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The 1959 Chevy El Camino has wild fins and cat’s-eye tail lamps. Classic car fans are in love with that style. We started following the Camino craze a few years ago. There’s a reason for the excitement and prices are climbing.
The $31,000 Buy-It-Now price for the El Camino recently for sale on eBay shows how these beauties are still within reach.
The El Caminos had car-based interiors, considered luxurious compared to the bare-bones trucks of the period. Under the hood is a 235-cubic-inch six, with three on the tree.
A Classic El Camino that Looks and Drives Great
The seller has driven this 1959 Chevy El Camino since 2019. Its previous owner did a light restoration seven years ago. It’s nice, but not so nice you wouldn’t want to drive it.
The El Caminos had car-based interiors, considered luxurious compared to the bare-bones trucks of the period.
The car had complete and thorough rust repair where needed. Reportedly, there are still a few scratches and chips.
The drivetrain appears to be original. The “strong running and driving” base 235-cubic-inch six connected to a three-speed column shift. Added to that foundation are:
- New drum brakes
- Wheel bearings
- Modern glass and rubber
- New-ish interior
Under the hood is a 235-cubic-inch six, with three on the tree.
The 1959 Chevy El Camino is now a daily driver in Rosemead, Calif. It’s lowered 2.5 inches in the rear and two inches in the front. That’s enough to make it look cool but no less drivable.
The car has 58,799 miles on the odometer. That is matches to light wear. The only worrying sign in the photos is the slathered-on undercoat.
El Camino History
Ford led the way into the car-based trucks with the Ranchero, first appearing in 1957. The inspiration for the new category was the cute Australian “utes,” dating back to the 1930s.
The ’59 Ranchero, based on the Brookwood two-door station wagon, came in only one edition. It has a Bel Air interior and bare-bones Biscayne trim.
But the drivetrain option list was long and included many V-8s, right up to the Turbo-Thrust 348 with carburation yielding as much as 335 horsepower. In that form, with a four-speed manual, seven-second zero-to-60 times were possible.
The El Camino was lighter than a sedan or coupe with a back seat. It was even seen as a drag-racing candidate.
1959 El Camino Craze: It’s Highly Collectible
The El Camino was a modest hit, with 22,246 produced in 1959, its first year. That beat the 14,169 Rancheros that Ford moved.
But orders plunged in 1960 to 14,163. So GM discontinued the El Camino. Nonetheless, the model was back in the lineup for 1964.
Today, any of the early El Caminos is a sought-after classic. eBay Motors has a page of them, and some home-built examples not created in a GM factory.
This “El Camino” is a homemade job based on a Nova station wagon.
The orange “El Camino” above shares much of the front sheet metal with other Chevrolets. However, it has a unique aft from the front windshield.
Finding El Camino Parts
Specific El Camino parts, from taillights to emblems, are available. So are exterior (inner fenders to rear-view mirrors) and interior appointments (carpet sets to door handles). If the new owner wants to beef up the engine, there is a wide selection of V-8s that will fit under the hood.
El Caminos were practical vehicles in their day. The style is very much back in fashion.
’59 El Camino Future Value
There’s no sure thing. But it’s a safe bet that the ’59 restored El Camino for sale on eBay will continue to increase in value.
Angelo Van Bogart, Old Cars magazine editor, told us to keep an eye on 1959 examples. He said:
Enthusiasm for the 1959 Chevys seems to be tied to their flamboyance. We still see strong prices for equally flamboyant 1959 Cadillacs, even though many other ‘50s cars see a reduced amount of interest and value.
Both ’59 Chevys and Cadillacs have bucked that downward value trend. It’s partly because 1959 Chevys are also easy, fun, and comfortable to drive.
For their flamboyance and enjoyable driving experience, 1959 Chevys attract restorers. And they attract customizers who restomod them or make them lowriders or build them into traditional custom
