How often do you get the chance to buy a 1969 vehicle from it’s original owner? Well, not this time either, as a dealer has already purchased it from the folks they gave it to and the dealer is now offering it for sale here on eBay. However it’s still a pretty cool vehicle and I love the graphics. The El Camino isn’t in Woodland anymore, now you can find it in Pleasanton, California. Bidding is up close to 5,000 but hasn’t met the reserve yet.
By 1969 the El Camino was in the middle of its third generation, based by this point on the Chevelle platform and sharing a lot under the skin with the Chevelle wagon. There were just over 48,000 El Caminos made that year, so while it’s not exactly rare to see one, it is rare to see one looking this solid. The seller tells us it’s rust-free, and while I’d argue that’s almost technically impossible on a 1969 vehicle, it’s clear it is practically true.
As you can see, the front grille is slightly damaged. You may look at that as adding character, but I’d be replacing it with this one. As a side note, isn’t the internet wonderful for sourcing car parts? That took me less than 30 seconds! The chrome certainly looks nice in the pictures!
What’s that tank for, you might ask? Well, California has some of the highest gas prices in the nation, and as this was a parts runner truck for a well-known local auto repair shop, the owners of the shop decided to convert the truck to run on propane. While the conversion back would be easy enough, I’ve heard enough good things about running on propane and how clean it keeps the engine (on the inside) that as long as there weren’t driveability problems, I’d leave the conversion intact.
Naturally, as a showpiece for the shop, Bee Line kept the interior in nice condition. The seat has been reupholstered in what I would call functional rather than stylish vinyl. The seller does recommend replacing the door panels due to wear (you can get them here), and you might want a new dash top rather than the cover. You’ll also need one window handle.
Under the hood we have the aforementioned propane-converted 350 V8. I also see air conditioning (I would inquire about the functionality of same) and a relatively clean underhood appearance. I realize this one wouldn’t work for everyone, but what do you think about this piece of history? Would you convert it back to gasoline?
View all Chevrolet El Caminos for sale on My Classic Garage.
Originally written by Jamie Palmer for Barn Finds.
(https://barnfinds.com/gas-propane-powered-1969-el-camino/)
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