everything, from the spectacular Hugger Orange paint to the fresh stroker motor under the hood. It is immaculately detailed underneath and there has never been a speck of rust anywhere on the car. If you worry about rust buckets and bondo jobs and hack workmanship, then this is the car you should buy, because there’s exactly none of that anywhere on it. Or to put it another way: if this were a Chevelle, we’d be asking $70,000 for it. They just don’t come any better.

The cowl tag says this one was originally Champagne Gold, so you can see why they chose to refinish it in brilliant Hugger Orange when the time came to spray paint. Hugger Orange was available by special order in 1970, so it should be no surprise that it looks fantastic on the El Camino bodywork. As a California car, it’s incredibly clean and minimal bodywork was required to get it this straight—even those massive quarters reflect like mirrors without any notable distortions. Good base stock certainly helps, but you don’t get that kind of result without investing a ton of time and money. Door gaps are even, the tailgate closes without a massive slam, and the hood fits well, although you need to use a little care so that the edge doesn’t rub near the passenger-side hinge—a common problem that’s more due to the hinge design than shortcomings in the assembly department. That cowl induction hood is fully operational and it’s a lot of fun to watch the flap open and close in time with your right foot or at idle. Black SS stripes were added and buried under the clear for a seamless look and all the correct emblems and badges were installed to complete the illusion. All the chrome was either re-plated or replaced, including the bright trim around the bed, which is unmarked and in fantastic condition. If there are any demerits, it’s that the vent window frames are original and show some very, very light pitting. But the list of complaints on this car is extremely short.

The interior mostly sticks to the original design, complete with a freshly upholstered bench seat that makes it feel spacious inside the cabin. New carpets, fresh door panels, and a new headliner all make it feel like new when you slide behind the wood-rimmed wheel. The factory gauges appear to be original, and there’s some minor fading, but they’re probably too nice to worry about restoring and they’re joined by a tach under the dash on the left and a trio of auxiliary gauges neatly built into the dash on the right. There’s also a custom Sony AM/FM/CD stereo head unit neatly integrated into the dash and speakers in the usual locations so you’ll have some entertainment while cruising. You’ll also note that this is a factory A/C car, and the system has been mostly restored and we have the compressor to finish the system (please contact us for details). Nothing radical, but again, a well-executed Elky that gets everything right.

This El Camino also packs a serious punch thanks to a fresh 383 cubic inch crate motor, which delivers big block torque, a willingness to rev, all in a small block package. It’s very neatly detailed with Chevy Orange on the block, a correct cowl induction air cleaner assembly, and a few chrome dress-up items. You’ll note that the accessory drive is reinforced with a serpentine belt and as I mentioned, all the A/C components are brand new. An Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor and a set of beautiful ceramic-coated long-tube headers add some power, and you’ll quickly discover that this El Camino moves like a genuine muscle car worthy of the SS badges. There’s plenty of evidence of its clean California heritage, with spotless inner fenders and cowl, and for the most part, if it’s under the hood, it’s brand new. Turn the key and it fires quickly and after a few seconds, settles into an easy idle that still has a bit of a lope to it. There’s power everywhere on the tach and thanks to the quick-witted TH350 3-speed automatic transmission, you’ll never be caught unawares. It’s beautiful, but this Elky was built for combat.

Underneath you’ll see why California cars are so special. There’s exactly zero rust anywhere and it has been beautifully refinished in correct satin black, which provides a great background for the remaining hardware. The front suspension was completely rebuilt with new shocks, springs, and bushings, while the rear axle is an indestructible Curry 9-inch Ford with 3.89 gears on a limited slip. That 9-inch also carries a set of Wilwood disc brakes and braided stainless brake lines, so stopping power is extremely impressive. The stainless exhaust system features a custom X-pipe and mellow-sounding mufflers, as well as a pair of Chevelle-like oval tips under the rear bumper. Big sway bars fore and aft give it surprisingly tight handling and for a vehicle that can carry rather substantial loads, it rides quite well thanks to its station wagon DNA. You will note that the floors, rockers, quarters, and other vital areas are in exemplary condition with exactly zero issues to worry a new owner. It really is as nice as it looks. And we have to say that those 15-inch SS wheels are the right choice, especially with fat 235/60/15 front and 255/60/15 rear BFGoodrich T/A radials.

The original, numbers-matching drivetrain is available to the next owner.

I can guarantee you won’t find a cleaner, straighter, more carefully restored El Camino anywhere else. The asking price is a fraction of the investment that was required to bring it up to this level and you’ll never regret buying the best. If quality and performance matter, this is the car you should be buying. Call today!