This 1959 Chevrolet El Camino is an absolutely stunning first year example of Chevy's hybrid car/truck. In the mid-1950s, Chevrolet made its first foray into the luxury pickup...
This 1959 Chevrolet El Camino is an absolutely stunning first year example of Chevy's hybrid car/truck. In the mid-1950s, Chevrolet made its first foray into the luxury pickup truck market with the Cameo. In fact, the luxury pickup market was virtually non-existent prior to the introduction of the Cameo. As Chevrolet's competitors came out with their own luxury pickups (i.e. the Dodge Sweptside Pickup and the Ford Ranchero), demand for Chevy's Cameo waned. Seeking to turn around its fortunes in the luxury pickup realm, Chevrolet replaced the Cameo with an all-new high-style vehicle that Chevy's marketing called "More than a Car – More than a Truck." That vehicle would be known as the El Camino. When the El Camino was introduced to the public in October of 1958, it was essentially a hybrid of a truck and car; that is, a pickup truck body on a passenger car's chassis. While the El Camino was technically considered a truck, its style was more reminiscent of Chevrolet's passenger car line in 1959. Up front, the El Camino retained the passenger cars' grille and front end treatment which was brand new in 1959. Down the sides, the 1959 El Caminos resembled a 1959 Chevy car except for the rear cut-out for the pickup box. Of course, the rear of the '59 El Camino kept the iconic 1959 Chevrolet style with the swooping tailfins that surrounded the teardrop-shaped "Cat Eye" taillight lenses. The 1959 El Camino interiors also looked quite similar to that of a '59 Impala or Bel Air, and had a truly elevated look well beyond that of a '59 Task Force pickup would have had. Powering this particular '59 Chevy is a smooth running 235 Cubic Inch Inline 6 Cylinder engine fed by a single 2 barrel carburetor that together were said to have created 135 horsepower when new. The Thriftmaster 6 is backed by a 3 speed manual transmission that is shifted using the column-mounted "Three-On-The-Tree" shifter. Being that the El Camino was categorized as a truck, they were fairly spartan with regards to options. This particular El Camino comes outfitted with dual matched horns under the hood. Likewise, a pair of outside chrome mirrors also come on this El Camino and serve as a nice add-on, especially when trying to maneuver in tight spaces. This 1959 El Camino also comes with an auxiliary spotlight that is both utilitarian and a neat novelty from the 50s era. Riding on a set of wide whitewall tires, each adorned with a full chrome wheelcover, this '59 Chevrolet has a great look going down the road. The steel pickup bed and box are in wonderful condition and are protected with a black rubber bedliner and white vinyl tonneau cover. The exterior has been refinished in a beautiful two-tone paint scheme consisting of Tartan Turquoise and Snowcrest White, completing the exterior appearance of the truck. The interior on this 1959 Chevrolet El Camino is absolutely gorgeous! The bench seat has been reupholstered in gray vinyl with tri-tone White/Black/Gray cloth inserts accented with silver welting. The painted dash, upholstered door panels, gray carpeting and steering wheel all are in wonderful condition as well and appear to be in their stock configuration. The 5-pot instrument cluster is outfitted with a 120 MPH speedometer, temperature gauge, fuel gauge, and clock, as well as indicator lights for the generator and oil pressure. The dash is finished with a locking glovebox and push-button AM radio. Whether you're buying your first classic car or you're adding to an existing collection of pickup trucks, this 1959 Chevrolet El Camino would make an excellent choice. Give Ellingson's a call today at 763-428-7337!