Images from the Cohort by robadr.
Further reading:
Curbside Classic: 1982 Chevrolet El Camino – Every Day Is Satyr-day
Curbside Classic: 1985 Chevrolet El Camino Conquista – Deez Nutz
CC Capsule: 1983-87 Chevrolet El Camino SS – El Caminos de la Costa Este
I always liked this generation for Elcos and Malibus. To me it harkened back to the clean lines of the 67-68 years, though power was notably missing.
I love everything except that rear bumper tail light combo. I grew up in city traffic jams and when you had some of these GM intermediate wagon sitting in traffic a car ahead – you couldn’t see the tail lights, and it was pretty frustrating. If you let them get ahead so that you could see the rear bumper, you had a lane changer try to cut you off to get ahead.
But these are sweet looking. So simple, so plain, so well proportioned in front, so classic Chevrolet. A super clean, but not cheap-looking car-truck. Much better looking than the Torino based Ranchero that had competed with it until 1980, with its stacked rectangular headlamps, massive front overhang, park bench bumper, and goofy looking stand up grille. El Camino was much better looking. It was pretty great that GM kept offering this El Camino after Ford had moved on.
Just not that back bumper!
That low tail light problem has evolved into a low turn signal problem. The Chevy Bolt and Toyota Venza are two offenders here. Even in my smallish town a gap big enough to see the signals on those cars will get filled, or will result in only a few cars fitting in a turn lane and blocking traffic. Not sure why the DOT has mandated at least one high-mount brake light for almost 40 years, but lets manufacturers put rear turn signals inches of the ground.
GM was in a very formal phase during this era, and the Cadillac Seville-style nose was too faux luxury-like IMO. Out of place, on a casual car. Like wearing dress pants, where blue jeans are more the style.
Ok so thats a 82, only used import El Caminos have come here so its hard to pic exactly what youre looking at here in traffic but I saw one just like this recently, grey with much fatter tyres and other minor details but very close to this.
A very attractive handling of the two-tone colour scheme. Colours appear great together, and add to the Southwest look. Nice wheel choice as well. I personally, could do without the chromed rocker panel molding, to make the overall design appear simpler, and cleaner.