Well technically its a 69 Chevy truck...right?

[Yeller68]

Very cool story, and props to you for doing it. The memories you will have for doing this will be priceless to you in the future. My 68 was my dad's truck, and a lot of my memories of him have something to do with that truck. I'm sure you dad will be blown away by this.

Also, very cool looking El Camino. For some reason, El Caminos have been getting my attention a lot lately. Which probably scares my wife!

[Shyguy]

Great story, sure enjoyed it.
Please keep us up to date on the progress.

All you guys and gals that still have dads enjoy your time with them.

I never got to know my dad, even though he passed away at 80.

Before I went in the service he rarely was ever home because he was a long haul trucker. Then when I graduated I left for the military and never saw him until a little while before he passed away.

That has been one of my regrets in life, not getting to know my dad.

When they closed the military base I worked at in the mid '90's I came back to the farm I was raised on to help my brothers take care of my mom and get to know her better.

Have fun with the Elky.

Danny - Southeast Missouri

[1LoC10]

awesome man, put the car in the front yard when you get him to come there, and make sure you tape it or take pics

[BB72CHEVKT]

Very cool. It hits close to home. My dad had a 69 396SS and I used to ride behide the seat soemtimes when I was about 5 yrs old. How stupid was that??

[Chevyholic]

That's a great story! I've been wanting to do the same for my Dad, as he is nearing retirement. I'm looking for a '47 as that is what we rode in up to our regular camping trips when I was a kid.

Good luck with the project!!

[krazy_texan]

me and my brother are doing something similar for my dad cause he sold his 60 impala for dirt cheap when i was a baby just to pay the electric bill and house payment

[DirtyLarry]

That is a great story Critter! That will be an emotional event when you give it to your dad. Better bring a box of Kleenex with you.

Please keep us all posted on the progress of this build up.

[Critter]

Thanks for all the kind words guys. My dad will probably be VERY surprised and then he will ***** at me for spending too much money on him! Nah, I think he will be pretty excited. No one has ever really done anything like this for him so I’m not sure exactly how he will react. He has this running joke with me about how much money I owe him. It gets bigger every year even though he hasn’t given me any money in a long time. Any time I buy him lunch or a drink from the convenience store or something he will say “thanks, I’ll take it off what you owe me, you know it’s in the millions by now”, then he laughs. It’s all in good fun though. Maybe this will knock that down a little bit more. I’m not sure if I will be able to get it to his front yard, he lives an hour away, but I think him and my mom are coming to my place the weekend after his Bday. It will probably be in my front yard with the biggest, cheesiest red bow on it that I can find!…you know, the ones that parents put on the hood of the new Accord for their daughters 16th Bday.

I would eventually like to get it pretty nice for him. Upgrade all the suspension (hotchkis), a new paintjob, get the A/C going and rebuild the engine back to basically stock with maybe a few small performance upgrades. I don’t ever see it getting a full frame off resto, more of a rolling restoration like everyone else does (including me). I would like for him and my mom to be able to hop in it on a Saturday evening and go down to the local café and what not. By the way, his 71 was metallic silver with black interior, I suspect this one will end up that way as well. I will update with pics when I get some.

[Critter]

Does anybody know if these things had a SPID? I looked in the glovebox which looks to be original but I don't see an option sheet like our trucks would have.

[tcb-1]

Critter,
Camino's did not have spids on the glove box door.

The only thing you may or may not find is a build sheet, and that may be anywhere......

You may post this question on a Chevelle/Camino forum and see where they may have found thier build/broadcast sheets.

Again, props my man....

[ChevLoRay]

I just turned 60, and have five kids. I know my kids can't do what you did for your Dad, but it's not because they don't want to. You are fortunate to be able to do that for him, while you still have him. Us VietNam vets are getting any younger and many of us have gone on without being able to fulfill any of the dreams we had as young men "in the war".

I drove a '68 El Camino SS396 that was a USAF vehicle, in VietNam. I have it scanned (somewhere). Maybe I can find it.

Congrats to you for your kindness to your Dad. He's gonna love it!

[Longhorn321]

Great story....don't forget to show us the happy ending!

[Critter]

Today was his Bday. I ended up DRIVING the Elky 100 miles to my parent’s house. I was a little worried about the tires but otherwise it has really impressed me with how well it runs. I had my fiancé follow me for a ride home and incase I needed rescuing from the alternator monster or the water pump gremlins.

My father was VERY confused when I pulled up. He came outside and just looked at me for a while then he finally asked, “Did you buy that?” I guess he thought that I bought it and just drove down to show it off, then my fiancé pulled up in her bad ass company minivan (in the background) and then the s#*t-eating grin came across his face, I think he finally figured it out! I of course said HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I think all he said was “REALLY???” about 3 or 4 times in a row. After the customary 10 minutes of looking around under the hood and in the interior my Dad, older brother, and myself all piled in the front seat and took her down the road. After we pulled onto the street, I told him to get on it, so he dropped the hammer! We left a very impressive cloud of smoke and a black mark (open diff, so only one stripe) about 40 feet long. HE WAS SMILING FROM EAR TO EAR!!! I had figured this would happen so I had given her a few test “burns” over the last few days, needless to say, the ol' girl still has some get up and go. After we got back my Mom came over for a look and I got a reminder that “you know me and your father started dating in one just like this”. I got a pic or two of him/them, I had run through a pile of bugs and the ol' man decided we needed to clean them off the windshield. The next couple of hours were spent talking about what he wanted to do…paint, suspension, motor rebuild, etc…we had an AWESOME time. So long story…uh…short (not really) everything went as well as I had hoped. I didn’t get a chance to sneak it into his yard when he wasn’t looking, but I’m still satisfied with the presentation, He never saw it coming!


Over the last couple weeks here’s what I did to get the car ready. I got a “new” Quadrajet from the salvage yard cause the old one had a cracked housing where the fuel line/filter screws in. New spark plugs, oil change, radiator flush, some tranny fluid, checked the rear diff oil, new rubber fuel line and fuel tank flush. I didn’t even bother to change the cap, rotors and wires. Other than that, I just scrubbed it real good inside and out. The A/C even tries to work although it doesn’t get very cold.

The first 2 pics are after a good cleaning last night at my house and the other two are of my parents this afternoon.

I think we are going to have A LOT of fun working on this thing together. I appreciate ya’ll letting me tell my little story.

***By the way, the red and white GMC in the background is the 76 in my signature, one day I will have some time and give it a little attention.***

[tcb-1]

Very nice story, Critter. Karma will come back to you 10 fold!

[Critter]

Thanks! My father has already called me about 3 times today to talk about what he wants to do with it. Things couldn't have gone better!

[MrBeast]

Critter, that is really awsome what you have done for your dad there, I am sure he was flattered, dreams like that will stick with a man all through his life, and it sounds like he did well in raising you, so as that you were sucsessful enough to be able to do what you did.

I tried doing somthing similar for my old man a couple of years back, I bought him and myself brand new Kimber Eclipse Custom II 10MM 1911's, and he hasnt even taken his out of the box let alone shot it. I was kind of miffed about it.

But such is life.

[463]

thanks for sharing this heart warming story. memorys missing my dad (1930-2005) 463

[Palf70Step]

Excellent!

Your dad did a good job setting you up for the world.
Glad it worked out.

[Husker]

COOL, I love the El Caminos. Your Dad is a Lucky Guy.
Ron

[jugernot]

You should make sure to have a video camera rolling when you give it to your dad. That way you and your kids can share the memory another day.

My three year old daughter loves coming out into the garage and helping me. I showed her how to the a socker wrech today.

[Bus Ted Knuckle]

Originally Posted by BB72CHEVKT

Very cool. It hits close to home. My dad had a 69 396SS and I used to ride behide the seat soemtimes when I was about 5 yrs old. How stupid was that??

I spent many road trips behind the seat of a 72 elcamino. I have so many brothers and sisters that someone had to ride back there...and I was the youngest.

[jrb71c20]

I've thought about that too for my dad but, it'll be awhile. I think thats an honorable thing you did...Good deal

[chevy one]

I can tell that your father has done his job well. He will like the ride, but the love and pride that he will have for you will be untouchable. There are many things we try to teach are children, but the two most important things are what I call the two R’s, RESPECT & RESPONSIBILITY. What an awesome son you are, and you have both of the R's.