Eckler Industries

Who says you don’t see many El Caminos at the car shows? We have proof-positive that’s just not so. Our favorite truck-car may not get quite the love the Chevelles get, but they’re still a force to be reckoned with when it comes to looking pretty on the show field. And, they go fast. And, when properly equipped, can tow a Chevelle if necessary. So there!

1969 Camaro RS owner Rick Aron was driving home from an afternoon cruise when he had to make a sudden stop. He quickly discovered that after driving the Camaro for several years, his drum brakes were due for an upgrade. His first call was to Rick’s Camaros for a front disc upgrade kit. While discussing this upgrade with his fellow Northwest Arkansas Camaro Club buddies, they also mused about the original engine and transmission that was showing signs of wear and tear. A buddy suggested rebuilding the engine as a club project. Finally, although the Camaro was appealing in silver with black stripes and a vinyl top, there were tell tale signs that the paint needed some attention too. That nasty moisture under the vinyl top had reared its ugly head and rust bubbles were starting to make an appearance. It was settled– time for a frame-up restoration.

1955 Chevy Two-Ten Wagon: The Texas Hauler. There was a time – a long time, actually – when station wagons were not cool. In fact, they were shunned by collectors. At best, they were useful to enthusiasts as parts sources for two-door hardtops and convertibles. That attitude changed roughly a decade ago, and now the “lowly” station wagon is desirable. One of those once shunned family and cargo haulers is shown here – a 1955 Chevy Two-Ten. However, it is a bit cooler than it was originally, thanks to some modern updates.

1968 Corvette L88

Although the wheelbase and most of the chassis carried over from 1967, the 1968 Corvette was an all-new design, and marked the start of “C3” production. Both the exterior and interior of the new car were completely restyled. The coupes now featured removable T-tops as well as a removable rear window. Production for ’68 was 28,566 units, made up of 9,936 Coupes and 18,630 Convertibles. Only 80 of the coupes were L88-equipped.

1959 El Camino: The Beginning of a Legend. Edward Plazek is a Chevrolet enthusiast who lives in a family of mixed make and model loyalty. He was raised in a Ford environment so when he showed his first interest in Chevrolets, his father was a bit distraught! In his youth, Edward was prohibited from purchasing a Chevy because of lack of storage space in his parent’s garage. Edward not only liked Chevrolets, his greatest want was to find his favorite model; an older El Camino – preferably the very first year – a 1959 model. After all, this year marked the beginning of a legend. Oh sure, the El Camino would take a three year hiatus after only two years of production, but then it would resurrect in the Chevelle body style for 1964.

How a childhood dream brought a ’57 Bel Air 4-Door Sedan home to Norway


The original owner of Black Beauty, Mr. Anton L. Carlzon of Flint, Michigan, ordered the car the year he retired from General Motors. He followed it down the assembly line as it “got it all together”. Equipped with the 6-cylinder Blue Flame engine and a Powerglide transmission, the Bel Air 4-door sedan was sold via Summerfield Chevrolet in Flint, MI, on July 18, 1957. It bore the plate number KR1535.

This ’67 Camaro RS Convertible went from rust bucket to show-stopper, in twenty-five years flat.

It all began with a phone call from my friend Dave. He wanted to talk about the possibility of restoring a 1967 Camaro RS convertible for a family friend of his. His friend, Karl Becker, had purchased a well-used, but original, ’67 Camaro RS convertible from a retired airline pilot in Miami. The car ran, but needed a total ground-up restoration. I told him to have Karl bring the car by my shop so we could see what we were up against.