What year did Chevrolet make the El Camino?
The Chevrolet El Camino began with the 1959 model year.
The El Camino is a car-based pickup that has a storied history, appearing in distinct production runs across five generations, with its final year in 1987. This article traces the years Chevrolet made the El Camino and explains how the model evolved over time.
First generation: 1959–1960
The inaugural El Camino arrived for the 1959 model year, built on Chevrolet’s full-size platform and designed to blend passenger-car comfort with a pickup bed. It carried through the 1960 model year before a hiatus.
Overview
Based on the Impala/Bel Air chassis, the first generation established the concept of a two-door coupe utility that could serve everyday transport and light-truck duties.
Second generation: 1964–1967
Chevrolet revived the El Camino in 1964, adopting the Chevelle-based platform. This generation refined styling and mechanical options and remained in production through 1967.
Platform and scope
Built on the GM A-body platform shared with the Chevelle, with a range of V8 engines and a practical cargo bed integrated into a more modern body.
Third generation: 1968–1972
The 1968 redesign gave the El Camino a more integrated look and updated chassis, carrying into 1972 with incremental improvements and engine choices tailored to the era.
Design evolution
Fresh sheet metal and a sleeker silhouette marked this era, while maintaining the distinct car-truck blend that defined the model.
Fourth generation: 1973–1977
The 1973 update brought a boxier, more muscular appearance and larger bed options, with continued use of GM’s car-based underpinnings until production ended in 1977 for this run.
Notable features
Continued V8 availability, styling shifts to match the era’s aesthetics, and a robust blend of utility with passenger-car comfort persisted through these years.
Final revival: 1987
After a long pause, Chevrolet revived the El Camino for the 1987 model year, but this version was short-lived and based on a different GM platform, ending the model line for good after that year.
Final days
The 1987 El Camino represented a one-year revival on a distinct platform, signaling the end of Chevrolet’s car-based pickup in this form.
Production timeline in brief
The following timeline summarizes Chevrolet’s El Camino production periods across its five eras:
- 1959–1960: First generation
- 1964–1967: Second generation
- 1968–1972: Third generation
- 1973–1977: Fourth generation
- 1987: Fifth generation (final, one-year revival)
Note: The El Camino did not run continuously; it was revived multiple times before totaling a final year in 1987.
Summary
The El Camino’s story begins with its 1959 launch and spans five distinct production runs across decades, concluding with a one-year revival in 1987. As a car-based pickup, it remains a unique chapter in Chevrolet’s history, celebrated for blending everyday practicality with a passenger-car feel.
