StreetGRIP Install on 1969 El Camino

Recently, RideTech sales and tech representative George Lewis had the opportunity to install a StreetGRIP system on his super-clean 1969 El Camino. George has owned this car since 2011, when he picked it up at a car show he had gone to Palm Beach to attend on a whim. This nearly-numbers-matching, original SS car caught his eye the moment he saw it; his first car was a ’76 El Camino, he loved the color, and it was in great condition, so he brought it home to Indiana.

The El Camino didn’t need any major mods, so little was done to it over the years other than switching to period-correct wheels and rubber. Earlier this year, George had the opportunity to drive the white StreetGRIP Chevelle all the way from Indiana to a show in Raleigh and back; it was late evening when he returned so he took the Chevelle home, and that’s when the StreetGRIP system really shone. “It did great the whole way down there and back on the highways and interstates,” said George, “but once I got it on the less-than-perfect secondary roads and streets closer to home, the ride really blew me away! I’m used to riding some of these roads in my newer 3/4-ton pickup, so there were a few spots where you kind of pucker up and think ‘This is gonna hurt’, but in the Chevelle…it didn’t hurt. It just rode right over those spots without a problem.”.

When the time came around to install the system on his own car, George enslisted the help of fellow sales gurus Josh and Chase. Even though there were three of them and a huge bay with a lift, the install still took several hours; just because you have all of the tools available doesn’t mean you know where they all are! The team only ran into a few small snags (rusted bolts, etc.) along the way, so overall, it was a smooth and easy install.

George also had the opportunity to use the Bushing Removal & Installation tool we now offer (CLICK HERE), and he said, “That tool saved us several headaches we didn’t even know we’d have. Even with a press available in the machine shop next door, just being able to thread those on and slip those bushings right where they needed to be saved a ton of time and hassle!”.

George is more than impressed with the way his El Camino rides and drives now. “When we tore into it, we noticed that while it still had the stock springs, someone had changed the shocks…at different times, to different models. None of them matched! Instead of driving like a truck, now it drives like it’s supposed to. I haven’t found a local road yet that has posed any problems for the StreetGRIP. It rides great, it’s solid in corners, and the stance is perfect.”