The undisputed kings of American car folklore are pick-up trucks and muscle cars. It's a natural order that has been in place ever since the muscle car's heyday in the 1970s, and it has been the cornerstone of many a gearhead's ideal two-vehicle garage. But with the El Camino SS, Chevrolet freed up a space on the dream driveway by merging both vehicles into one awesome-looking car. This 1971 example on the list for an upcoming Mecum auction made us sit up. With a great color scheme, a restored interior, and only minor modifications, it's everything we want a classic El Camino to be. Practical Muscle Will Always Be Cool Mecum AuctionsOver in Australia, the "ute" – a pick-up truck based on a car platform – is a common sight, but less so on this side of the Pacific Ocean. Nevertheless, the Ford Ranchero was launched in the 1950s, and Chevrolet immediately needed a rival product. So the El Camino was introduced in the late '50s, and it came and went through five distinct generations until the mid-1980s. Each version was based on a different car's platform, and a variety of six- and eight-cylinder engines were offered. But this SS model has to be the most impressive and most appealing of them all.The third-generation El Camino, built between 1968 and 1972, was based on the Chevelle sedan and station wagon models, but it got the Malibu interior and exterior trims. That gave it a muscly shape from the outset, with a long hood, broad grill, and a low load bed, making it almost as practical as an F-150 and as punchy as a Mustang.Unsurprisingly, it made the El Camino a hit with customers, and the car quickly outsold its arch rival, the Ranchero. Admittedly, the Super Sports (SS) badge was only fitted to a fraction of the El Caminos sold, but it has left a lasting legacy. The SS badge became the stuff of legend when it appeared on the Chevrolet Camaro, and that glory has been reflected onto the El Camino.MecumIn fairness, the El Camino – and the SS in particular – deserves respect all of its own. This do-anything coupe-truck was a hit in its own right, quickly outselling the Ranchero and remaining in production for the best part of 30 years. In 1972 alone, more than 57,000 El Caminos were built, and more than 225,000 examples of this desirable third-generation car were produced across its five-year lifespan. It isn't bad going for what could well be one of the earliest niche-within-a-niche cars.Mecum AuctionsThis El Camino, a 1971 SS, looks particularly awesome. SS-badged cars didn't just get the kudos of the SS logo that found fame on the Camaro, but custom lower bodywork, and rally-spec wheels, not to mention the cool power bulge on the hood. This one, finished in Rosewood paint with a Sandalwood interior and white-wall tires, looks sensational. And it isn't even heavily modified, although it does have a new aluminum exhaust and a new interior – albeit in the correct color scheme. But the vinyl roof, black stripes, and vinyl load bed cover are all glorious throwbacks to the best muscle car traditions. It's Just As Awesome Under The Skin MecumUnder the El Camino SS's hood is an enormous 454-cubic-inch big-block V8 that dwarfs most modern eight-cylinder mills. Although 1970 models with the LS6 engine produced an enormous 450 horsepower, the later 1971 LS5 version seen here was throttled – quite literally – by the arrival of unleaded fuel. As a result, power was cut back to 365 horsepower. Even so, the El Camino SS's engine was still bigger and more potent than the 396-cubic-inch V8 fitted to the Camaro SS of the era, and it was offered with a choice of transmissions. Buyers could choose between a four-speed "Muncie" stick-shift or a three-speed hydramatic auto option.While that may not sound particularly impressive by today's standards, remember none of these engines used turbocharging or even fuel injection to produce power that was, for the time, pretty impressive. Even with the less powerful LS5 engine on board, it could get from 0-60 mph in less than 6.5 seconds. That puts it in the same ballpark as a modern Volkswagen Golf GTI. A Big Block Bargain Mecum AuctionsIn the 1970s, records clearly weren't quite as accurate as they are today, because there's no knowing exactly how many El Camino SS models were produced in 1971. Nevertheless, it's estimated that we're talking about hundreds rather than thousands. And today, they're a rare breed indeed.Back when it was new, the 1971 El Camino SS cost a little under $5,000, which was a lot of money at the time, but you can expect to pay much more than that today. Over the past 12 months, El Camino SS models with the LS5 engine have sold on Classic.com for well over $40,000, which is quite the increase in value. Every so often, one sells for six figures, but they're anomalies, really. Even so, gold might be a safe bet, but you could have done a lot worse than sinking a few grand into an El Camino SS. And that LS5 makes a much better noise than a few ounces of soft yellow metal.As if to back up the El Camino's value credentials, the $40-45,000 price tag is roughly half what Classic.com estimates a contemporary second-generation Chevelle SS to be worth. So you can still take advantage of the El Camino's price tag today. It's a great way into owning a cool and interesting piece of 1970s muscle, all for less than your average new car.Sources: Mecum, Classic.com.