Vehicle Description
1996 Chevrolet Caprice Classic 4 Door Sedan
"B4U is the option code used on civilian Caprice sedans for the
package that included the LT1 engine, FE3 suspension, V08 HD
cooling, V20 towing package, as well as a host of other parts of
the package. To get the LT1 you had to get the package, so no
civilian LT1 sedans exist without it. Some of the stuff included
were the 140 amp alternator, heavy weight disc/drum brakes, 2.93
gears, posi, quick ratio steering, (identical to 9C1 and SS),
235/70VR15 tires, (although the door sticker only calls for S speed
rated, all LT1 caprice sedans I've seen had V rated rubber as OE),
engine oil cooler and extra trans cooler, (identical to SS). Towing
package included the same HD frame used on SS and 9C1 models."
Thximpalassforum.com
For consignment, a 1996 Chevrolet Caprice Classic 4 door sedan with
a title verified 19,857 actual miles and containing the B4U
package. This is one 9,064 which doesn't sound all that special
until you realize that 41,941 Impala SS's were built that same year
and 20,000 9C1, (Police package), Caprices were made. So, of the
high performance Caprice packages for '96, it's the least
common.
Exterior
Looking very much like your grandfather's understated car, the big
proportions and familiar shape of the Caprice fills the room and
this one is coated in two stage Dark Green Gray Metallic paint.
With rounded ends and an extensive rounded roofline, long front
doors and a rear quarter window, there's nothing quite shaped like
a mid-90's Caprice. Body colored bumper guards extend the length, a
full 217-inches while flush headlights curve with the rear of the
car at the end of a long trunk lid. The standard chrome grille is
flanked by the headlight which shares the casing with brights and
turn signals. 15-inch mesh style wheels hold 255/70R15 tires which
is a bump in size from factory, and these have a date code of early
2019. The paint, trim and wheels are excellent on the car and the
only flaw we could find was a scuff on the corner of the bumper
cover. The body is as straight as can be.
Interior
What most Caprice buyers in 1996 were looking for was a luxurious
and comfortable ride and this is reflected in the door panels which
mix lovely faux wood appliques with black accents and soft, gray
cloth sections over smooth gray vinyl. A carpeted lower doubles as
a storage bin, and on this car, everything looks pristine. There's
plenty of faux wood in the automotive world, but Chevrolet got this
one right as the dark grained wood tries hard to fool you and comes
close if not for the elaborate shapes much easier and cheaper to do
with molded plastic. Big soft seats make up the split bench covered
in gray cloth with patterned inserts and a large pull down armrest
storage bin. The rear bench is vast and in great condition with an
armrest or seating for three. A basic dashboard and gauge cluster
behind the gray steering wheel, typical faux wood trim and digital
display and in the center stack, the simple A/C controls and
factory AM/FM/CD player flanked by vertical vents. Perfect gray
carpet covers the floor, and a foam molded headliner is also in
excellent condition. We imagine if you pulled up a sales brochure
for the 1996 Caprice Classic, it would look exactly like the
interior of this car.
Drivetrain
The magic begins when we pop the enormous hood to observe the
stock, clean 5.7 liter LT1 V8, fuel injected and rated at 260
horsepower. A 4L60E 4-speed automatic transmission backs it up and
power is sent to the rear 10 bolt and 2.93 gears with Positraction.
Power brakes halt this behemoth Chevy with 11" discs up front and
drums in the rear.
Undercarriage
About what you'd expect from a mid-90's GM driven almost 20,000
miles. Surface rust prevails on most untreated components which is
fairly typical. We don't see a build up of grease or dirt anywhere
and we're also not seeing any leaks. The dual exhaust flows into
stock style mufflers and resonators before terminating just under
the rear bumper. Suspension consists of coil springs in front and a
4 link with coil spring in the back with UMI Performance rear
control arms. We note a slight lift has been added to the car as
well.
Drive-Ability
The roomy cabin affords space between you and the passenger, and a
wide and deep dash cover puts the windshield out ahead of you,
followed by the boat-like front end. The car starts with a slight
rumble but is still quiet by performance car standards. It provides
a soft ride in straight aways but is capable around turns and
produces good acceleration given the girth, and braking is on
point. Both rear wheels grip the asphalt from a dead stop and
visibility with the enormous greenhouse is good. The driver's side
mirror does not move up and down but beyond that, every function
that's available worked as intended. While Classic Auto Mall
represents that these functions were working at the time of our
test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at
the time of your purchase.
Talk about a sleeper. On the Impala SS forum, it is stated that any
mods you can perform on an Impala to increase power, and having
been derived from a Corvette engine, there are many, can
essentially be done to this car. Meanwhile, leave it as is and
people will be asking why you dropped an LT1 into your
grandfather's Caprice. This is an uncommon car and, in this
condition, rare. They were passenger cars with a little kick, and
likely used just as you would any other Caprice. This one might be
amongst the best in the country.
1G1BL52PXTR181138
1-USA
G-General Motors
1-Chevrolet
BL-Caprice Classic
5-4 Door Sedan
2-Manual Belts, Front Airbags
P-5.7L LT1 V8 260hp
X-Check Digit
T-1996
R-Arlington, TX Assy Plant
181138-Sequential Unit Number
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
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