2013 El Camino Nationals - The Way of the Road

"Interesting cars are owned by interesting people."

Car meets are what keep the heart of this hobby pumping. For many of us, we see the weekly car meeting as our escape from the office, real life, and all the burdens that come with it. This "escape" is even more delightful when it comes on an annual basis and can lure fellow car junkies from faraway places. In the case of the National El Camino Association, the Gainesville gathering on May 11th has established a successful second year event with hopes to return next year.

The night before, some of the gang met up at the local Cody's Roadhouse to get acclimated with some of the members. If you're not active on any car forums, then you don't know how refreshing it can be to put a face to the name—username that is. Sharing stories over some food and beverages will always lay the path to a good time and, in this case, it spilled over to the event the next day.

Arriving early in the morning before the gates opened, some of the Camino posse was gathering in a line to get through the gate. This is where we bumped into Steve Saunders, one of the head organizers for the National El Camino Association. "We like to get the group together a few times a year to catch up and just have a good time," he proclaimed. There were several other Camino gatherings that coincided with the one in Florida across the country. These undoubtedly ensure the strong bond they all share for the same cars.

Once the gates of Florida’s Auto Plus Raceway—formerly Gainesville Raceway—opened, the eager racers, enthusiasts, and spectators spilled in. Steve led the pack to a designated area under tree cover to set up shop for their private party. In total, over 25 El Caminos popped their hoods for the show. After the meet-and- greet from the night before, the transition into the next day was seamless, as some members wished to put their money where their mouth was and go head-to-head down the strip.

We caught up with David Mercer from Lady Lake, Florida, and his beautiful '59 El Camino. He told us about some of the benefits he has experienced being a part of this car community. Unless you own one, you probably haven't attempted to look for 1959 El Camino parts—well there aren't too many out there. But, with the help of these members, David was able to find the crucial parts he needed to revive his classic Chevy. It's stories like this one that show us that niche car organizations keep the spirit of classic vehicles like the El Camino alive.

Thankfully, the clouds cooperated with us at Gainesville Raceway before the flood gates opened. This kept the sun at bay, and the heat low. Special thanks to Steve Saunders for inviting us out and providing some of Gainesville's best BBQ - Terrell's Bar-B-Que! Without further adieu, here are some pictures we captured at the event.

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2013 El Camino Nationals - The Way of the Road

Once again, Gainesville hosted the National El Camino Association for the annual gathering.

Some of the members line up in the pits ready to silence their friend's friendly smack talk!

Steve Saunders lights 'em up to take on his challenger in the left lane.

Checking in at the EZ-Up.

One of the best things about meets like this are the swap meets where you'll find those hard-to-find parts you've scoured the internet and forums for.

David Mercer's story started back around 2001 when he acquired a helluva project '59 El Camino. Using help from forum members he was able to hunt down the parts he needed to complete it.

The starting point for David left him facing a big challenge to get the car back on the road.

Brad Good's blue '72 GMC Sprint was a site we don't see very often. They were built from '71 to '77 and aside from badges, they were virtually identical to the El Camino.

Sitting next to Brad's '72 was this lovely '71 El Camino owned by Chuck Ziegenfuss.

Sean Wilson took the liberty of making a few changes to his '69 SS 396, such as the top and the paint color. But, they came together so nicely, you'll never hear a peep out of any Melvins out there who demand cars stay original.

Alex Szabo '83 "Green Machine" was the only child of the '80s in its row of classics. Still, it held its own in the beauty department.

According to Steve, this El Camino belonged to his father and now it serves diligently as his daily work vehicle.

Tyrone Johnson's '87 had a clean engine bay, and a handful of custom touches throughout.

David Lockar made the trip up from Bradenton in his daily driver.

Al and Hedi Mann claim joint ownership of their beautiful '65.

Camera shy Geoff Garfield was caught off guard as he exited his two-tone '67.

Matt Creagor came from the southeastern tip of Florida, Nokomis, FL to make sure his '85 was there for the show.

Lenny Carey's Camino sported a custom paint job that helps him stand out in his home city of Summerland, FL.

It's the much-dreaded "Love Bug Season" here in Florida—meaning love bugs will sacrifice themselves for the sake of love into the front of your car. Randy Turner of Palm City came prepared with this shield to keep his '87 GMC Caballero looking sharp after the bugs had gotten a room.

Mickey Moccaco (right) returns from a trip down the strip in his '86.

Jay Bernard's beautiful '69 known as "El Chromeo" got a lot of attention at the show.

A quick peak under the hood and you'll find out why it boasts such a nickname. The 396 was dressed with chrome everything. We're sure it's a real pain in the you-know-what to keep looking good, so kudos to Jay!

The final destination after a long travel is the Super Chevy Show in Pomona, California, where the 1973 Chevy El Camino will be presented to the National Hot Rod Association Motorsports Museum in memory of a man I am honored to have called a friend. - Super Chevy Magazine » Read More