1960 El Camino Built to Haul and Handle by the Roadster Shop
Is it a car or is it a truck? If El Camino owners ever sit in a circle and exchange deep thoughts, this question would have only one true answer: Who cares? True fans of the model simply love their rides.
For Barry Blomquist, this ’60 El Camino, built in collaboration with Roadster Shop, answers a different question: Isn’t this one of the coolest restomod El Caminos on the road? Barry and the Roadster Shop team have a relationship that dates back nearly two decades and has resulted in a string of outstanding rides, including a pair of ’60s Corvettes and a striking ’65 Pontiac 2+2 we featured a couple years ago.
Starting with a relatively rust-free Oklahoma El Camino with just 38,000 original miles, Barry’s latest project began with a complete teardown to make necessary metal repairs, as well as fabricating a new transmission tunnel to accommodate the Tremec six-speed transmission.
The Elco body was fitted to a Roadster Shop Fast Track chassis featuring a host of modern elements – a coil-over front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, four-link rear suspension, 9-inch rearend, and 14-inch Baer brakes behind Forgeline 19×9- and 20×10.5-inch RS-6 wheels. The chassis was also fitted with a 495hp Chevrolet Performance LS3 that was dressed like a vintage 409 with custom valve covers, a dual-snorkel air cleaner atop the throttle body, and a front-mount oil fill tube. Hooker Headers steer the exhaust through a stainless steel Borla system and a custom fuel tank hangs between the rear frame rails.
The car was sent to Brad’s Auto Body in West Salem, Wisconsin, for final bodywork and a fresh powder blue finish. The color is based on an original hue and helps maintain a classic appearance when paired with the car’s original trim.
The 1959 and ’60 El Caminos were originally produced with Bel Air exterior and interior trim, the mid-level trim package for full-size Chevys in those years. Roadster Shop upgraded Barry’s example by using bucket seats and a console from a ’63 Impala SS, with blue leather upholstery stitched to match. The original ’60 dash received modern Dakota Digital instruments that mimic the classic look, while a tilt steering column was topped with a downsized ’60 Impala wheel. Vintage Air climate control is delivered through vents mounted in an old under-dash A/C unit.
Aside from the modern wheels and ground-hugging stance, you’d be hard pressed to guess how much modern performance has been built into this El Camino. That’s just how Barry wanted it – and it’s the sort of build Roadster Shop has perfected. Whether you call it a car or truck, there’s no denying this El Camino is simply cool. Contrats to Barry and the Roadster Shop crew for being named a Finalist for the Goodguys 2024 Chevrolet Performance GM Iron Builder of the Year.
Photos by Damon Lee
