Help my google-fu (uncommon car content) or (cragslist plugins for browser)

I have decided to get an El Camino or one of its GMC sprint/caballero counterparts. A Ranchero isn't out of the question, but that either gets my a tiny falcon with a unibody bed, or an expensive Torino with a bed.

Craigslist is worthless because there are four around here and they are junk. I tried downloading a few different FF CL helpers to no avail because they sucked. Ebay is ridiculous because if you find one that is within 500 miles, its not running with a buy-it-now of $19,000.

Carmax is of course useless on specialty cars and auto trader turned up one single example for $28,000. I did a comprehensive search for G-body and El Camino forums and found a ton of half-completed projects for three times what they were worth.

So where does one search for non-common cars these days? I'd be happy with a solid body and no motor/tranny because I can supply those. I'm a bit of CL whore because I've always found what I wanted. El Caminos aren't easy to find... especially ones that aren't completely white-trashed or wal-marted.

By the way, a good example of what I'm finding:

An 87 with 103k miles for $10k
http://chambersburg.craigslist.org/cto/4440501010.html

Or maybe this 85 with a bad title and misrepresented mileage that is most likely 150k for $7000
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-El-Camino-Conquista-Standard-Cab-Pickup-2-Door-1985-Chevrolet-El-Camino-Conquista-Standard-/151294087017?forcerrptr=true&hash=item2339d48f69&item=151294087017&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

"wanted: cheap el camino that doesn't suck."

The bonus is that I found this to make you guys drool a little...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-El-Camino-2-Door-1965-El-Camino-Twin-Turbo-2JZGTE-R154-5speed-Manual-Swap-/171321906992?forcerrptr=true&hash=item27e394d730&item=171321906992&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

http://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/4457875346.html

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/4452903879.html

Here's a Sprint

http://prescott.craigslist.org/cto/4451325782.html

Theres a metric berkeleyton of them around me. Id be happy to go hunting for you around here.

As far as the searching goes, I rely heavily on searchtempest. Within 400 miles and 500 more than my max price usually turns up a bunch of stuff for me.

for $10K, I'd take this one http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/cto/4458414276.html

Or for $4500. Says it's a true SS? http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/cto/4424196464.html

These are just some of the Rancheros and El Caminos from my local CL.

http://wilmington.craigslist.org/cto/4356188450.html

http://wilmington.craigslist.org/cto/4426973736.html

http://wilmington.craigslist.org/cto/4459852596.html

http://wilmington.craigslist.org/cto/4424380667.html

http://wilmington.craigslist.org/cto/4408508788.html

http://florencesc.craigslist.org/cto/4446715928.html

http://fayetteville.craigslist.org/cto/4444995683.html

http://florencesc.craigslist.org/cto/4413063758.html

There seems to be a ton more on there. I guess I live in a "My Name is Earl" type place.

Oh, and welcome to the dark side, Curtis. Once you have an elky, life is never the same.

I only mean this in the kindest way, but...
I think Curtis knows the "dark side" and his life is far from "the same". I say this not just because he has owned an elky before (but he has.)

Or, was it the first elky that changed everything??

My tip for searching.

Get an RSS plugin for your browser. I use slick RSS for chrome.

Go to searchtempest, enter the info, distance, ect and click search. On the search results page will be a link with "get RSS feeds for this search"

Click that link, download the file and open it in a text viewer. Copy and paste that block of text into the "manage feeds" portion of the RSS reader.

Then you will get a little notice in your browser when something you are looking for comes up for sale.

Dusterbd13 wrote: Oh, and welcome to the dark side, Curtis. Once you have an elky, life is never the same.

I had an 85 and I sold it because it rusted apart. I've missed it. It started with a few holes in the frame that I cut out and welded in steel. Then some more rusted out and I patched those. Then it got tough to weld in patches because there was so little steel left. Finally a lower control arm ripped out when I hit the brakes once. I fixed it and sold it.

Remember how skateboard kids used to patch their converse all-stars with duct tape, and eventually the shoe disintegrated and it was just a shoe-shaped thing made mostly of duct tape? That's how my frame was.

Ditchdigger wrote: My tip for searching. Get an RSS plugin for your browser. I use slick RSS for chrome. Go to searchtempest, enter the info, distance, ect and click search. On the search results page will be a link with "get RSS feeds for this search" Click that link, download the file and open it in a text viewer. Copy and paste that block of text into the "manage feeds" portion of the RSS reader. Then you will get a little notice in your browser when something you are looking for comes up for sale.

Ok... I'll try that. I never understood how those worked but maybe I can muddle through it.

I think what I'll do is get chrome just for the plugins and RSS. I really don't like Chrome for general browsing, but I don't like FF because there isn't much good user support.

How have I never discovered SearchTempest???

I'm so screwed.