[quote=rcangeli]Just bought a '76 GMC Custom Sprint with the small block 402 engine. Looking for folks familiar with '73 - 77 El Camino / Sprint to share info.
Also interested in learning if VCCA is the place for me to join up with my car / truck. [/quote
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Other than some stainless trim on the outside and some trim differences on the inside for all intents and purposes its an el camino with diff badging , plus wheel hubcap design.
I had one of the last factory SS--454---210 hp el caminos. It was black with white SS skunk stripes down the side. Starting in 1970 thru 1974 in the USA and 1975 in Canada it was available with a 305--350 SBC and the 454. To the best of my knowledge the 396--402 never came in the el camino 1970--74 sprint.
TO GET ANY KIND OF PERFORMANCE OUT OF IT, you would have to replace the camshaft and timing chain gears to a 1970 one. That also applies to the 305 motor. All the emissions stuff after 1971 just killed these motors. A BBC you would be hard pressed to get 7-9 city and 12-14 highway. SBC wasn't much better.
They put really high rear gears , mine had 2.73, 454 you could not even burn rubber with stock motor. You would think with the BBC it would have a 12 bolt rear end, nope 10 bolt.
They the 73--77 el camino sprint were a real turd, rusted out doors and quarters in under 5 years. DIDN'T HANDLE , DIDN'T STOP EITHER .
In a nutshell the ABSOLUTE worst gm product I have ever owned.
Hope you got a good one. Nobody else did !
mike