The "Other" El Camino!

 The Chevy El Camino has it's place in musclecar history. Anything that was available on an SS Chevelle  ( Including the mighty LS6 ) was available on an El Camino. They have a bit of a "cult" following of their own. However, if you want a hot-rod elky and can't find one, you might Consider a Ford Ranchero. Forget early and mid-60's models. They were based on the Falcon and most had six-cylinder motivation. The biggest V8 was a 289. Like their Chevy counterparts, the 68 and later models are the most desirable. 1968-76 models are based on the Fairlane / Torino platform. 302 versions get good mileage and make nice daily drivers, but are underpowered for performance work. The 68-69 models to look for are the 390 V8 versions. The 70-74 models that are the best bang for the buck have 351C's under the hood. Some 70-73 models may have 429s! Those are fairly rare and, probably pricey, though not as much as a 454 El Camino. Some 74-76 models may have 460s. However, they'll be a low-compression "station wagon" engine. On the upside, regardless of year or sheetmetal a 460 V8 in a 3900 lb machine can be potent with a little work. The 1977-79 models were based on the LTD II platform. They had more interior room, and a longer wheelbase, which means better ride and handling. The downside was the powertrains were even more emasculated. The top engine option was a 351M or 400M with a two barrel carb and salt-flats gearing. The upside is, their are performance parts i.e.- heads, cams, intakes, etc available for these engines, and they share the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the 429 / 460 family, so you could swap one of those in without too much hassle. And gears are readily available for 9 inch Ford rearends. I know Ford and Chevy guys agree about as much as Raider and Steeler fans, but you might just find a bargain. Mastermind