# El Camino - is it a truck or a car? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 27, 2002, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113 "2002-05-27T23:46:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/21 "2002-05-29T00:24:27Z")
The Devil drives an El Camino, ya know. It’s true!!! I had a dream abouit it when I was 6. Me and my sister always called them “nightmare cars”. My husband had a Ranchero, and it was considered a truck by the insurance company. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/22 "2002-05-29T00:25:53Z")
Whoa, look at that new word I created. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/23 "2002-05-29T01:45:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hillbilly queen \* > \*\*The Devil drives an El Camino, ya know. > It’s true!!! I had a dream abouit it when I was 6. > Me and my sister always called them “nightmare cars”. > > My husband had a Ranchero, and it was considered a truck by the insurance company. \*\* What year was it? (I only ask as I used to own one and since we live in the same town, I’m wondering if I haven’t spotted his a time or two.) And now that I think about it, my insurance company considered it a truck as well. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/24 "2002-05-29T03:53:20Z")
The El Camino is a truck. It has a bed, therefore it is a truck. ---
**Author:** ![zenith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zenith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zenith)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/25 "2002-05-29T04:47:59Z")
My old Rampage was considered a car by Allstate;State Farm also rated it as a car after when I swiched companies about halfway through my 7-year ownership. However, the State of Nebraska required me to get “3-Ton Commercial” license plates while allowing fat-ass Suburbans weighing more empty than Dodge allowed me to weigh loaded to get the cheaper passenger plates. If I had tried to load the “el Bambino” to a 3-ton gross, the tires would have exploded if the springs didn’t break first. What a ridiculous law!! ---
**Author:** ![madcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@madcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madcat)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/26 "2002-05-29T11:04:39Z")
" It has a bed, therefore it is a truck." My \*house \* is a truck? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/27 "2002-05-29T11:25:49Z")
Whoa, Canyonero! ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/28 "2002-05-29T12:50:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mudshark \* > \*\*The El Camino is a truck. It has a bed, therefore it is a truck. \*\* It is a car plain and simple. My grandfather used to have one and I nearly flipped when I was little and I asked my father whether it was a car or a truck and he said “truck”. I don’t even know why I asked because I already knew it was a car. Like previous posters have said. It IS a “PICKUP CAR”. I guess I was just giving him a stupid test which he failed. ---
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/29 "2002-05-29T15:13:16Z")
> [@](#): > > The El Camino is the mullet of cars Good call. It’s neither a car or a truck. It’s an abomination! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/30 "2002-05-29T15:16:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Simetra \* > \*\*[childish behavior] > > El Camino… > The front looks like a car. > The back looks like a truck. > The front is where you drive. > The back is where you… uh uh… > El Camino… > > [/childish behavior] > > Sorry… song from my youth. > > 😉 \*\* I thought it went: El Camino, El El Camino, etc. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/31 "2002-05-29T15:25:21Z")
I don’t know what “Camino” is, but “Camion” is French for “truck.” Note also that “El” isn’t French, but reverse the letters and you have “Le,” the French direct article. So, “El Camino” is an anagram for “Le Camion,” which is French for “The Truck.” The El Camino is a mullet with wheels, folks. It’s the ultimate white trash vehicle. The last El Camino I saw - just last weekend, coincidentally - was being driven by a guy with a huge, curly mullet and a black heavy metal band T-shirt. It was a wonderful, hilarious sight. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/32 "2002-05-29T15:44:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*What year was it? (I only ask as I used to own one and since we live in the same town, I’m wondering if I haven’t spotted his a time or two.) And now that I think about it, my insurance company considered it a truck as well. \*\* It was a '73, navy blue. He sold it 5 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/33 "2002-05-29T18:53:00Z")
In Spanish “camión” means truck, van, or bus, depending on where you are. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/34 "2002-05-29T19:26:33Z")
You know that “El Camino” is Spanish…it’s Spanish for “The Camino…” ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/35 "2002-05-30T11:46:24Z")
I hate Azteks, to me they combine FUBAR aesthetics and idiotic styling! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/36 "2002-05-30T13:27:08Z")
Leave it to the Aussies to do it right. Go Googleing and type in “Holden Ute”. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/37 "2002-05-30T15:17:06Z")
Have you seen Holden’s [earlier models](http://members.tripod.com/~big_tom/gallery_ute.html)? I wonder if an El Camino would look something like [these](http://communities.xtramsn.co.nz/HoldenUteLand/holdenutes.msnw) if they hadn’t been discontinued. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/38 "2002-05-30T22:09:05Z")
[This](http://www3.sympatico.ca/smithfj/c84ecss1.jpg) is as good as they could do with the El Camino. ---
**Author:** ![raz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@raz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raz)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/39 "2002-05-31T00:41:33Z")
I quite like El Caminos, and Rancheros too. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113/40 "2002-05-31T09:23:25Z")
Tell me is there a elcamino that dosent look like they drove it out of the junkyard after they managed to get it started these days ? I think I’ve personally only seen maybe 5 nice looking ones , [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-camino-is-it-a-truck-or-a-car/111113.md?page=3)