Whats a father to do? Son wants a Chevy.

[twilt]

My son who is now 15 let me know yesterday that he wants a Chevy.  I guess its not so bad, since he wants a 72 El Camino. When i was his age, I wanted one too. Im actually kind of happy as it really is the first time that he has expressed any interest whatsoever in a musclecar era vehicle. I plan to help him get one, but he will have to work for it. Suffice it to say that i won`t be doing any yard work in the near future. His interest was the result of a El Camino he had seen in a music video. The one in the video was a BB 72 SS car/truck. For right now, a 350 car will have to suffice as the price tag on a BB SS is a bit out of his price range. Looks like I`ll be junkyarding for chevy parts in the near future....never thought that would happen.    

[dodge freak]

I would go to a few car shows and let him look around at all the old cars. Seen one in a rap video, oh wow. Lots of those cars look cool cause they put big bucks in them, gold wheels, video screens, yeah I like one too. Its summer time, let him see all the cars and then he know-hopefully what one he want. Might be a 1963 vette-those are cool too but big bucks. Hope some have prices on them, maybe thats not such a hot idea.

[Brock Samson]

lock him in his room till he comes to his senses... `

[mikepmcs]

Yeah, i can think of a lot better cars to start with other then a Meano.   But on the flip side, at least he's close to the right era.  Good on him for that alone!!!
I have a chevy as well, just not an El Camino fan,  so can't bust on him too badly.
v/r
Mike

[twilt]

I would go to a few car shows and let him look around at all the old cars. Seen one in a rap video, oh wow. Lots of those cars look cool cause they put big bucks in them, gold wheels, video screens, yeah I like one too. Its summer time, let him see all the cars and then he know-hopefully what one he want. Might be a 1963 vette-those are cool too but big bucks. Hope some have prices on them, maybe thats not such a hot idea.

If he hit a few car shows  with me.....he might decide he wanted an E body convertible. ouch. maybe an El Camino is a good choice.
He isn`t into rap or the bling bling either, it was a rock video. The vehicle that inspired him wasnt radically altered by any means.   
I`ve basically offered him one of my 72 Chargers with all the goodies to make it a Rallye Clone. He simply doesnt seem interested. He is a hard working and responsible young man, so i guess I`ll just have to respect his tastes and TRY to be as supportive as i would be if he wanting a Charger. (that will be hard) On a positive note, since the El Camino shared parts from the Chevelle/Malibu line, i expect that there is a good aftermarket for them.

[dodge freak]

Well I think Chevy motor parts are cheaper and there is a ton of them out on e-bay. Those El-Caminos are kind of cool, has a pick up bed and drives like a car. A crossover 35 years ahead of its time.Too bad small block Chevy's stink to work on, just to swap intakes you have to pull the dist.

[twilt]

back in the day..... I liked em dressed out with a set of Cragar S/S`s, sidepipes  , and a Tonneau cover. 
I dont mind working on a Chevy. Being an automotive master tech, i view GM products as job security. 

[DodgeChargerNeeded]

I say let him get what he wants within reason, 72 El Camino is a cool car. Nothing says he can't get something different in a few years.

[Nacho-RT74]

We must think MaMopar didn't came out with anything similar to El Camino to market competition, just Ford.

I like better El Camino than Ranchero Option

[Lightning]

We must think MaMopar didn't came out with anything similar to El Camino to market competition, just Ford.

I like better El Camino than Ranchero Option

I agree....the El Camino's are a little nice.

[TruckDriver]

Look at it this way.... least it's a '72 he wants. So he has your favorite year right. 

[BB1]

Here you go the El Rampage, just tell him this is what the cool kids drive. 

[blackcharger]

lock him in his room till he comes to his senses... `

tell Momma she got some 'splain;n to do!

[bluesfool]

My son wanted (which we got) a Ford Focus. Oh well, at least it gets 3 times the gas mileage of my Charger!

[twilt]

I`d much rather see him get a El Camino than a Rampage. I`ve had my fair share of 4 cylinder FWD Chrysler clunkers already.

Yesterday morning, i asked him to look out one of the back windows in my house and look to the 10 o`clock position. He was psyched up to see that one of our neighbors( living behind us) has a El Camino sitting in their backyard. Its been sitting there for a couple years.

The son and daughter came up with the ingenius idea that their mom ( I`m divorced from her) should pay for the El Camino and that i could contribute by helping fix it up. 

[NYCMille]

Ah yes... the El Camino... the Mullet of the musclecar world... all business up front, PARTY IN THE BACK!!!

[Steve P.]

I like El'Camingia's!! I've owned a few myself.  They can be DONE UP pretty nice and not so hard on the pocket. Only they are a bit harder to make them hook hard...  One very nice thing is a full frame and it doesn't bust the scales either..   And yes, tons of parts for them available in the aftermarket..

[Nacho-RT74]

Here you go the El Rampage, just tell him this is what the cool kids drive.

I didn't know about this model, anyway, as usual on Chrysler, was a late coming out. AND THIS TIME not the best.

[PocketThunder]

I wanted a '71 Elco when i was 16 that was for sale in town for $2000.  but i was broke.  a couple years later i built my first car, a 55 Chevy because i watched American Graffitti 100 times.  it was easy to do because every part of that car is reproduced.  I since sold it off and dove into Chargers now that i can afford to do so.

Just keep a hard cover on the back so he can only have 2 or 3 passengers at one time.  less people to risk getting hurt in your kids car if an accident happens.

[jaak]

whether its an Elco, Mopar, whatever, I would get a nice fixer upper, not a frame off project, but something to work on together, it will be good learning experience for a 15 year old, using tools, learning some mechanical and body work, not to mention spending time together building something, which in the words of Mastercard is... priceless. I know we all here are pretty much mopar fans, but I like all muscle cars, no matter what the brand is. Good luck on finding and building a nice car.

Jason

[Brock Samson]

Guy that lived accross the street (R.I.P. Sammy) had bought a new, marina blue, SS 396, he had a white cover on the back and the stock Rallys... finally traded it in about '76 for a Ford Station Wagon,... Then he got a '86 K car station wagon... what a plunge! 
ya' know what would be cool?..  is a SS 396 station Wagon... I'll take a '68 or '69 though.
Nice your listening to your son Jaak.

[grouseman]

Just point out the advantages of same-period Mopar vs. Chevy engineering. 

Chrysler far more shade tree friendly, they had the mechanic in mind.
Chrysler factory service manuals the best in the business. 
Distributor drops in perfectly, vs. twist & stab.
Valve train bolts up with no adjustments, not like the rattle & splash Chevy setup. And more stable.
Even a 318 will rev to 6,000. 
Strongest, best designed trannys. 
Those wonderfully simple Carter carbs.
Valve covers that don't leak all over the place. 
Love those adjustable torsion bar springs. 
Strong leaf springs don't need ladder bars. 
Stronger, more streetable, torquier engines. 

Well, just everything, okay? 

[hemi68charger]

Perform an exorcism on him.........     

[CaptMarvel]

  Teach your younguns the Gospel of Mopar when they're little and they will seldom go astray when they get older....

My 19 yr old loves his beat up ol Duster...

[Lowprofile]

ElCamino's are great 1st cars. I had a 68' SS 396 4-Speed right after High School. You have plenty of time to get him into Mopars........at least its a muscle car & not a ricer.