Muscle Car of the Week: 1966 El Camino!

The 1966 El Camino was a big success for Chevy and remains a popular choice for muscle car restoration experts even today. This was the third year of the second generation model for the car/truck hybrid, and it seems that most of the previous issues from earlier versions were addressed and fixed.

Some of these changes included a new, sharper grille design as well as all new sheet metal that was also featured on the El Camino's sister car, the Chevelle. The interior also got a face lift; a new instrument panel was included as well as new stylish vinyl bench seats. (For an additional fee you could opt for bucket seats.)

Under the hood, the engines got bigger but not necessarily 'badder'. The standard choice in '66 was still the 194 cubic inch six cylinder from the previous year, but the top option was now a bulky 396 cubic inch V8 that got 325 horsepower in dyno testing runs.

When it was released in 1966 the price of the El Camino only increased by $43 from the previous year, bringing the total ticket to about $2,500. Nowadays, at internet auctions, they regularly fetch anywhere from $20K-$35K!

Image source: www.hemmings.com