This is a 1978 Chevrolet El Camino that’s been given a 1969 Camaro front and rear, a 1969 Camaro interior (including the steering wheel and gauges), and perhaps most importantly, a supercharged LSA V8.
This car shows what might have happened if Chevrolet had decided to make a Camaro ute, though of course this one will be quicker than almost anything from the period thanks to the transplant of that much more modern LSA V8 under the hood.
Fast Facts: A Camaro El Camino Custom
- The Chevrolet El Camino was Chevrolet’s answer to the Ford Ranchero, debuting in 1959. Built across five generations until 1987, it combined car styling with pickup practicality. Early models shared platforms with the Impala and later the Chevelle, offering everything from inline-sixes to big-block V8s.
- By the 1970s, El Caminos became increasingly refined, especially in the fourth generation styled after the Monte Carlo. The fifth and final generation ran from 1978 to 1987, with declining sales as traditional pickup trucks gained favor. Today, the El Camino is celebrated as a cultural icon – straddling both muscle car and utility vehicle traditions.
- The El Camaro shown here is a custom build that began as a 1978 El Camino, but was transformed with the front and rear sections of a 1969 Camaro, plus a full Camaro interior. This reimagines what a factory-built Camaro ute might have looked like, while adding performance far beyond anything Chevrolet offered at the time.
- Power comes from a supercharged 6.2 liter LSA V8 producing 580 bhp and 556 lb ft of torque, paired with a 4L60 automatic and 3.73 rear end. Modern upgrades include coilovers, four-wheel disc brakes, 17-inch SS wheels, and a Holley EFI system. Award-winning at major shows, it heads to Mecum’s auction in October 2025.
History Speedrun: The Chevrolet El Camino
The Chevrolet El Camino is a coupe utility vehicle that was produced by American automaker Chevrolet from 1959 to 1960 and then from 1964 to 1987 over the course of five generations.
The Chevrolet El Camino is a coupe utility vehicle that was produced by American automaker Chevrolet from 1959 to 1960 and then from 1964 to 1987 over the course of five generations. Image courtesy of General Motors.
The El Camino was introduced in response to the surprising success of the Ford Ranchero, it was based on the Chevrolet Impala platform to keep development costs low. The first generation (produced from 1959 to 1960) was only produced for two years and had a distinct, boxy design that was heavily influenced by the Chevrolet station wagons of the time.
The second generation (built from 1964 to 1967) denoted a major change for the El Camino, as it was completely restyled and based on the newer Chevelle platform.
The design was more modern and more aerodynamic, and the El Camino became significantly more popular as a result. During this time, the vehicle was offered with a range of engines, including the fire-breathing Chevrolet 396 cubic inch (6.5 liter) V8 producing up to 375 bhp.
In 1968, the third generation of the El Camino was introduced, with a new body style and a range of updates to the engine and transmission. The vehicle was now based on the Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu and offered a wider range of options and trims, including the now legendary performance-oriented SS package.
This generation also saw the introduction of the famous 350 cubic inch small-block V8 engine, which quickly became the most popular choice among El Camino buyers.
The fourth generation (built from 1973 to 1977) of the El Camino marked another major redesign, as the vehicle was restyled to be more in line with the contemporary Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
This generation also saw the introduction of the new colonnade-style frameless door glass, which offered a more elegant look compared to previous generations. Engine options included the standard 250 cubic inch inline-six, as well as several V8 engines, including the powerful 454 cubic inch V8.
The car you see here started life as a relatively standard 1978 Chevrolet El Camino. More recently it was converted into a custom Camaro El Camino, with the front end of a 1969 Camaro added, as well as the back end, and the full interior.
The fifth generation (made from 1978 to 1987) marked the end of the line for the Chevrolet El Camino. During this time, the vehicle was offered with a range of engine choices, including 6 and 8 cylinder engines, and was also available with a range of options and trims, including the SS package.
Despite these updates, sales of the El Camino began to decline as people gravitated to pickup trucks, and Chevrolet decided to discontinue the vehicle in 1987.
The El Camino is now remembered as an iconic classic that bridged the gap between a pickup truck and a passenger car. It’s become a cult classic and is popular among American car enthusiasts and collectors – many consider it to be a true American classic.
The Camaro El Camino Custom Shown Here
The car you see here started life as a relatively standard 1978 Chevrolet El Camino. More recently it was converted into a custom Camaro El Camino, with the front end of a 1969 Camaro added, as well as the back end, and the full interior.
Under the hood you’ll now find a supercharged LSA V8, a 6.2 liter (376 cubic inch) that’s capable of up to 580 bhp at 6,100 rpm and 556 lb ft of torque at 3,800 rpm. This engine is fitted with a Holley digital EFI system and power is sent back through a 4L60 automatic transmission and a 3.73 rear end.
It now rides on coilover suspension, as well as 17 inch SS wheels shod with Diamondback tires on all four corners. Four-wheel disc brakes are fitted to vastly improve stopping power and better match the output of the new drivetrain.
Inside the vehicle you’ll find air conditioning, a Bluetooth-compatible stereo, a Holley EFI display showing you the engine’s operating parameters, faux wood trim, and black vinyl seats with herringbone center sections.
Under the hood you’ll now find a supercharged LSA V8, a 6.2 liter (376 cubic inch) that’s capable of up to 580 bhp at 6,100 rpm and 556 lb ft of torque at 3,800 rpm.
The car is now due to roll across the auction block with Mecum in early October, and earlier this year it won Best El Camino at the 2025 Bowtie Nationals, First Place in Class at the 2025 Piston Power show, Outstanding Full/Radical Truck at Auto Rama, and it was awarded ISCA Outstanding Engineered in 2025 also.
If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Mecum
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
