Vehicle Description
1966 Chevrolet Caprice Coupe
The Chevrolet Caprice is a full-sized automobile produced for the
1965 to 1996 model years. Full-size Chevrolet sales peaked in 1965
with over a million sold. It was the most popular American car in
the sixties and early seventies, which, during its lifetime,
included the Biscayne, Bel Air, and Impala. Introduced in mid-1965
as a luxury trim package for the Impala four-door hardtop,
Chevrolet offered a full line of Caprice models for the 1966 and
subsequent model years, including a "formal hardtop" coupe and an
Estate station wagon. The Caprice name was coined by Bob Lund,
(Chevrolet's General Sales Manager), after a classy restaurant he
frequented in New York City. Some say the car was named after
Caprice Chapman, daughter of auto executive and influential
Indy-car official James P. Chapman.
For consignment, a 1966 Caprice fully loaded with a 396ci big
block, A/C, power windows, power brakes, bucket seats, factory
gauges, and an AM/FM Multiplex stereo. This well optioned example
was the top of the line for Chevrolet offerings for 1966.
Exterior
Straight rust-free panels are holding on to this car's framing with
well minded gaps, and wonderful respray of Willow Green paint.
Typical of bow tie designers of the era, the dual headlight raked
inward front grille is nice and shiny as are the bezels and bumper
below. A small crimp in the metal just below the belt line runs the
length of the car and adds just a slight highlight to the sides. As
with the stainless rocker covering which is in beautiful rust free
mounted on condition. An extra long hood and trunk make this a
performance car with a large sedan feel. A hardtop painted Willow
Green with nice surrounding glass trimmings and rust free, is
covering the passenger compartment. On the back wrap around
taillights curve and grab the corners of the rear quarters and have
horizontal bands to trim them out. Badging is all correct and very
nicely preserved as is the rear bumper. Standard dish wheel
coverings are wrapped by thin white sidewall tires all around.
Overall, for the paint, just a few nicks and scratches but
overall...excellent!
Interior
A swing of the doors and it's a walk on the wild side with the
snazzy design that's going on in here. Several horizontal padded
stitched rectangles make up the door panel which is in Medium
Turquoise. A band of chrome trimmed wood applique surrounds the
entire door, knobs pulls, and power window toggles are installed
from the factory and looking factory condition. Inside bomber style
buckets wear tuck and roll inserts and buttons for some extra
texture are all in the Medium Turquoise vinyl and are excellently
preserved. In back a bench of the same genre is affixed and
stretches from side to side. A metal grid speaker is within the
center of the top of this bench. Blue carpeting is flooding the
floors, and above an all original dash is affixed just below the
windscreen. Clean gauges and more Medium Turquoise paint for the
dash front, dance with rectangular and square deeper bezels to
house the gauges and horizontal speedometer. In front, the original
steering wheel is affixed. Noted in the center of the dash a
cluster of square gauges cascades towards the console on the hump
which has more wood applique the chromed T shifter, and radio
controls within the lid of the glovebox that is also in the middle.
Above is a dark blue headliner which is pristine and nice and
tight. As noted, PS/PB/AC/AM/FM Radio and power windows are all
factory installed options on this survivor which is no worse for
the wear, considering its age. The trunk shows its original spatter
paint, and even has the hard to find unmarried cardboard inserts
for the sides of the trunk.
Drivetrain
Under the long hood is a 396ci V8 all buttoned up in a very clean
and fully detailed engine bay. A Chevrolet orange/red block and
valve coverings have shiny black bolt ons and supple wiring and
hoses. No corrosion even on the A/C components within this engine
bay is seen. A single 4-barrel carburetor feeds this big block, and
on the back a TH400 3-speed automatic is strapped on and is
original to the car like the engine. Way back we note a 12-bolt
2.73 gear rear axle.
Undercarriage
Some surface rust and heavy patina are noted on the stamped steel
and unibody construction of this undercarriage. All is structurally
sound, and a new Gardner exhaust system is now installed. Power
drum brakes are all around as well as some newer looking shock
absorbers within coil springs for the suspension.
Drive-Ability
She fires right up and idles without a sound. Off to the test track
where it did very well on the acceleration, bias free braking, and
handling. All functions were working perfectly, and one cannot help
but feel an overall mood of "cool" when attracting attention with
this survivor bow tie from 1966.
A truly excellent car with mostly original factory parts and all
looking great right out of the 1966 showroom. A high-end car with
all the options available for the time, and some power to whisk you
down the superhighways for the present day.
VIN DECODE
166476C101428
1-Chevrolet
66-Caprice
47-2 Door Sport Coupe
6-1966
C-Southgate, CA Assy Plant
101428-Sequential Unit Number
TRIM TAG
09E-5th Week September Build
STYLE 6616647-1966 Caprice 2 Door Sport Coupe
BODY BC781-Southgate Body #
TRIM 848-Medium Turquoise Vinyl
PAINT KK-Artesian Turquoise
ACC C60-Air Conditioning
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 600 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia
on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is
www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914.
Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the
vehicle in person.