My Classic Car: Honoring my Brother’s El Camino

In 1982 my more youthful brother Robert bought a 1964 Chevrolet El Camino. It wasn’t the prettiest truck, but he beloved it none the fewer. He spent months patching it up: new wheels, reupholstering the bench seat, new carpet, and lastly new paint in that lovely Chevy pink. This truck meant everything to him.

In October of 1984, at age 22 Robert was killed in a vehicle incident, in his operate truck. He was my only sibling, and of program absolutely everyone was devastated. My parents parked his El Camino in the garage and it sat for 3 months prior to deciding to give it to me.
I was ecstatic to be able to preserve and adore Rob’s truck. It held so lots of recollections, and I handled it not really as a shrine, but quite near. I babied it, purchased a protect to hold the paint as perfect as I could, no one was at any time authorized to lean in opposition to it, or sit on the side. It was my day by day driver at that issue.
In 1986, and why I’ll in no way know, my mothers and fathers pressured me to provide the El Camino. I believe it was mainly because my mother just could not stand to look at it any more, the reminiscences ended up just far too terrible to offer with, and as these types of, I marketed it.
I was 25. Soon after that I promised myself that I would get my individual El Camino, and it would be a clone of Rob’s truck.

Flash ahead 36 decades
In September of 2022, “she” entered my lifetime. I was specified a tip about an El Camino that was for sale, but not in my condition. I form of blew it off typically as a as well good to be legitimate form of offer. But I contacted the vendor in any case.

It took about a month, but on September 9, 2022, Stella rolled off the truck and into my garage. Stella is a 1965 El Camino, 327 with dual exhaust and the two speed Powerglide transmission. The prior proprietor had replaced the 327 with a 350, and a distinctive cam, but we have been not able to get hold of the vendor for additional information. The El Camino has a ’10 foot’ paint work, but is largely unique.

I also bought a “Not my Husband’s Truck” sticker for the back again window. I desired no mistakes on whose truck it actually was. I program on placing a 700R4 transmission in it. I traded out the Extremely centerlines and place on some Cragar’s, but other than that, I have completed very little to the truck, and I push it day by day temperature permitting.
Robert’s picture hangs in the rear view, and I’m absolutely guaranteed he’s thrilled that I ultimately have my possess El Camino.

-Denise M., Colorado

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