Chevrolet El Morocco

The El Morocco was a customized full-size car produced by Ruben Allender based on the 1956 and 1957 Chevrolet. R. Allender and Company, founded by Canadian Reuben Allender, had built a business in the surplus textile industry. The relationship with Chevrolet began with Allender, a wealthy businessman who had a dream of building his own car. He was a long time buyer of Cadillac's with the ambition to build a smaller, lighter car that would be styled in fashion of a Cadillac.

Impressed by his 1955 Cadillac Eldorado, Allender felt that he could re-create the elegance and prestige of the Eldorado, but lower the price by basing his dream car on the contemporary Chevrolet Bel Air. He originally chose the 1955 Bel Air as the basis for his project, but work did not get underway until 1956. So the first-year El Morocco was based on 1956 Bel Air Sport Coupe and Convertible. Looking for a name that sounded like "Eldorado", but not wanting to get into trouble from Cadillac, he chose "El Morocco," named after a popular Manhattan nightclub. He managed to get the brand legally registered, so all El Moroccos were licensed as such, not as Chevrolet. Allender bolted Eldorado-style fiberglass tail fins to the rear deck and also used side moldings borrowed from the Eldorado. On the front, he modified the grille by removing the Chevy crest while retaining the "V" emblem on the hood. He also added large Dagmar front bumper guards, giving the car a massive look. DeSoto style Sabre-Spoke" gold anadozied wheel covers were modified with a custom El Morocco "V" center piece. Allender sold 10-20 El Moroccos in 1956. Ten (10) hardtop sedans, two (2) hardtop coupes, and two (2) convertibles are known to have been created in 1957.[ Each car sold for approximately $1,000 more than an equivalent Bel Air.

For 1957, Allender offered a new El Morocco based on the 1957 Chevrolet Two-Ten Sport Coupe, Sport Sedan, and the Bel Air convertible. He removed the Chevy grille and replaced it with an aluminum egg-crate insert. "Chevrolet" script was replaced with an "EL MOROCCO" badges front and rear in block letters just over the "V." Out back, the '57 got metal Eldorado style rear fins welded to the rear quarters, as the workers had problems fitting the fiberglass units on the '56. Bright side "scoop" moldings at the rear quarter panels gave the car more than a passing resemblance to the $13,000 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham which was the ultimate dream car for 1957.

It is likely that even though the El Morocco cost significantly less than a Cadillac, it was still pricey for a Chevrolet, which would explain the small demand for the car. The primary reason for the low production numbers was the conversion price which moved it too far out of reach for most consumers. It was too close to the base price for a Cadillac, plus it is believed that a profit was never made on the El Morocco. Today any El Morocco would be considered a valuable collector car, worth far more than a contemporary Chevrolet.

Although Allender's cars were merely customized Chevys, they were all professionally hand-built and carefully detailed. Allender used old-stock parts where it was possible; for example, the "Dagmar" front bumper guards were 1937 Dodge headlight pods. Taillights for the '56 cars were 1955 Dodge units. A Frazer horn button served for a front medallion, and "saddle" pieces on the front door came from dash padding on the Willys auto. Drive trains for all El Moroccos were strictly stock Chevrolet. Standard was the Chevrolet small-block V8 with four-barrel carburetor, and Powerglide automatic transmission.

1957 Chevy El Morocco Hubcap Plastic Center Insert

1956 CHEVROLET EL MOROCCO SPECIFICATIONS

  • Engine 265.1-cu-in/4344cc OHV V-8, 1x4-bbl Carter WCFB 2351S carburetor
  • Power and torque (SAE gross) 205 hp @ 4600 rpm, 268 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
  • Drivetrain 2-speed automatic, RWD
  • Brakes front: drum, rear: drum
  • Suspension front: control arms, coil springs; rear: live axle, coil springs
  • Dimensions L: 197.5 in, W: 73.7 in, H: 60.5 in
  • Weight 3800 lb (est)
  • Performance 0-60 mph: 10.7 sec, quarter mile: 18.3 sec @ 76 mph, 60-0 mph: 141 ft (Motor Trend, March 1956, 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door hardtop with Power Pack and Powerglide)
  • Price when new $3250

1957 CHEVEROLET EL MOROCCO SPECIFICATIONS

  • Engine 283.0-cu-in/4638cc OHV V-8, 1x4-bbl Carter WCFB 2655S carburetor
  • Power and torque (SAE gross) 220 hp @ 4800 rpm, 300 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
  • Drivetrain 2-speed automatic, RWD
  • Brakes front: drum, rear: drum
  • Suspension front: control arms, coil springs; rear: live axle, coil springs
  • Dimensions L: 200.0 in, W: 73.9 in, H: 59.9 in
  • Weight N/A Performance 0-60 mph: 9.9 sec, quarter mile: 17.5 sec @ 77.5 mph (Motor Trend, August 1957, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 4-door with 2x4-bbl carburetors)
  • Price when new 2-door hardtop/convertible: $3650 (est, with A/C) $3275

References

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