Vehicle Description
1966 Chevrolet Caprice 2 Door Hardtop
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 nicely equipped 1966 Caprice hardtop with a
rebuilt 327ci small block, A/C, power windows, power brakes, a
single repaint in the 70's or 80's, factory gauges, and the
original interior. This well optioned example was the top of the
line for Chevrolet offerings for 1966, has been lowered for that
slow and low look, (which it certainly isn't), comes with its build
sheet, and is a standout among the stars here in our overstuffed
Hallowed Halls.
Exterior
Fairly straight panels are holding on to this car's framing with
well minded gaps, and a wonderful respray of the correct Marina
Blue paint. Some bubbling of rust and prior bodywork is noted in
the lowersand we see light bubbling and chip offs at the bottoms of
each of the long lean doors. 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 with factory correct
black painted pinstriping 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 hardtop feel. A hardtop covered
in correct black vinyl 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. Rarely seen
16-inch Chevrolet Rally wheels are wrapped by thin white sidewall
Continental tires from the 24th week of 2021 all around. Even with
the flaws in the paint the finish on this car is looking good.
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 and buttoned rectangles make up the door panel which is in
black. A band of chrome trimmed wood applique surrounds the entire
door, knobs pulls, and windowcranks are installed from the factory
and looking factory condition. Inside, a split back front bench
seat is dressed to the nines with tuck and roll charcoal inserts
with buttons for some extra texture are all in black 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. Black carpeting is
flooding the floors, and above an all original dash is affixed just
below the windscreen. Clean gauges along with the factory
tachometer and more black paint for the dash front dance with
rectangular and square deeper bezels to house the gauges and
horizontal speedometer. In front, a 3 spoke steering wheel is
affixed, but the original wheel comes with your purchase. Noted in
the center of the dash, a black trimmed aftermarket AM/FM radio
resides and just below are the factory AC/heater slides. This
divides a bank of applique that runs under the steering column
holding a few knobs and pulls and to the right is dressed under and
on the face of the glovebox door. Above is a black headliner which
is pristine and nice and tight. 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 rebuilt consignor stated 350hp, rebuilt by
R&R machine in Boyertown, PA, 327ci V8 all buttoned up in a
very clean and fully detailed engine bay. A Chevrolet orange/red
block and ribbed aluminum valve coverings have shiny black and
silver bolt ons and supple wiring and hoses. No corrosion even on
the A/C components within this engine bay is seen. A single Holley
600cfm 4-barrel carburetor feeds this small block via an Edelbrock
intake and we note Edelbrock E-Street aluminum cylinder heads. On
the back a Powerglide 2-speed automatic is strapped on and is
original to the car. Way back we note a 10-bolt 3.36 geared rear
axle. For the AC system we note a new retro-fit compressor, new
lines and a new condenser, dryer, and receiver all within the last
year.
Undercarriage
Some surface rust and patina along with some road dirt are noted on
the stamped steel flooring, inner rockers and solid frame
construction of this undercarriage. All is structurally sound, and
a Tru-Ram exhaust manifolds with glasspack equipped dual exhaust
system is now installed. A power front disc brake conversion has
been added onto the front 3" drop spindles, tubular control arms
and Aldan America coil springs and shocks. In the rear we note a 4
link arrangement with cut coil springs and power drum brakesfor the
suspension and braking.
Drive-Ability
She fired right up and idled without a sound, well with the
exception of that menacing gurgle from the dual exhaust. Off to the
test track where it did very well on the acceleration, exhibited
bias free braking, and provided very adept 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
nearly all the options available for the time, and some power to
whisk you down the superhighways for the present day.
166476Y175696
1-Chevrolet
66-Caprice V8
47-2 Door Hardtop
6-1966
Y-Wilmington, DE Assy Plant
175696-Sequential Unit Number
TRIM TAG
02C-3rd Week February
STYLE 66 16647-1966 Caprice 2 Door Hardtop
B)DY BW05705-Wilmington Body #
TRIM 817E-Black Vinyl, Black Top
PAINT F-Marina Blue
C60-Air Conditioning
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 850 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.
