HomePick of the DayDevil’s bargain: 1978 GMC Caballero Diablo

Devil’s bargain: 1978 GMC Caballero Diablo

The Pick of the Day stands in remarkable condition, including its signature fiery hood graphic

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The Caballero was, of course, a Chevy El Camino by another name.  GM’s love for rebadging extended to its rear-wheel-drive, car-based pickup truck that was sold from model years 1978 through 1987. 

While trim levels and names differed, the El Camino and Caballero were largely the same aside from badging and grille design, which could be why Caballero sold in lower volumes than its sibling. 

The Pick of the Day is a 1978 GMC Caballero Diablo advertised on ClassicCars.com by a by a dealership in Milford, Ohio, which notes that the car has only 74,814 miles on its odometer.  It reportedly remained with its original family for nearly 40 years before being sold to its second owner in 2017. 

The dealer says the GMC is fully operational with recent maintenance, including new Cooper tires, a new radiator and new spark plugs.  Cosmetically, it has a fresh repaint in factory colors and new decals.  Even the cargo area appears free of blemishes.

caballero

General Motors worked diligently to spice up the Caballero with a variety of special editions over the years, including the Laredo, Amarillo and the Diablo versions.  The Diablo featured the flame graphic on the hood, color-keyed accents, and a decal on the tailgate, among other niceties.  Power comes from a 350-cubic-inch V8 that puts the rear wheels in motion via an automatic transmission. 

The dealership notes that this Caballero has “outstanding originality” and remains in remarkably fine condition thanks to fastidious care and maintenance from its prior owners.  This Caballero could be as much a conversation piece as it is a car.  Plus, it has the versatility of cargo-carrying capacity for the occasional hardware store excursion. 

caballero

This devilish pickup also raises the question: Should hood graphics make a comeback?

It’s available for an asking price of $16,900. 

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Tyson Hugie
Tyson Hugie
Tyson Hugie is a Phoenix-based automotive enthusiast who has been writing for The Journal since 2016. His favorite automotive niche is 1980s and 1990s Japanese cars, and he is a self-diagnosed “Acura addict” since he owns a collection of Honda and Acura cars from that era. Tyson can usually be found on weekends tinkering on restoration projects, attending car shows, or enjoying the open road. He publishes videos each week to his YouTube channel and is also a contributing author to Arizona Driver Magazine, KSLCars.com, NSX Driver Magazine, and other automotive publications. His pride and joy is a 1994 Acura Legend LS coupe with nearly 600,000 miles on the odometer, but he loves anything on four wheels and would someday like to own a 1950 Buick Special like his late grandfather’s.

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