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Alky Hauler: Andrew Williamson's 1979 Chevy El Camino

Your first car often falls into one of two categories: a ratty beater you remember fondly or a cool ride you wish you still had. Andrew Williamson chose a rare third option: he kept his first car, transitioned it to street/strip duty, then refined it into a competitive race car.

A Team Leader in our Tallmadge, Ohio, Retail Superstore, Andrew grew up around cars, but not drag racing. “My dad had a couple of muscle cars when I was a kid, which kind of got me into the car thing, but they weren’t all-out race cars…When I graduated from high school, I started working here and I started hot-rodding my car. That turned into a passion for racing, and I had to learn all this stuff by really immersing myself in it.”

Andrew wasn’t even old enough to drive when he found the El Camino. “I was 15 years old and I was riding my bike to work—I was working at a Wendy’s in the summertime—and I had wanted a G-body Malibu.” He saw the car on his route to work, and its owner was moving and selling everything. His father, Andy, was quick to point out the advantages of GM’s car/truck hybrid. “I’ve hunted since I was a little kid and my dad was like, ‘There you go! That’d be perfect. You can use it for hunting deer and throw whatever you need in the back, and you could have a muscle car—the front of it’s the same thing as a Malibu,’” Andrew recalled.

The El Camino served as his daily for a few years. “I daily drove it until I got hired at Summit in 2013. I drove it to my interview!” he laughed. “Winter hit, and I knew I needed to have a reliable vehicle to get to work, so I bought a daily driver/beater and that’s when I started working on it.”

Over the years, the car progressed from a street/strip machine to a full-time race car. The 350 Andrew had originally built was hopped up, then stroked to 383 cubic inches, propelling it into the low 10s. When the 383 failed spectacularly in the burnout box (breaking the block and every main cap) it was time for another upgrade.

That broken 383 was just the beginning. Visit OnAllCylinders.com for the full scoop on Andrew's Elco and what goes into winning!

Photography: Todd Biss Productions
Art Direction: Aaron Gray
Story: Aaron Dolezal

FAST SPECS

Engine

Induction & Fuel

Ignition & Electrical

Exhaust

  • Custom 2" stainless steel headers by Clayton Danford of DBR Fab, Akron, OH

Cooling

Driveline

Chassis

  • Frame notched for tire clearance
  • Adjustable rear control arm mounts
  • 12-point roll cage (NHRA 8.50 certified)

Suspension & Steering

Brakes

Wheels & Tires

Body & Paint

Interior

Special thanks to: My father Andy Williamson, Chuck Strom, John Deak, Shawn Minor, Gage Nangle, Chris Peaslee, Clayton Danford

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