Feel bad for the guy,probably loved that El Camino.Posted on 05/18/2016 5:39:50 PM PDT by mdittmar
YAKIMA, Wash. -- The Roza Irrigation District will turn on several irrigation pumps this morning after water in a portion of the Roza Canal reached sufficient levels following the extraction of a classic vehicle Monday.
The 1970 Chevrolet El Camino had been in a concrete-lined portion of the canal since May 7, when it rolled away from the garage of a home near Moxee.
By the time officials had completed the extraction and had begun refilling the canal — around 12:30 p.m. Monday — water levels had receded to about 1 foot where the car was retrieved, near State Route 24.
The water level had receded to the same level farther downstream near Konnowac Pass, said Roza Irrigation District Manager Scott Revell.
The Roza Irrigation District stopped diverting river water into the canal about 6:30 a.m. Monday and waited for several hours for water levels to recede before sending crews to extract the vehicle at around 11:30 a.m.
As crews pulled the vehicle out of the canal, a backpack fell out and headed downstream. Crews were able to retrieve the backpack, which had a wallet and other possessions of the 73-year-old man who owned the vehicle.
Workers extracted the car to prevent it from being pushed down into a siphon and lodging in the canal, which would have caused a restriction in the water flow, Revell said.
He won’t know definitively whether the car caused any physical damage to the canal, namely the sealant, until crews work on the canal after the irrigation season ends.
“We didn’t see any obvious damage,” he said.
Early on May 7, the owner of the 1970 El Camino was pushing it out of his garage in the 300 block of High Point Landing when it started rolling backward. The vehicle rolled over him as he tried to stop it, breaking his leg.
The car then went down a hill and into the canal. Despite his broken leg, the owner was able to walk and get help. His vehicle was found in the canal later that day.
As of Monday afternoon, Revell did not hear many complaints from users in the irrigation district about the shutdown.
“I think they had a little bit of lead time to adjust and the rain (over the weekend) made it that much easier,” he said.
Feel bad for the guy,probably loved that El Camino.El car trucko!
That (really HUGE) photo is a hreatbreaker!
Should be on the list of sins...
Used to be a nice vehicle. It’s an SS model, so maybe it’s worth salvaging, but I don’t know since it’s been submerged for weeks.
Any Astroturf in the bed o’ that bad boy?
1970 CHEVROLET ELCAMINO SS 454
OK, you win the internet today. :=)
> Crews succeed in retrieving classic El Camino
Why?
Half car, half pickup truck, all crap.
Still better than the Ranchero.
Is that your brother’s El Camino?
I owned 2 El Caminos,one had the factory manual 3 speed.it was fun.
Most of it will “buff” right out.
I had a relative who bought a car which had been salvaged from a flood. It was of course substantially discounted.
It never gave any problems so I guess it is possible to restore them. I had always heard that they were gone after being in a flood. I suppose there are things they know to replace etc.
It was sold up front as a restored flood car so no funny business.
A little bondo and some 80 grit and it should be good;)
**** “Still better than the Ranchero” ****
Negahatchi ! The Early Rancheros 64 1/2, 65, 66 were AWESOME
(I liked em anyway)
I had an El Commode ... not an SS but it was nice/not stock. Enjoyed it but always wanted the little Ranchero with a Manual Trans!
I have made myself that promise ... I will never buy another Automatic ... Manuals are way more Funner!
I had an El Camino it was a great car/truck...my dad had it reinforced underneath with a special hitch system and I pulled a horse trailer with it. I thought I was so cool! ha ha. Really though it was great, no issues. For some reason it was a cop magnet though.
Rancheros never did anything for me.
I always thought the Camino was sharper looking.
When I think of a Ranchero, I think of the scrap yard scene in Goldfinger with Oddjob getting the big car crushed (looks like a missing engine) and somehow that little car lugs that heavy hunk of steel without too much trouble.
True
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