1978 Chevrolet El Camino Gets 1969 Camaro Facelift, Becomes El Camaro Pickup

Revived on the Chevelle A-body platform, the 1960s El Camino was available with the same powertrains, which included the potent 396-cubic-inch (6.5-liter) V8. In 1970, it was the recipient of Chevrolet's short-lived 454-cubic-inch (7.4-liter) LS6. Rated at 450 horsepower, it made the El Camino the most potent production model of the era (alongside the Chevelle LS6, of course).

The El Camino survived beyond the golden muscle car era. Chevrolet kept the pickup in production through 1987, a whopping eight years longer than the Ford Ranchero. It remained relatively popular in the 1970s, but its performance dwindled toward the end of the decade.

As a result, late-1970s El Caminos are far from desirable or expensive, with auction prices for excellent-condition examples barely exceeding $20,000. But not all of them are mundane pickups. This 1978 El Camino has undergone extensive modifications, both above and below the skin.

If you're first thought is "wait, this thing looks like a Camaro," you have spotted the obvious. Whoever modified this pickup slapped a 1969 Camaro fascia on the front clip. But it's not a hack job. The boxy fenders of the 1978 El Camino were reshaped to match the roundness of the Camaro front end. The ute also packs Camaro-specific stripes, badging, and even a COPO ZL1-style hood.

The rear end was also extensively modified. The 1978 El Camino is a rather dull-looking vehicle from behind, due to its plain tailgate and bulky fender with integrated taillights. Well, this truck had its rear fascia entirely overhauled. The lower half of the tailgate now includes 1969 Camaro taillights on a black background, while the bumper is much smaller and sits higher.

The upper section is slanted toward the bed and topped by a spoiler, a trick that enhances the rear fascia's resemblance to the Camaro. A tiny badge on the right says "El Camaro," a fitting name for this contraption.

As for the interior, the El Camino bits have been removed and replaced with a genuine 1969 Camaro cabin, including the two-tone seats, steering wheel, and gauges.

What about the drivetrain? Well, as much as I would have loved to see a legit 1969 ZL1 engine under the hood, the builder went with a modern powerplant. The pickup relies on a supercharged 6.2-liter LSA V8. GM introduced the unit in 2009 on the Cadillac CTS-V. Three years later, it was offered in the Camaro ZL1. The mill was discontinued in 2015.

There's no info on output, but the stock LSA was rated at 556 horsepower in the CTS-V and 580 horsepower in the Camaro ZL1. Topped by a Holley EFI, the mill mates with a 4L60 automatic transmission.

The pickup is in outstanding condition and won awards at the 2025 Bowtie Nationals and 2025 Piston Power show. This probably means it's a recent build.

By far one of the coolest El Camino-based mods I've seen in recent years, the pickup is scheduled to cross the auction block at Mecum's Indy Fall Special 2025 on October 4. Is this custom truck worth six figures?