Laguna S3 LT1 4L60E 3.73 Posi 4 Whl. Disc 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 Chevelle

1975 Chevrolet El Camino Laguna S3 Description

Watch the YouTube Walk Around Video And Test Drive:
https://youtu.be/ZxdNetdl76o
https://youtu.be/FRtUQALrdd8
What you are viewing is one of the rarest motor vehicle styling options created by an American auto maker in the last forty years. If you google this car your search will probably begin where my search began, it didn't exist. I was ready to accept that conclusion until on one of the threads I was reading an individual posted a copy of a build sheet for a 1975 El Camino with the "Laguna" option. I later learned that it was a C.O.P.O. (Central Office Production Order) only. In other words this option had to be ordered by a dealer with connections and the dealer ordered car came from the factory with the Laguna front end. This sleek and aero dynamic nose was also referred to as the "Nascar nose" due to its success in Nascar with Cale Yarborough, and other noteworthy drivers, behind the wheel. The numbers for actual production are unknown but the consensus of everyone that I have read is that it is very rare. All of these cars were built at the Arlington, Texas plant and that is the birth place of this classic beauty (indicated by the "R" in the VIN). Texas was its birth place and Texas has been its home which can be seen by the rust free floors and body.
Because of the trend to upgrade classic cars to make them more dependable and gain more daily drive-able performance this car has had the complete drive train swapped out with one from a 1995 Z28 Camaro. There is an interesting and important prelude to this swap taking place which was brought to fruition by the previous owner who had just restored his Z28 mechanically with the engine, transmission and rear end being rebuilt only to get t-boned shortly after completion which totaled the car. There in the garage was this classic Elky that he had next on his list to restore and the decision was quite simple, swap out the drive train. While this monumental effort was under way it didn't make any sense to leave other stones un-turned and so the Elky was restored from bumper to bumper. This would include all of the suspension and steering components, brakes (four wheel power discs-the rears being taken from the Z28), new wheels, new BF Goodrich radial TA's, professionally rhino lining the rear bed, adding a tonneau cover, new paint, new weather stripping, new windshield (with antenna in glass), new custom dash, new Auto Meter gauges, and the seats and center console from the donor car. The driver's seat is six way power. Listen closely as you watch the video and see how sound the vehicle is as it navigates bumps and turns without any worn component noises emanating from underneath. Everything is super tight and ready for the road. I would not hesitate to assure any buyer that they could fly in and drive it home without any worries.
Now for some details. The engine is the renowned LT1 (same as Corvette), that has been bored .30 over, ported and polished aluminum heads, and an LT4 'hot' cam to take advantage of these performance upgrades. The computer system has been transferred at the time of the swap to a panel behind the seats along with fuses for the injectors, etc. It even has the OBD 1 diagnostics port with the 16 prong plug and check engine light and it has all been correctly wired into the ignition and wiring of the El Camino. Car comes with a Chilton's and Hayne's repair manual as well as a wiring diagram for the integration and operation of the computer. Turn the ignition key and the engine fires up instantly and purrs like a chained leopard. In the attached video I get on it just a bit and this engine kicks out some amazing, pin you to the seat, performance and delivers it with modern reliability. The engine makes no noise, blows no smoke, and with dual electric cooling fans it does not overheat even in hot weather, in stop and go traffic, with the AC on maximum. Breathing has been made easier with long tube headers and Flowmaster dual exhaust.
Getting the power to the ground is assisted by the 4L60-E transmission which is a 4 speed automatic with overdrive. There are no clunks, pauses, or mushy shifts in fact drive cautiously on any wet or slippery road to avoid ending up sideways. This is NOT hype but real advice for the future owner. Even with a 3.73 posi-traction rear end and new wide tires this high performance motor will put this car sideways navigating through traffic on 'dry' roads if it isn't done with caution. What a major improvement over the 400 c.i. motor that came with the car out of the factory. For that younger generation who is unaware of this period in American automotive manufacturing this era of cars put out horrible performance numbers because of the strict emissions and antiquated technology. Even the 75 El Caminos that came with the 454 put out a miserly 235 h.p. Can anyone say "boat anchor?" Not this updated and relatively modern drive train which has been dyno tuned with the AC on and puts over 300 h.p. to the rear wheel and the same number for torque. In the YouTube test drive video the roads are slightly wet and when I put my foot into it I immediately lost traction. I have only really got on this car one time when the roads were dry and at 25 miles per hour the car turned into a tire screeching and fish tailing road rocket.
When the car was restored the entire frame and underneath were painted and there is no evidence of rust or rust repair. The AC was also gone through converting to 134a, replacing the compressor and other components. The entire rebuilt drive train has 6 to 7 thousand miles on it and the tires have less than a thousand. All of the photos were taken in the last few days and the videos were made and posted on 4/9/2016. During the walk around video I heard, for the first time, the squeak of what sounds like a pulley or tensioner bearing. This will be resolved before the car is delivered to its new owner.
I welcome your inspection. If you live at a distance hire someone from one of the numerous agencies that do vehicle inspections and I will make the car available. All inspections MUST be completed prior to the end of the auction. When you bid you are entering into a legally binding contract so please be serious. This car is priced to sell and it is for sale locally so the auction may end at any time. If you are a serious buyer call me at (817) 403-7723. I would be happy to answer your questions or listen to your offer.