1970 L78 El Camino
 

I'm curious.... What do you folks think a 1970 L78 El Camino M21 with factory original motor, trans, and rear is worth?

More info.... Color code 50/black stripe with H vinyl top, saddle interior, buckets with standard seat belts, console, am/fm, cowl induction, CA emissions, all factory original body metal and glass. Let's say ALL the parts are completly and correctly date coded for the pickup. BUT! There is no doc and only history back to 1978 including all registration slips. The elco has the original CA black plates and is currently registered that way.

Thanks,
Al

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

No rust at all? Decent paint? I would say 30-40. Thats a start anyway.

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

Thanks for the input, Tony.

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

Check for a build sheet in all the normal places...
tank, under and behind seats, carpet, behind dash, headliner.

Cool rig!

-Dan

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

Try the front fender by the cowl area. Found one on each side of Shors Elco Kansas built unit. Found them on the 68 Dick Harrell Chevelle in the same spot..BKH

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

Thanks guys. I've checked all those places. I've owned the elco for 29 years. It's just not there. It's a Van Nuys built pickup. Maybe someday there'll be someplace I could get it like PHS. I know...I know....it's a pipe dream.

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

When you said history back to 78, I did not realize you were the source of he history. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/smile.gif

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

Check the Gas Tank. Every 70 Elco that I have had that was a Van Nuys Built had one by the tank. Had 3 of them when I still lived in Seattle 7 years ago.
Mike Bond

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

Van Nuys car most cetainly had tank sheets... If its not there... maybe the original tank was swapped out for some reason?

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

Are you thinking about selling it Al?

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

[ QUOTE ]
Van Nuys car most cetainly had tank sheets... If its not there... maybe the original tank was swapped out for some reason?

[/ QUOTE ]

My original 68 Z-28 Van Nuys car has no build sheet anywhere. Dropped the original gas tank - Nothing. Under the dash?...nope. Under the seats?...nope. Behind the rear seat back?...nope. Under the truck mat?...nope. Under the carpet?...nope. I ain't ripping out the original headliner to look and really don't care any more.

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

I am pretty certain the '69+ cars had a better shot at having them then the earlier cars. Maybe I'm wrong, won't be the first or last time for that, just my impression. Others here know better than I do.

-Dan

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

What is the build date on the trim tag??

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

All the 70 Chevelles that I've seen, that were built at Van Nuys, had a tank sheet. Makes good sense to me that the Elkys from there would have it on the tank also.
How about posting a few pics of the truck here?
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...-I-Have-It.gif

By the way, funny bio king.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

Hey Tony,

No. I don't think I'm gonna sell right now. It has 'some' sentimental value for me. It happens to have been my first ride. I've tried several times years ago to sell it for $2000 and nobody wanted it. I'm glad of that. I'm wondering how many L78's are out there with complete factory original motor, trans, and rear too. Anybody have one....?

The tank is the original and I dropped it and found nothing. It was the same for my Van Nuys '67 RS/SS Camaro. Well....that's not mine anymore. It belongs to Helmut Eckert.

The build date of my elco is 10D.

Al

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

KEEP IT and enjoy it.....the only made about 1/2 the number of L78's compared to the LS-6....not counting all the new ones that have been built recently https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

sounds like a cool car...how about posting some pics or a member's ride feature...

wilma https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

"...tried several times years ago to sell it for $2000 and nobody wanted it..."

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif???!!!

Sounds like a nice piece Al.. Good luck w/ the document search and hopefully when you find them it's one of the 18 L89's?.

Love that '67 SS/RS you sold Helmet!.

~ Pete
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

Al , I have a 4 Sp Bucket/Shadow Gray/Vinyl top 70 L78 Elky , NOM, correct though, with orig tranny and rear end, driver quality solid #2 car looks great from 10 ft and Dan Carr sent me an email giving his estimate of how many L78 Elky's there were. I can't seem to find it right now but the number I seem to recall was approximately 150 - 220? When I find his email , I'll let you know. I'd love to see pics of the car too!! As far as value goes, as you know ,it totally depends on the quality. a Beater for $5,000 ??... all the way to $75,000 (Colin at colin's Classics I believe sold a Frame Off restored L78 Hugger Orange 69 for that price a year ago with theoritically would not be near as rare a car as a 70 L78 ??? Just a few thoughts. Bob

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

Hi Wilma,

Thanks for the offer of memeber's ride feature. When I bought it years ago it was painted white with a brown stripe. I have it pretty much torn apart right now and will be painting it very soon. I have a friend that knows a bit about painting that will be helping me thru the process. I'll be assembling, if all goes well, by summer. The doors have the original yellow beige paint. My buddy will be color matching it. We're gonna shoot single stage and I don't want to clear it. I've kept every piece I replaced. Although, there weren't many I needed.

Hey Pete,

No....I don't believe it's a L89. The motor was standard when I got it with the original cast 291's. It's .030 over now and still shows the CKO and VIN. I'm very happy about that.

I think Helmut will enjoy it for years too.

Hi Bob,

It's not even close to being a beater. And it's not a frame off. It has never been removed from the frame. I'm the only person to have remove the motor and trans. The rear has never been removed to this day - 3.55 posi CKF.

Thanks fo all the input. I'm not gonna restore to anything near what most folks do. I'll be driving it, when I'm done, almost every weekend. I was just really curious how much it would be worth when I'm done and how many are still out there. So far and until someone steps up, I'm the only person with one. It may not be worth much, but I'm gonna enjoy it just that same. I do know it's worth more than I paid - $2,850 back on 10/31/1978 Halloween day.

Regards,
Al

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

....the original yellow beige paint....

Code 50 - Gobi Beige, beautiful color https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

I like the color too, Marlin. Although, when I bought it, I didn't even know it was under there. It was a 4 speed and it was fast. That's all I cared much about back then.

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

That's a beautiful color combo on a very desireable vehicle today.Gold V/top too.

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

Thanks Rick and thanks for all the help over the years.

Al

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

I painted mine with PPG, let me know if you need the recipe.

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

[ QUOTE ]
It was a 4 speed and it was fast. That's all I cared much about back then.

[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't that the truth!I think Elco's are cool... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...s/headbang.gif

What part of Ca. are you from? Your name sounds really familiar. I lived in SoCal (the last time around) for 29 years...1973-2002. I lived in Orange County...

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

I grew up in El Monte of all places, Bruce. I currently live in the San Fernando Valley. Maybe we met on the street a few times - between signals!

Al

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

Thanks Marlin.

Al

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

[ QUOTE ]
....the original yellow beige paint....

Code 50 - Gobi Beige, beautiful color https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Gobi Beige had it's own code? I thought they just mixed all the leftover paint at the end of the day, and sprayed it on the last couple of cars. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/smile.gif

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif I think you're right. Color matchin''s gonna be a pain. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/crazy.gif

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif Nah, that was how they did the Fathom Green cars https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

[ QUOTE ]
I grew up in El Monte of all places, Bruce. I currently live in the San Fernando Valley. Maybe we met on the street a few times - between signals!

Al

[/ QUOTE ]

Al, that could have been. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Did you ever race at OCIR at all...?

This was my car in '79...does it look familiar?

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1.../untitleda.jpg

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

Irwindale....before the Miller plant.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif

I have an old picture somewhere. I'll have to dig that puppy out.

I've seen a few Nova's in my time..... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

[ QUOTE ]
Irwindale....before the Miller plant.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif

I have an old picture somewhere. I'll have to dig that puppy out.

I've seen a few Nova's in my time..... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow...I remember being at Irwindale with my brother Gary...and watching a Funny Car blower expolsion...and watching as pieces of the blower case rained down on cars in the parking lot https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/blush.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/blush.gif

Get your pics out Al! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: 1970 L78 El Camino
 

I used to go there all the time in the early 70's with my uncle. He had a badddd https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif dipsy-doodle Fairlane.

Do you recall a little hotrod named Gold-Finger...? Loved that thing. It actually had a huge gold finger painted on the side. I always pulled for that dude.

I'll try and locate. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif