“Generation Gap” Pits 1970 Chevrolet El Camino Vs. 2004 SSR: Video
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Yeah, you read that right − a 1970 Chevy El Camino SS 454 competing with a 2004 SSR. Does that sound fair? I mean, the Elkie has 7.4L worth of big-block power, while the SSR is more of a proper truck, albeit a light-duty one with classic 5.3L small-block motivation. So what does Generation Gap on the Motor Trend Channel think about the two vehicles?
Here’s some more specs on the two cars:
1970 El Camino
- Stock
- LS5 454 with 360 (gross) horsepower
- M22 “Rock-Crusher” 4-speed
2004 SSR
- Modified with Magnuson M112 intercooled supercharger
- 385 (net) horsepower
- Automatic transmission
The two hosts rated each vehicle based on the following categories:
- Performance
- Collectibility
- Ease of ownership
- Looks
- Passion
Both the hosts and the vehicles are a new vs. old matchup, but there can only be one winner − catch the below video and see which pickup ends up being the victor.
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SSRs are just plain ugly, we had a dealership here with 2 of them. I swear he was throwing in a Cavalier for a winter car. They stayed on the lot forever. Not sure what they were doing with the whole Prowler, SSR, and T-Bird at the time.
I think the big 3 had some diluted visions of what people wanted in those days. There was a show I saw where Bob Lutz was discussing how unbelievable some of the sales projections for certain models when he arrived at GM.
Well the whole thing was the Hot Rod market and retro thing was really playing out big time with big money cars. People who could not build a street rod or restore a T bird were buying at high prices at auction.
So why not build a brand new street rod or T bird and sell it for around the same price?
Well that is where the fail came in as the people who were spending the money were wanting the real thing not a fake one with a V6 engine or a truck with horrible ergonomics. The T bird was just an expensive convertible that really had no value.
Lutz was here for the SSR and to be fair GM and Bob’s intent was to make a little noise and offer something with a performance edge since they had just lost the Camaro. They figured based on the positive auto show response that it would do well. It may have done better if it was cheaper but with the folding top and low volume the price just got higher and higher to where it made it not a good option for many.
If they had kept it simple and cheap it would have sold like crazy. The HHR has proven that with the six figure volume it sold for many years.
Also the SSR because it had to keep to the show styling and the use of borrowed parts from the bin things like adjusting the seat was a deal you had to open the door to get your hand down there. The Heater controls were odd and from Alfa Romeo as were the Door Handles if I recall correctly.
The SSR was fun to drive with the bigger engine. I had autocrossed several and it was not a handler. The Flex of the Trailblazer frame with no roof was horrible. You can see the steering wheel move.
As for styling it is polarizing you either love it or not. But the key was price it was just too damn expensive a the volume they did. they should have kept it simple and sold it with a sold roof. Also made the bed usable for real truck use. If they could have sold it for around the price of the Camaro they just lost it would have done better.
As for the Camino. I had a GMC Sprint SP at one time. It is a GMC version of the Camino SS with the BBC. I loved that car. I just wish there really was a market for one today but with trucks as they are I do not see that they would do well nor would they be inexpensive. The best I could do since was a Sonoma with a ZQ8 suspension. It was like a truck that drove like a Camaro. I hope the Canyon gets a version.
The standard motor for the SP was a small-block.