1973 · Chevrolet · United States
1973 Chevrolet El Camino SS: The Colonnade Arrives, Z15 Reaches the Wagon Too
The new Colonnade El Camino could still be ordered with RPO Z15 SS equipment; no El Camino SS count was found.
United States · researched through 2026-09-22
This record's own overview states that ChevelleStuff describes RPO Z15 SS equipment as offered in 1973 on the sport coupe, the El Camino, and, for the only time, the station wagon, with 28,647 Z15 options sold across all three bodies combined and no El Camino split given. It adds that the 454, the sole big-block remaining for 1973, was rated 245 net horsepower and, for the first time, could be ordered without the SS package at all.1
This record's own key facts state that the 1973 Chevelle book lists Z15 SS for three specific model numbers, the Malibu coupe 1AD37, the Custom El Camino 1AD80, and the Malibu wagon 1AD35, available with every V8 except the base 307, and that on the El Camino the package added black-and-white upper bodyside and tailgate striping, SS tailgate and fender emblems, Turbine I wheels, and G70x15 white-letter tires. They also state that El Camino production for 1973 totaled 5,287 Standard 1AC80s and 59,700 Custom 1AD80s, all V8, per The Chevelle Report, with 6,723 of the Customs carrying the YA2 Estate package.2
This record's own production rows carry the 28,647-unit Z15 figure as a line-wide total explicitly not an El Camino count, alongside the 5,287 Standard and 59,700 Custom El Camino body counts and the 6,723-unit YA2 Estate package count. A separate production-totals source independently gives 64,987 El Caminos built for 1973, a figure this record notes equals the sum of its own 1AC80 and 59,700 1AD80 rows, and it calls that agreement corroboration across two distinct source lineages rather than the basis for either figure on its own.2,2,3
This record's own engines section documents a 115-horsepower L14 307 standard and explicitly not available with Z15 SS, a 145-horsepower L65 350 optional, a 175-horsepower L48 350 optional, and a 245-horsepower LS4 454 optional with or without Z15, the LS4 carrying its own A-body line-wide production figure of 22,528 units that this record is careful to label not an El Camino count. This record's own prices, transmissions, and options sections are all empty for 1973, a gap the record carries without substitution rather than filling from any other year or source.2
This record's own paint section lists seventeen solid colors plus six two-tone combinations and eight vinyl-roof colors, each two-tone and vinyl option cross-referenced to the specific body colors it could be paired with. Its interiors section documents six trim codes, four of them carrying line-wide production counts, from 17,336 for the Standard El Camino's black bench seat up to 67,882 for the Custom El Camino's black bench-or-bucket combination, every count explicitly labeled not an El Camino-specific figure since it spans every model carrying that trim code.2
This record's own specifications section documents a 116-inch wheelbase, a 3,725-pound curb weight for the V8 Standard El Camino and 3,735 pounds for the V8 Custom, and a GVW range of 5,100 to 5,700 pounds on G78-14B tires. Its own conflicts and unpublished leads sections are both empty for 1973, a gap it carries without substitution even though the record's own production data draws on three separately sourced documents, a web reference, a factory information kit, and a reproduced production-statistics report, that it is careful to keep individually attributed rather than blended into a single unsourced total.
Fact sheet · 1973 · United States
The numbers
1973 Chevrolet El Camino SS — The new Colonnade El Camino could still be ordered with RPO Z15 SS equipment; no El Camino SS count was found.
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
- The 1973 Chevelle book lists RPO Z15 SS for three bodies: Malibu coupe 1AD37, Custom El Camino 1AD80 and Malibu wagon 1AD35, with every V8 except the 307. On the El Camino it added black-and-white upper body-side and tailgate striping, SS tailgate and fender emblems, Turbine I wheels and G70x15 white-letter tires.
- El Camino production for 1973: 5,287 Standard (1AC80) and 59,700 Custom (1AD80), all V8, per The Chevelle Report; 6,723 Customs carried the YA2 Estate package.2
- Team Chevelle's production-totals page independently gives 64,987 El Caminos built for 1973, the same figure as the sum of this file's 1AC80 and 1AD80 rows from The Chevelle Report (5,287 + 59,700); it does not give an El Camino-specific SS count for this year.3
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| RPO Z15 SS, all eligible bodies1 SS · coupe, wagon, El Camino · V8 · US Not an El Camino count. | 28,647 | built, model-year | Reported |
| RPO YA2 El Camino Estate2 Custom El Camino · 2-door pickup delivery · not stated The source gives 59,700 models possible (the 1AD80 total). | 6,723 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Camino (Standard) 1AC802 El Camino · 2-door pickup delivery · V8 · not stated Source lists 0 six-cylinder and 5,287 eight-cylinder. | 5,287 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Custom El Camino 1AD802 Custom El Camino · 2-door pickup delivery · V8 · not stated Source lists 0 six-cylinder and 59,700 eight-cylinder. RPO Z15 SS was offered only on 1AD80 among El Caminos. | 59,700 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Camino, all series (total)3 2-door pickup delivery · not stated Equals the sum of the rows above (5,287+59,700), which are independently sourced to a GM Heritage Archive scan of The Chevelle Report; that match across two distinct lineages is corroboration, not the basis for this row. The source gives no El Camino-specific SS count for 1973. | 64,987 | built, model-year | Reported |
The 1AC80 and 1AD80 rows come from The Chevelle Report (reproduced in the GM Heritage Archive's 1973 El Camino kit scan); the total row above comes independently from Team Chevelle and matches their sum.
The source's option counts (including 28,647 Z15) are A-body line totals; it gives no El Camino split of Z15.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| L14 · Turbo-Fire 307 V8 307 cu in · 2-barrel | 115 hp @ 3,600, 205 lb-ft @ 2,000 (SAE net) | standard El Camino engine; not available with Z15 SS | Not yet sourced |
| L65 · Turbo-Fire 350 V8 350 cu in · 2-barrel | 145 hp @ 4,000, 255 lb-ft @ 2,400 (SAE net) | optional | Not yet sourced |
| L48 · Turbo-Fire 350 V8 350 cu in · 4-barrel | 175 hp @ 4,000, 260 lb-ft @ 2,800 (SAE net) | optional | Not yet sourced |
| LS4 · Turbo-Jet 454 V8 454 cu in · 4-barrel | 245 hp @ 4,000, 375 lb-ft @ 2,800 (SAE net) | optional, with or without Z15 SS | 22,5282 Reported |
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.
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
81 |
Beige | Not yet sourced |
19 |
Black, Tuxedo | Not yet sourced |
24 |
Blue, Light (Metallic) | Not yet sourced |
26 |
Blue, Dark (Metallic) | Not yet sourced |
29 |
Blue, Midnight (Metallic) | Not yet sourced |
68 |
Brown, Dark (Metallic) | Not yet sourced |
56 |
Chamois | Not yet sourced |
60 |
Copper, Light (Metallic) | Not yet sourced |
46 |
Green-Gold (Metallic) | Not yet sourced |
44 |
Green, Light (Metallic) | Not yet sourced |
42 |
Green, Dark (Metallic) | Not yet sourced |
48 |
Green, Midnight | Not yet sourced |
74 |
Red, Dark (Metallic) | Not yet sourced |
64 |
Silver (Metallic) | Not yet sourced |
66 |
Taupe (Metallic) | Not yet sourced |
11 |
White, Antique | Not yet sourced |
24-11 |
Two-tone: Light Blue Metallic lower, Antique White upper | Not yet sourced |
29-11 |
Two-tone: Midnight Blue Metallic lower, Antique White upper | Not yet sourced |
56-11 |
Two-tone: Chamois lower, Antique White upper | Not yet sourced |
46-11 |
Two-tone: Green-Gold Metallic lower, Antique White upper | Not yet sourced |
44-11 |
Two-tone: Light Green Metallic lower, Antique White upper | Not yet sourced |
48-11 |
Two-tone: Midnight Green lower, Antique White upper | Not yet sourced |
vinyl BB |
Vinyl roof, Black (all exterior colors) | Not yet sourced |
vinyl DD |
Vinyl roof, Medium Blue (Midnight Blue or White exteriors only) | Not yet sourced |
vinyl FF |
Vinyl roof, Chamois (Beige, Black, Chamois, Taupe or White exteriors only) | Not yet sourced |
vinyl GG |
Vinyl roof, Medium Green (Light Green, Midnight Green or White exteriors only) | Not yet sourced |
vinyl TT |
Vinyl roof, Light Neutral (Black, Brown, Copper, Green-Gold, Midnight Green, Red or Taupe exteriors only) | Not yet sourced |
vinyl HH |
Vinyl roof, Dark Red (Red, Silver or White exteriors only) | Not yet sourced |
vinyl AA |
Vinyl roof, White (all exterior colors) | 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 |
El Camino (Standard) bench seat, Black vinyl (mixed-tone seats)2 | 17,3362 Reported |
733 |
El Camino (Standard) bench seat, Light Neutral vinyl | Not yet sourced |
704 |
Custom El Camino bench or bucket seats, Black vinyl2 | 67,8822 Reported |
705 |
Custom El Camino bench seat, Medium Blue vinyl2 | 33,7952 Reported |
713 |
Custom El Camino bench seat, Dark Green vinyl2 | 31,2532 Reported |
732 |
Custom El Camino bench or bucket seats, Light Neutral vinyl | Not yet sourced |
720 |
Custom El Camino bench or bucket seats, Dark Saddle vinyl2 | 36,2172 Reported |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 116 in | El Camino |
| Curb weight, 1AC80 V8 | 3,725 lb | El Camino (Standard), V8, standard equipment |
| Curb weight, 1AD80 V8 | 3,735 lb | Custom El Camino, V8, standard equipment |
| GVW rating | 5,100 to 5,700 lb | El Camino, G78-14B tires |
Identification
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Same model year
Also in 1973
- AMC AMX The Javelin AMX's best year. 5,707 were built, a quarter of them with the 401, alongside the Trans Am Victory decal and the Pierre Cardin interior.
- AMC Gremlin X and Spirit AMX The V8 Gremlin X continued, with new stripes and an available Levi's denim-look interior. No production split has been found.
- AMC Javelin The SST name dropped away and new twin 'TV-screen' taillights arrived. Javelin production reached 25,195, alongside the Trans Am Victory decal package.
- Buick Riviera Stage One (260 hp net) joined a separate GS handling package; 1,234 Stage Ones and 3,933 GS cars of 34,080.
- Buick Skylark Gran Sport, GS and GSX On the new Colonnade A-body the GS became a Century Gran Sport package; 6,637 were built, 728 with the 455 Stage 1.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The Colonnade Chevelle's only SS year: RPO Z15 on the Malibu coupe and, for the first and only time, the station wagon, with a 245 net hp 454 available.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova Hatchback appears in the source body table; SS offered with any engine per the source. Enthusiast-compiled production: 369,509 cars; Super Sport 35,542.
- Dodge Challenger The six was gone: every 1973 Challenger hardtop had a V8, the 318 standard and the 340 optional, with the Rallye now sold as a package.
- Dodge Charger The Charger's best-selling year of the original era, 119,318 cars, came as the 440 lost its Magnum name and the car moved toward personal luxury.
- Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon Renamed Dart Sport, the fastback's 340 model sold 11,315 in the 340's final year.
- Ford Maverick Grabber The 200 six became standard as the 170 was dropped; Classic Industries counts 32,350 Grabbers.
- Ford Ranchero GT The Ranchero GT continued on the 1972-76 Ranchero; 15,320 GTs were built, per reference-site counts in the Standard Catalog lineage.
- Ford Thunderbird The 429 4V was standard and the 460 4V optional in the sixth generation's best-selling year.
- Ford Torino The 1973 Torino kept the 1972 body behind a heavier bumper; the Gran Torino Sport fell to 51,853 SportsRoofs and 17,090 hardtops while the 351 Cobra Jet remained the performance engine.
- Mercury Cougar The last Cougar convertible and the last 351 Cobra Jet year, with production up to 60,629 as buyers shifted to the XR-7.
- Mercury Montego GT The Montego GT fastback's second and last year; a vehicle profile reports 4,464 built.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds On the new Colonnade Cutlass the 4-4-2 was a W-29 appearance and handling option, and the Hurst/Olds came in white or, for the first time, black: 1,097 built.
- Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda V8 only: the 318 became standard on both Barracuda and 'Cuda, the 340 moved to the option list, and production rose for the only time after 1970.
- Plymouth Duster 340 and 360 The 340's last year in the Duster produced 15,731 cars with power front disc brakes now standard, and the Spacemaker Pak fold-down rear seat joined the line.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite For 1973 the GTX name survived only through the Road Runner's optional 440 four-barrel, which came with TorqueFlite only; Mueller's Muscle Car Source Book counts 749 of them.
- Plymouth Road Runner A secondary count puts production back up to 19,056, the highest of the 1971-1974 Satellite-based years.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am The Super Duty year: 4,802 Trans Ams, 252 of them SD-455s.
- Pontiac GTO A GTO option on the new Colonnade LeMans, with the 400 standard and a 455 optional; 4,806 built.
- Pontiac Grand Am Pontiac's Colonnade GT with an Endura nose and a 400 or 455; 43,137 built, the Grand Am's best year, with 1,058 four-speeds.
- Pontiac Grand Prix The Colonnade-body Grand Prix arrives, with the 400 standard and the 455 in the SJ.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The Colonnade LeMans arrives, with GTO and GT options for the two-door models and a Super Duty 455 listed for the LeMans in Pontiac's dealer book.