Chevrolet El Camino SS454 (1971)

Product Description

Chevrolet El Camino SS454 (1971) in Metallic Blue (1:24 scale)
- GM® “detuned” the El Camino TM for 1971. Still, there was nothing timid about the LS5 454 V-8 that actually generated 5bhp more than the previous year. This spectacular model features the definitive re-creation of that powerhouse engine, in addition to cowl-induction hood & single headlight design that made the El Camino so easy on the eye. Is it a luxury car or a pick up truck? The El Camino TM (Spanish for “the road”) prompted this question since its introduction in 1959 & collectors of Chevrolet® classics debate it to this day. The truck/car hybrid idea, first embodied by Ford’s Ranchero the year before, proved to be a popular idea at the time, combining the best of both vehicle characteristics. Although the first two years of production were slow & the model name disappeared for a time, the El Camino TM was reintroduced in 1964. This time, the El Camino TM shared the Chevelle® platform & styling & offered two engines—a 283 & a 327 cid V-8. High performance was given high priority & the trend continued into the next decade. 1971 saw the availability of a new SSTM 454. The SSTM designation for the El Camino TM guaranteed not only special badges & accents, but high-performance equipment & a feather-light rear end that allowed the driver to easily “burn out, ” smoking the tires to the rims. In 1971, the El Camino TM SSTM received the same styling cues as the Chevelle®, such as the new, more-blunted “V” front end & a new, black-accented grille. Custom trim was standard for the Super Sport & a popular cowl induction hood was optional. For the SSTM, it had sport mirrors, optional striping, badges & 15x 7 Rally rims available, along with a choice of four engines. Many El Caminos TM from this era are still used as daily drivers & some are used in various racing venues, but most have found their way into the collections of serious Chevrolet® performance car enthusiasts’ garages. Now, Franklin Mint Precision Models has re-created the 1971 El Camino TM SSTM 454 in exciting detail—sure to be a front-runner in any die-cast collector’s list of “must have” models.