This page shows the latest upgrades to the El Camino.
Jan 2009 to Present.

July 2006 the car got a name: 'Elkenstein'
There are so many parts on it now, from all sorts of different vehicles. Even though it dies once in a while, it keeps coming back to life.

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'Elkenstein' in Car Craft April 2008
See this page for a year in the life of Elkenstein.
January 2006 to February 2007 		Blown head gaskets, blown engine, new engine, electrical melt downs, computer swaps, catastrophic failure of the new (rebuilt) engine at 1000 miles.
March 2007 to November 2008 The rebuilt engine, rebuilt again, small tweaks, new rear end, gear change after that.

It's been a while since the El Camino got anything new. Just got wires ond looms in billet Aluminum 1/2009

On March 6th 2009, I was hospitalized for surgery for Arthritis in my spine. I had a laminectomy on L4 & L5. As of July 2009, I am walking 2 to 3 miles a day again, and not in pain as I was for almost a year. Thank God, every day, for good health. There will be no more engine swaps without lots of help, in this lifetime.

I want to install the 200-4R transmission I got from the 1987 Monte Carlo SS parts car in to the El Camino. These are the initial measurements, confirming that I need to have an extension added to the frame to make this work. I won't be doing this on my own (see above)

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This is the El Camino with the 350C trans. the cross member is much closer to the front.
This is the El Camino from the passenger side.
This is the Monte Carlo SS with the 200-4R. You can see that a 14" section of channel is added to the frame. You can even see the holes that would support a 350 cross member.
This is the Monte from the passenger side.
I thought the channel may have been bolted on the back at the top, but it's just a brake line clamp. Don't ya just love salt? See the floor starting to rot.
7/7/09
I have had enough of the loud rattle sound coming from the right rear quarter panel, over RR tracks and big bumps. I had this noise just after the body work in 1998 too, and the body mad bit a strategic screw in, but it started up again.

I started by cutting an inspection hole in the inner bed on the passenger side, hopefully in an area that would work to diagnose the problem.
This picture shows the internal sheet metal brace looking towards the front of the bed.
This is the back end of the brace, where it rattles on the wheel well. I have a feeling there was more clearance when it was born, but I had new GM rear quarters installed about 1998.
I discovered that when I put a wooden shim in there, the noise stopped. So I scored the shim (thanks for the tip Tom.... my trusted advisor) and broke it off in place. Then I made a little scoop spoot/tube from some aluminum tubing, and filled the end with blue RTV. Even though it's wedged in there, I don't want it to go anywhere from vibration. I'll be leaving the flap open till I test drive it for a while. Then Tom is getting the Mig welder from school and I'll seal it up again.
8/14/09
I bought a new steering gear for the El Camino. It was really sloppy, and there was over an inch of play at the steering wheel before anything happened at the tires. (way over) It was getting pretty scary, and no one wanted to drive it. The part number I used was A1 Cardone 27-6550 for a Monte Carlo SS with a little higher effort, and 2.5 turns lock to lock. It's pretty forgiving on center, so I think it may be a variable ratio box. It has much more road feel than the one I had in there, and a lot less twitchy.

When I first drove it, everything was great. I had Tom drive it, and it acted like no power steering around one corner. By the time I got it home, it did the same thing to me a couple times. I drove to work, and everything was fine, till I was in the lot at work. Coming home, it got to the point where it didn't seem like I had any power steering at all.

Quick call to tech support (Robert has saved my ass more times than I can remember now .... Thanks!!) The valve is the 1" nut next to the 5/8" fitting with the fluid line pointed out here. (click to see a larger picture)

The part in the center of this picture was stuck against the opening in the valve to the right. When I took that part out, the plunger was solid in place. I couldn't get it out with a magnet, but when I forced it in, it broke loose and the spring pushed it out. I cleaned it out, with carb cleaner and air, then cleaned out the inside of the pump. I lubed up the plunger and worked it in there making sure it would move freely, and put it back together. It works great now. Even at idle at a dead stop.

This is a modified valve setup. Here is the link to give your g-body more pressure at the power steering pump: http://jeffd.50megs.com/Pump_valve_mod_page.htm Thanks to Jeff Davidson and Robert Adams
   
   
   

 See this page for a year in the life of Elkenstein. January 2006 to February 2007     March 2007 to November 2008