El Camino SS melds pickup and sports car

Is it a car? A truck? The last of the American Muscle Cars?

It's all the above.

It's a 1970 El Camino SS.

Richard and Maureen Kellerman of Prospect Heights own a true original 1970 El Camino Super Sport. "An original is very important in the hobby and what gives true cars prominence," Richard Kellerman said. "The serial numbers and casting numbers on the components identify it as original to the car."

Muscle cars are very popular now, and often you will see reproductions (clones) at a car show or cruise. Because of their popularity, some people have taken a lesser model and made modifications and changes to make it look like a muscle car, Kellerman said.

Kellerman grew up in the era of muscle cars and was always interested in antiques. When he and his wife saw an El Camino for sale in a parking lot, his wife took a shine to it, which sparked an interest for him, he said.

Then 31/2 years ago, the couple purchased an El Camino, which was partially refurbished. And Kellerman completed the work.

Built the last week of December 1969 at the Baltimore Maryland assembly plant, the car is one of 5,294 El Caminos built in 1970 as a Super Sport muscle car. The base model L34 402 cubic-inch big block combined with the TH400 turbo transmission produces 350 horsepower.

The interior is appointed with factory bucket seats, console, floor shifter and dash board unique to the Super Sport models.

Chevrolet fielded the most extensive and most popular lineup of muscle cars of any manufacturer throughout the 1960s and '70s. 1970 also happens to be the most popular body style for Chevelles and El Caminos over the many years of production.

"We use our car regularly," Kellerman said. "That's half the fun - getting good use out of it. We take it out to see our kids in Fox River Grove, and we display it for cruise nights and car shows. We have fun with it."

The car has won a number of first-place awards at various car shows, and the couple has a case filled with trophies.

A little known fact is that in 1970, Chevrolet bored out the engine to 402 cubic inches but kept the SS396 model designation due to the marketing recognition that the 396 big block had developed over the years, Kellerman said.

"To this day, no one knows why the displacement was increased by only 7 cubic inches."