This was my High School & College car.  I went thru 2 engines, 2 transmissions and several rear differentials, not to mention plenty of other mechanical/electrical parts.  At one point someone was jealous and keyed it on all 4 corners, an axle decided it didn't want to be part of my El Camino and took off on it's own and in the process rolled a fender, so it's not because I was rough on it.  ;-)  Really, stuff just happened.  I managed to put over 100,000 miles on it in the 7 years that I owned it and it was getting pretty beat up by the time it was retired. 

From time to time I think back on the time I had with this old El Camino and wish it was still around, but then I remember the water leaks and the mildew smell, the nit-picky problems, carburetors, speedometer not reading correctly, faded paint and bondo breaking free, etc. and then I realize why I got rid of it for my 95 Impala SS.

That still doesn't stop me from feeling nostalgic about this old 71.  No, in fact that's why I posted these pictures, early in it's life cycle while under my ownership.  She still sports a beautiful paint job.  This is also why I'm helping my Dad build up a 69 El Camino SS.  This  El Camino got me my first speeding ticket, got me in my first accident and plenty of other firsts, along with plenty of things that I won't go into here. ;-)  Because of that, I have many fond memories of this 71 El Camino SS and the many nights spent harassing others and on a few occasions, others harassing me.