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Tone · 01-29-2009, 01:55 PM

To the best of my knowledge, GM wasn't producing high-po big blocks in 1974, so it wouldn't have been possible to special order the car from the factory. In the late 1960s, speciality dealers were able to get factory hi-po V8s in cars not normally available with them through the Central Office Purchase Order (COPO) -- say a 427 in a Camaro or Chevelle.

That would not have been possible in 1974 as there were no hi-po 1974 engines (beyond the stock 454 already available in the El Camino).

More likely was performance-oriented dealers (like Yenko or Nicky's) doing the work at the dealer level. You'd order up your El Camino, it would come into the dealer, then they'd swap in what you wanted. This was becoming very rare in the middle 1970s, but it's not impossible. For example, Baldwin-Motion did produce one 1973 Chevelle with and L-88 427, though it sold for an hugely expensive (in 1973) $12,000 -- far more than a Corvette of that year. See http://www.yenko.net/dealers/motion.htm

Aslo see this history of Baldwin-Motion here: http://www.officialbaldwinmotion.com/history.htm

Starting in 1967 and running through 1974, Baldwin-Motion offered SS (425-hp) and Phase III (500-hp and up) big-block Camaros, Novas, Chevelles, Corvettes and Biscayne Street Racer Specials. Cars were sold at Baldwin Chevrolet or Motion Performance, converted by Motion and financed and delivered by Baldwin. Phase III 427 and 454 cars came with a written, money back, quarter-mile performance guaranty from Joel Rosen.

01-29-2009, 01:55 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tone 3.6 Liter SIDI V6 Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Great White North Posts: 1,190	Re: 1974 Chevrolet El Camino Classic To the best of my knowledge, GM wasn't producing high-po big blocks in 1974, so it wouldn't have been possible to special order the car from the factory. In the late 1960s, speciality dealers were able to get factory hi-po V8s in cars not normally available with them through the Central Office Purchase Order (COPO) -- say a 427 in a Camaro or Chevelle. That would not have been possible in 1974 as there were no hi-po 1974 engines (beyond the stock 454 already available in the El Camino). More likely was performance-oriented dealers (like Yenko or Nicky's) doing the work at the dealer level. You'd order up your El Camino, it would come into the dealer, then they'd swap in what you wanted. This was becoming very rare in the middle 1970s, but it's not impossible. For example, Baldwin-Motion did produce one 1973 Chevelle with and L-88 427, though it sold for an hugely expensive (in 1973) $12,000 -- far more than a Corvette of that year. See http://www.yenko.net/dealers/motion.htm Aslo see this history of Baldwin-Motion here: http://www.officialbaldwinmotion.com/history.htm Starting in 1967 and running through 1974, Baldwin-Motion offered SS (425-hp) and Phase III (500-hp and up) big-block Camaros, Novas, Chevelles, Corvettes and Biscayne Street Racer Specials. Cars were sold at Baldwin Chevrolet or Motion Performance, converted by Motion and financed and delivered by Baldwin. Phase III 427 and 454 cars came with a written, money back, quarter-mile performance guaranty from Joel Rosen. Last edited by Tone : 01-29-2009 at 04:05 PM.