Here’s a body and engine swap that no one asked for, and on the surface doesn’t seem possible. And yet, it’s one of the more interesting and most comprehensive swaps I’ve ever seen. Over at the BodeVision YouTube channel is an El Hondamino—a Chevrolet El Camino body mounted to an all-wheel-drive Honda CR-V platform and powertrain.
The build started off as a stock first-generation CR-V and El Camino shell. Then, most of the Honda’s chassis was cut away, leaving just the floor, interior, engine bay, and suspension. All the pillars were sliced too, and the El Camino body was slowly fitted to the CR-V chassis, carving and modifying along the way to make it all fit.
After getting the body on, and fabricating a front end around the Honda’s transverse, four-cylinder B-Series engine, it was turbo time. A JackSpania Racing turbo, intercooler/radiator combo, and headers were fitted to make far more power than a normal CR-V and, as mentioned in the video, the wrong sorts of noises for an El Camino. But that’s what makes it so much fun. And since the CR-V originally had a five-speed manual, this ute has a stick, too. So, to recap, we have a turbocharged, four-cylinder, manual, all-wheel-drive El Camino, which probably makes it one-of-one in the world.
Die-hard American muscle fans won’t be pleased with a Honda four-pot replacing a Chevy V8, or going from rear- to all-wheel drive, but this build is so unique and has clearly involved so much care that I think it’ll win over the hearts of most enthusiasts.
The build isn’t finished yet, but it’s close. The truck is painted and it runs, but it still needs a few final body tweaks. The white paint, with its brown, orange, and yellow stripes, gives it a ’70s vibe in keeping with the El Camino body. However, the noises that come out of it won’t sound ’70s at all.
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