1972 · Chevrolet · United States
1972 Chevrolet El Camino SS: The Last Chevelle-Bodied Year, Two Z15 Totals
Last year of the Chevelle-bodied El Camino SS; 50,359 V8 Malibu El Caminos were built, and the SS share is not separately published.
United States · researched through 2026-09-22
This record's own overview states that for 1972, the last year of the Chevelle-bodied El Camino SS, the reference production page reports 24,946 Malibu and Malibu/Custom El Camino series cars with RPO Z15 SS and 5,333 with SS 454 equipment, while the same site's option page separately prints the Z15 figure as 29,946. Neither figure is split by body style, so this record cannot say how many Z15 cars specifically were El Caminos, and the record carries the two conflicting Z15 totals side by side rather than choosing between them.1,1
This record's own key facts restate that the Malibu El Camino, model 13680, was built 50,359 times, and note that a separate production-totals source gives 57,147 El Caminos built for 1972 across every trim and engine combination, matching the sum of this file's own body-scoped rows. That same key facts section adds that the production-totals source marks El Camino SS with an asterisk, meaning it was an option added to the Custom V8 model rather than a separately tabulated body style, consistent with no El Camino-specific SS row appearing anywhere in this record.1,2
This record's own production rows break the 57,147 total into three body-scoped counts: 50,359 V8 Malibu El Caminos, 5,481 V8 lower-series El Caminos, and 1,307 six-cylinder lower-series El Caminos. Alongside those it carries the two disputed Z15 line-wide figures, 24,946 and 29,946, and the 5,333-unit Z15-with-SS-454 figure, all three explicitly labeled not an El Camino count; this record's own conflicts section states plainly that the one-digit discrepancy between the two Z15 totals is unresolved and both are shown rather than one being preferred.1,1,1,1,1
This record's own prices section carries a single 1972 figure, $2,959.70 for the V8 Malibu El Camino, read by its position in a nine-line Malibu price list rather than from a row labeled by model number. Its engines section documents a 110-horsepower 250 six standard, a 130-horsepower 307 V8 standard on V8 models, a 165-horsepower L65 350, a 175-horsepower L48 350, a 240-horsepower LS3 402 with dual exhausts, and a 270-horsepower LS5 454 for SS 454 cars, the LS5 and LS3 both marked as unavailable for California registration and several of the smaller engines requiring option YF5 for a California build.1,1
This record's own transmissions section documents a standard three-speed coded ZW4, an M11 floor-shift three-speed for L65 and L48, a special MC1 floor-shift three-speed for LS3, an M20 four-speed for L65, L48 and LS3, an M22 special close-ratio four-speed limited to LS5 with SS equipment, an M35 Powerglide for the two smallest engines, and an M40 Turbo Hydra-Matic across most of the range. This record's own options section is empty for 1972, a gap it carries without substitution even though option prices for other years in the record's own source family are documented elsewhere.1
This record's own paint section lists fifteen solid colors by code, from Antique White through Cranberry Red, and its interiors section documents five trim codes by description and model list, every one of them carrying no production count in this record's own fields. Its own unpublished leads section flags a Wikipedia-sourced claim, not corroborated elsewhere in the record, that all 1972 454 El Caminos carry W as the fifth VIN character and that the 454 was available only with SS trim, a claim this record's own engines section appears to leave open since it lists the LS5 454 as an SS 454 engine without stating it was unavailable without Z15.1,1
Fact sheet · 1972 · United States
The numbers
1972 Chevrolet El Camino SS — Last year of the Chevelle-bodied El Camino SS; 50,359 V8 Malibu El Caminos were built, and the SS share is not separately published.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-22.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
- Malibu El Camino V8: 50,359 built.1
- Team Chevelle's production-totals page gives 57,147 El Caminos built for 1972 across all trims and engines, matching the sum of this file's own body-scoped rows; it does not separate an El Camino-specific SS count from that total (Z15 was an option added to the Custom V8 model, not tabulated apart from it).2
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malibu El Camino, V8 only (13680)1 Malibu · 2-door sedan pickup · V8 · US tabulation | 50,359 | built, model-year | Reported |
| El Camino, V8 (13480)1 Chevelle · 2-door sedan pickup · V8 · US tabulation | 5,481 | built, model-year | Reported |
| El Camino, six (13380)1 Chevelle · 2-door sedan pickup · 6-cyl · US tabulation | 1,307 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| RPO Z15 SS, Malibu and Malibu/Custom El Camino combined1 SS · Malibu sport coupe, convertible, El Camino · V8 · US tabulation Not an El Camino count; the same site's options page prints 29,946. | 24,946 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| Z15 with SS 454, combined1 SS 454 · Malibu sport coupe, convertible, El Camino · LS5 · US tabulation Not an El Camino count. | 5,333 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Camino, all series (total)2 2-door sedan pickup · US tabulation Equals the sum of the rows above (50,359+5,481+1,307), which are independently sourced to ChevelleStuff.net; that match is corroboration, not the basis for this row. The source marks El Camino SS as '*' (an option on the Custom V8 model, not separately tabulated) for this year, consistent with no El Camino-specific SS row being added. | 57,147 | built, model-year | Reported |
Rows are separately scoped; do not add them. No El Camino SS count was found.
Paint and trim codes are from the Chevelle-line tables; paint counts on the source are for all Chevelles and are not shown here as El Camino counts. Trim counts are shown only where the trim code is listed for El Camino models; a count that also covers other models says so.
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Malibu El Camino, V8 (13680)1 | $2,959.70 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, base V8; read by position in the source's Malibu list (nine lines, nine prices), 1972 model year |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| LS5 · Turbo-Jet 4541,1 454 cu in · 4-barrel | 270 hp @ 4,000, 390 lb-ft @ 3,200 (SAE net) | SS 454; not available in California | Not yet sourced |
| Turbo-Thrift 250 six1,1 250 cu in · 1-barrel | 110 hp @ 3,800, 185 lb-ft @ 1,600 (SAE net) | standard, El Camino six-cylinder model; California registration with option YF5 | Not yet sourced |
| Turbo-Fire 307 V81,1 307 cu in · 2-barrel | 130 hp @ 4,000, 230 lb-ft @ 2,400 (SAE net) | standard, El Camino V8 models; not available for California registration | Not yet sourced |
| L65 · Turbo-Fire 350 V81,1 350 cu in · 2-barrel | 165 hp @ 4,000, 280 lb-ft @ 2,400 (SAE net) | optional, El Camino V8 models; California with YF5 | Not yet sourced |
| L48 · Turbo-Fire 350 V81,1 350 cu in · 4-barrel | 175 hp @ 4,000, 280 lb-ft @ 2,400 (SAE net) | optional, El Camino V8 models; California with YF5 | Not yet sourced |
| LS3 · Turbo-Jet 400 (402 cu in) V81,1 402 cu in · 4-barrel | 240 hp @ 4,400, 345 lb-ft @ 3,200 (SAE net) | optional, El Camino V8 models; dual exhausts; not available for California registration | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| ZW4 · 3-speed (standard), column shift1 | standard with the 250, 307 and L65 | Not yet sourced |
| M11 · 3-speed, floor shift1 | L65 and L48 | Not yet sourced |
| MC1 · Special 3-speed, floor shift1 | LS3 | Not yet sourced |
| M20 · 4-speed wide-range1 | L65, L48 and LS3 | Not yet sourced |
| M22 · Special 4-speed close-ratio1 | LS5 with SS equipment | Not yet sourced |
| M35 · Powerglide1 | 250 and 307 | Not yet sourced |
| M40 · Turbo Hydra-Matic1 | 307, L65, L48, LS3 and LS5 | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
11 (904) |
Antique White1 | Not yet sourced |
14 (924) |
Pewter Silver1 | Not yet sourced |
24 (907) |
Ascot Blue1 | Not yet sourced |
26 (976) |
Mulsanne Blue1 | Not yet sourced |
36 (941) |
Spring Green1 | Not yet sourced |
43 (928) |
Gulf Green1 | Not yet sourced |
48 (929) |
Sequoia Green1 | Not yet sourced |
50 (930) |
Covert Tan1 | Not yet sourced |
53 (925) |
Placer Gold1 | Not yet sourced |
56 (936) |
Cream Yellow1 | Not yet sourced |
57 (932) |
Golden Brown1 | Not yet sourced |
63 (933) |
Mohave Gold1 | Not yet sourced |
65 (938) |
Orange Flame1 | Not yet sourced |
68 (935) |
Midnight Bronze1 | Not yet sourced |
75 (917) |
Cranberry Red1 | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
701 |
Black Pinta CTO/Coated Fabric (models 13436, 13437, 13446, 13469, 13480)1 | Not yet sourced |
704 |
Black Elk CTO/Coated Fabric (models 13637, 13639, 13669, 13636, 13646, 13667, 13680, 13836, 13846)1 | Not yet sourced |
719 |
Antique Medium Tan Pinta Coated Fabric, Antique Medium Tan Coated Fabric (models 13436, 13437, 13446, 13469, 13480)1 | Not yet sourced |
720 |
Antique Medium Tan Coated Fabric (models 13636, 13637, 13646, 13667, 13669, 13680, 13836, 13846)1 | Not yet sourced |
732 |
Antique Light Covert Elk Coated Fabric (models 13637, 13639, 13669, 13680)1 | Not yet sourced |
Where the sources disagree
Identification
Read a 1972 Chevrolet VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1972
- AMC AMX The first year of SAE net ratings and Chrysler-built TorqueFlite automatics. Javelin AMX production rose to 3,220, and the 304 V8 became available.
- AMC Gremlin X and Spirit AMX The first V8 Gremlin: the 304 (150 hp SAE net) in AMC's subcompact. Gremlin X production is not published in any source found.
- AMC Javelin The base model was dropped, so every non-AMX Javelin was an SST. This was the first year of the Pierre Cardin interior and of Chrysler-built automatics.
- Buick Riviera Net ratings only for 1972: 250 hp standard, 260 GS per ROA; 2,171 of 33,728 were GS.
- Buick Skylark Gran Sport, GS and GSX The last A-body GS year before the Colonnade Century; the GSX package, now in many colours, was invoiced on only 44 cars, most of them outside the lower 48 states.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The last Z15 Chevelle SS of the first generation: net-rated engines, an LS5 454 at 270 net hp, and 5,333 SS 454s.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova The source engine table switches to net ratings; SS and Rally Nova offered. Enthusiast-compiled production: 349,733 cars; Super Sport 12,309.
- Dodge Challenger Hardtop only, with a new grille: the R/T gave way to the Challenger Rallye package, and the most powerful engine listed was the 340 four-barrel.
- Dodge Charger The R/T and Super Bee were dropped; the new Rallye package became the performance Charger, and the 440 Six Pack was cancelled after a handful of cars.
- Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon The Demon's second and final year under that name: 8,773 Demon 340s, with small Canadian and Swiss-market 340 runs counted separately.
- Ford Maverick Grabber The dual-scoop-hood Grabber in its second year as a model; Classic Industries counts 35,347.
- Ford Ranchero GT The Ranchero GT continued on the 1972-76 Ranchero; 12,620 GTs were built, per reference-site counts in the Standard Catalog lineage.
- Ford Thunderbird First year of the sixth-generation Thunderbird; only the whole-line production total was found.
- Ford Torino The new body-on-frame Torino sold 496,645 in 1972; the performance models were the Gran Torino Sport SportsRoof (60,794) and hardtop (31,239), with the 351 Cobra Jet and a Rallye Equipment Group on the option list.
- Mercury Cougar Net ratings arrived, the 429 was gone, and the 351 Cobra Jet became the performance Cougar engine, fitted to 3,560 cars.
- Mercury Montego GT The first year of the fastback-only Montego GT on the new split-wheelbase intermediate, with the Cyclone name reduced to a performance option that only a few dozen buyers took.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds The 4-4-2 became a Cutlass option again, engines were rated in SAE net (W-30: 300 hp), and a Hurst/Olds paced the Indianapolis 500.
- Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda Hardtops only, single headlamps, four round taillamps, and a 340 four-barrel as the top engine: the 'Cuda carried it as standard.
- Plymouth Duster 340 and 360 In the first net-rating year the Duster 340's 8.5:1 340 was rated 240 net hp with electronic ignition, the Twister became order code A51, and output rose to 15,681 in both compilations.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite For 1972 the GTX existed only as the 440 four-barrel option on the Road Runner hardtop; Mueller's Muscle Car Source Book counts 672 of them.
- Plymouth Road Runner The hardtop-only Road Runner took a 400 four-barrel as its advertised standard engine, and production fell again.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am A strike-shortened year: 29,951 Firebirds and 1,286 Trans Ams, every one a 455 HO.
- Pontiac GTO The GTO goes back to being an option on the LeMans, with net ratings only; 5,807 were built.
- Pontiac Grand Prix A carryover year with the SJ still offered; production recovered to 91,961.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The GTO becomes a LeMans option, and the LeMans gets WW4 and WW5 performance packages.