1971 Chevy El Camino Trim - Inside Out And Outside In

It's the last five percent that will kill you, and isn't that the truth. Before you reach for the phone and call the paddy wagon on us, let us explain what five percent we are talking about. Unless you are on a television show where they have some ridiculous deadline to build a car in a few days, for most of us it takes at least a year or two. So, we are nearing the end of the build on this El Camino, for all intents and purposes the Elco is 90 percent done. Paint, body, engine, chassis, it's all finished; now it's time for the trim, interior, glass and wiring.

Year One was the biggest help when it came to the final fit and finish of the El Camino's interior. As for the exterior, Original Parts Group was a great support in helping us replace the trim, badges and lenses that time had worn away.

Year One was the biggest help when it came to the final fit and finish of the El Camino's

Yup, the last five percent of the build has the potential to suck up most of your strength. Not because it is any more difficult than say...bodywork, usually most of us are chomping at the bit to bring it out of the garage and have the world see our efforts. Spring is around the corner, cruising season is coming soon and all this 1971 El Camino needs is glass, wiring, an interior, chrome and trim.

Harrison Ortis owner of Harrison's Restorations is nearly done with his former High School hot rod. He called PPG and ordered up some glass, and sent the bumpers to get re-chromed. He then turned to Year One for help with finishing the interior all done up in its beautiful OE styled glory. Lastly, a trip to Original Parts Group was made to finish off the exterior to replace the dinged up trim and missing badges. Harrison and I stayed up the last several nights in a row till dark-thirty in the morning working on the El Camino; let's take a look at how it all played out.

We started with the easy stuff first. The door panels and window cranks were "no brainers." After all this time of looking at it in its ugly bare metal, the doors look absolutely amazing with the new skin!
We started with the easy stuff first. The door panels and window cranks were "no brainers.
Even though this El Camino had nearly every SS option on it, it didn't come with an SS dash and gauge cluster. So we changed the option and had Year One send us the SS gauge panel.
Even though this El Camino had nearly every SS option on it, it didn't come with an SS das
We did keep the OE tilt column, but upgraded the dirty old wheel and hub.

Pop the horn button into place and this column is done. You may notice that there are no gauges in the dash panel. We still need to order the SS gauges, we have the cluster, and will order them later. None of the wiring on the vehicle is done yet. That will come when the body is on the frame.
Pop the horn button into place and this column is done. You may notice that there are no g
The dash pad fit the dash instrument panel perfectly. We used a drill to open up the holes a bit on the pad, and then screwed it all together. I have to take a moment here to say how impressive it was that all the pieces fit together so well. Most of us probably don't expect many of the re-popped pieces to fit so well. Year One did it right and supplied us an excellent fitting interior.
The dash pad fit the dash instrument panel perfectly. We used a drill to open up the holes
Next came the pre-molded carpets complete with insulation on the underside. With the Dynamat and carpet insulation the cab should be fairly soundproof. Like most automotive carpets, these came just a bit bigger than the cab.
Next came the pre-molded carpets complete with insulation on the underside. With the Dynam

A razor blade or box cutter will trim those carpets down to size in no time, and then the brand-new sill plates can be screwed in.
A razor blade or box cutter will trim those carpets down to size in no time, and then the
The kick panels on either side of the door, as well as the A and B pillar pads, fit just like the factory. Not a problem when they went in.
The kick panels on either side of the door, as well as the A and B pillar pads, fit just l
Probably the more difficult interior install was the headliner, mainly because it was at such an awkward angle to work. Once it was in, it was trimmed a bit and was good to go.
Probably the more difficult interior install was the headliner, mainly because it was at s

Ta-da! A brand-new interior just as good as it was in 1971. And what's more, it smells like a new car inside. No kidding! You might be wondering what happened to the bench seat. Read the next caption for an explanation on that.
Ta-da! A brand-new interior just as good as it was in 1971. And what's more, it smells lik
When we received all the seat foam and new seat cover from Year One, silly me thought that while Harrison was working the interior, I would re-do the seats. Cold vinyl is tough to work with and we didn't have a heat gun to warm the vinyl to make it pliable. So when I stretched it over part of the frame-RIP-I put a 3-inch tear into the fabric. (Insert expletive here.) So we took it to an upholstery shop down the street for repair, hence it is missing in the photo. That's the second and last time I'll have torn a seat cover!
When we received all the seat foam and new seat cover from Year One, silly me thought that
At last it's time for the OPG stainless trim and lenses. Harrison decided he had better install all the trim himself since I'd just torn the seat. The last thing either of us wanted was a bent piece of stainless or a scratch in the paint. Exercise patience when installing the trim, there is no need to force it into place.
At last it's time for the OPG stainless trim and lenses. Harrison decided he had better in

El Camino trim is bit more difficult to install than, say, the trim on an average Chevelle. With all the bed rail trim, you have quite a few pieces to work with. It may look like there are gaps in this photo, but this is just how the factory trim fit.
El Camino trim is bit more difficult to install than, say, the trim on an average Chevelle
The old lenses are on the left and the new OPG lenses are on the right. After 30+ years in the sun, it was time to replace the old plastic lenses.
The old lenses are on the left and the new OPG lenses are on the right. After 30+ years in
At the time of install OPG wasn't re-manufacturing the taillight bezels for the '71, so the stock ones were used. We hit them with a polisher and tried to make them look as good as possible, but they still have many pits in them. We just found out that OPG now reproduces the bezels; looks like we will have to replace these old pitted ones soon. At least the new lenses look great.
At the time of install OPG wasn't re-manufacturing the taillight bezels for the '71, so th

The trim around the rear window snapped right into place and looks like a million bucks. Harrison is churching it up by wiping all the fingerprints off the new glass and chrome.
The trim around the rear window snapped right into place and looks like a million bucks. H
Look what arrived from Fed-Ex while we were working on the El Camino! The wheels we ordered from Coy's, yeowzah, they look good!
Look what arrived from Fed-Ex while we were working on the El Camino! The wheels we ordere
This is it, the final shot of all the bed trim in place. A friend of ours told us we ruined the car/truck by shooting it with bedliner. What do you think? Is he right or wrong?
This is it, the final shot of all the bed trim in place. A friend of ours told us we ruine

Last but not least, it was time to install the side view mirrors from OPG. Since side view mirrors did not come from the factory on the passenger side, we had to drill into the beautiful new doors. After some careful measuring, it was time to poke a hole.
Last but not least, it was time to install the side view mirrors from OPG. Since side view
Success! Everything fit right into place; no paint was chipped or scratched.
Success! Everything fit right into place; no paint was chipped or scratched.

Now dig this. The original window trim was re-polished and reused, the door handles were re-chromed along with the bumpers, and the new side view mirror looks like it was always there. All that's left is to put the body on the frame and wire it up. Now we are down to the last three percent of this build. We'll show all of that to you in future issues of Super Chevy magazine.

SOURCES
Original Parts Group (800) 243-	Harrison's Restorations
Year One PO Box 129 Tucker GA 30085 800-932-7663 770-496-1949 www.nextgenparts.com/mustang