Pre-Caminos, Phantom-Caminos, and one Rare Ford

[Camino LS6]

'61 Phantom (Photochop)

[Camino LS6]

'62 Phantom:

[Camino LS6]

1980 Ford Durango:

A "post-Ranchero" that saw limited production.

[Camino LS6]

'55 Pre-Camino (photochop):

[Camino LS6]

'57 Pre-Camino using a production '59 Camino roof:

Edited June 10, 2012 by Camino LS6

[Camino LS6]

'57? Buick Phantom:

[balthazar]

I have seen a number of '50s Buick 'Elky's, '54-57, for some reason. Haven't seen the same with Olds, tho.

[A Horse With No Name]

I've seen a55 Nomad made into an El camino and done welll..

in 1955 GM seriously built El-Camino prototypes but decided to hold off for a bit...

[Camino LS6]

I've seen a55 Nomad made into an El camino and done welll..

in 1955 GM seriously built El-Camino prototypes but decided to hold off for a bit...

That's new information to me, thanks!

I wish they had gone ahead as I've seen nice ones built from Nomads too. I'd love to have one, but could never destroy a Nomad to get one.

[A Horse With No Name]

There used to be a Nomad about 35 Miles south of me that had been a good start on an El-Camino conversion...guy was trying to turn it back into a Nomad.

Not sure whatever happened to that car.

[ocnblu]

Ranchero came out in '57, IIRC. If Chevy had gone ahead in '55, they would not have been accused of playing "catch-up" as they were with the '59 Camino, '62 Chevy II, '67 Camaro, etc. etc. (although I guess the Chevy II was only in hindsight, as hopes were still high for my beloved Corvair in '60-'61).

[balthazar]

Not aware of any 3-D concepts for an Elky-esque vehicle from any of the GM studios circa '55, enlighten me please.

I've seen a handful of sketches for the '55 Chevy Cameo, which looked to be quite low like a car,

but these were 2-D only and undoubtedly would've been truck-based had they seen 3-D light.

[A Horse With No Name]

I've got a book about 55-57 Chevrolet's upstairs...old factory photographs et al.

They have photographs.

I'll have to dig the book out,

[balthazar]

This is up for auction @ B-J later this month:

In the day custom (don't kno when) :

Edited June 11, 2012 by balthazar

[ocnblu]

Is there any photographic record of Aussie Utes from this purriod? Did the Australians invent the car-based pickup, or were the very earliest pickups actually just cars with open beds?

[balthazar]

^ Without pulling books out, Ford had a Model T Roadster pickup (car based) at the same time they offered the Model TT (definite truck).

I know there was a TT in at least '17, T debuted for '08... so the car-based pickup is pretty early.

Someone else could've been there well before Ford, too.

Edited June 11, 2012 by balthazar

[Robert Hall]

Is there any photographic record of Aussie Utes from this purriod? Did the Australians invent the car-based pickup, or were the very earliest pickups actually just cars with open beds?

There were Chevy utes from the '49-52 generation in Australia...not sure what Chevys were sold there after that, but they definitely had Holden utes...

Edited June 11, 2012 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[G. David Felt]

Very Cool Cars

[Camino LS6]

This is up for auction @ B-J later this month:

This is the right way to do it.

[Camino LS6]

Right now, I'm really liking the idea of a '61-'63 phantom.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Not aware of any 3-D concepts for an Elky-esque vehicle from any of the GM studios circa '55, enlighten me please.

I've seen a handful of sketches for the '55 Chevy Cameo, which looked to be quite low like a car,

but these were 2-D only and undoubtedly would've been truck-based had they seen 3-D light.

You don't happen to have pictures to scan, would you?

[GMTruckGuy74]

One of the best '57 Chevrolet Phantom El Camino models I've ever seen was the Danbury Mint 1/25 die-cast version they offered a few years back (and I regret not ordering):

http://www.phillymint.com/danburyshopcartAE/dm1538m.htm

They even offered a hot rod version too:

http://www.phillymint.com/danburyshopcartAE/dm1534m.htm

[Robert Hall]

One of the best '57 Chevrolet Phantom El Camino models I've ever seen was the Danbury Mint 1/25 die-cast version they offered a few years back (and I regret not ordering):

http://www.phillymin...tAE/dm1538m.htm

They even offered a hot rod version too:

http://www.phillymin...tAE/dm1534m.htm

That is really cool...similiarly, some releases of the AMT 1:25th scale '55 Nomad model kit include a separate roof and floor parts for building a phantom El Camino....it has a smaller rear window. The original 1962-era issue of the kit has the parts as do some later releases, but the most recent (from about 5 years ago) doesn't...I plan to build one of mine as a phantom EC eventually..

Edited June 11, 2012 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[balthazar]

Not aware of any 3-D concepts for an Elky-esque vehicle from any of the GM studios circa '55, enlighten me please.

I've seen a handful of sketches for the '55 Chevy Cameo, which looked to be quite low like a car,

but these were 2-D only and undoubtedly would've been truck-based had they seen 3-D light.

You don't happen to have pictures to scan, would you?

No scanner, but I could try and take a pic tonight.

[Camino LS6]

Those are quite cool, Roger!

I love phantoms.

[ocnblu]

I totally love the quarters and rear end of the '61.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Not aware of any 3-D concepts for an Elky-esque vehicle from any of the GM studios circa '55, enlighten me please.

I've seen a handful of sketches for the '55 Chevy Cameo, which looked to be quite low like a car,

but these were 2-D only and undoubtedly would've been truck-based had they seen 3-D light.

You don't happen to have pictures to scan, would you?

No scanner, but I could try and take a pic tonight.

That would be awesome!!

[Camino LS6]

I totally love the quarters and rear end of the '61.

Yeah, '61s have really had my eye lately. I like how they are about as slim as a full-size Chevy ever got - and they have great lines.

[Drew Dowdell]

Not aware of any 3-D concepts for an Elky-esque vehicle from any of the GM studios circa '55, enlighten me please.

I've seen a handful of sketches for the '55 Chevy Cameo, which looked to be quite low like a car,

but these were 2-D only and undoubtedly would've been truck-based had they seen 3-D light.

You don't happen to have pictures to scan, would you?

No scanner, but I could try and take a pic tonight.

Considering the collection you have, I think it is high time that C&G take up a collection on your behalf.

[Camino LS6]

Both the '61s and the '62s really work for me, I love the rear cove on the '62 and some of the detailing even more than the '61. But the '61 is almost Chevelle-sized and I really like that,

'61:

'62:

[Robert Hall]

The '61s and '62s are some of my favorite B-bodies...love the '61 bubbletop roof, the rears on the Chevys those years, the '61 Olds front and rear (love those sexy skegs), the '61 and '62 Pontiac front and rear (esp. the '62 taillights), the '61 Buick rear... similarly, I like the '65-66s the most of the '65-70 B-body generation...

[Camino LS6]

They got pretty big by '65, but I still love the '65-'67 fastbacks.

Ever since I saw a really well-done bubbletop at a local show a few years ago I've had a major car lust thing going for them. Both the '61 and the '62.

All of that aside, if I ever hit it big I will be building phantoms - and not just Camino phantoms.

[Robert Hall]

They got pretty big by '65, but I still love the '65-'67 fastbacks.

Ever since I saw a really well-done bubbletop at a local show a few years ago I've had a major car lust thing going for them. Both the '61 and the '62.

All of that aside, if I ever hit it big I will be building phantoms - and not just Camino phantoms.

One phantom I've seen a few pics of that people have built are '62 Catalina bubbletops...that roofline looks really good w/ the '62's lines, IMO..

[Camino LS6]

Pontiac didn't do a bubbletop in '62?

Chevy did.

[Robert Hall]

Pontiac didn't do a bubbletop in '62?

Chevy did.

Nope..the '62 bubbletops were only '62 Chevy Bel Airs (Impala used the more formal 2dr coupe roofline). Though supposedly 2 Pontiac Catalina bubbletop coupes were built for drag racing.

Here's an article about a phantom..

http://www.carcraft.com/featuredvehicles/ccrp_0806_1962_pontiac_catalina/viewall.html

Edited June 11, 2012 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Camino LS6]

I just read that article - you got me interested, so I did a search.

Quite cool.

Phantom possibilities are everywhere!

[ocnblu]

Behold The Glory of The House Of GM Design!

[balthazar]

Light is not currently good in my study, so the pic isn't great.

I've seen more than this, elsewhere, will poke around some more :

[G. David Felt]

Very cool Balth, thanks for posting them.

[Camino LS6]

Pretty wild looking design study.

[ocnblu]

Cool yes, but even today, GM at times puts some style-over-function bits into their trucks that don't serve them well.

[balthazar]

[balthazar]

Not a pick-up, but the proportions are right there, love this car ::

[A Horse With No Name]

This is up for auction @ B-J later this month:

This is the right way to do it.

The one I recall was that nice, but a milt custom with American racing wheels and a grey velour interior...

[NeonLX]

Jeez, that '61 Phantom is to die for.

[Camino LS6]

Jeez, that '61 Phantom is to die for.

Nice, huh?

[Camino LS6]

'56: nicely done.

'55: really, really bad.

[balthazar]

I'm going to disagree on the '55- the roofline fits a '55 better than the one on the '56.

Proportions might be off on the '55 tho- hard to tell.

[Camino LS6]

I'm going to disagree on the '55- the roofline fits a '55 better than the one on the '56.

Proportions might be off on the '55 tho- hard to tell.

That whole shortened-coupe greenhouse thing just turns my stomach - even moreso with a bed behind it.

As for the '56, it looks pretty good for a fabbed-up pillar and rear roofline - this is where a Nomad donor is essential for a factory look.

[balthazar]

I think if the '56 had the actual 'S' B-pillar of the Nomad, it would work better for me, esp as an otherwise stocker.

The '55, tho of course I know it's custom, has all the greenhouse lines as if built by GM. Here the custom work looks more factory IMO.

Of the 2, I'd buy the '55 and fabricate the world's longest hinged decklid for it.