For Sale: 1996 Chevrolet Caprice in Morgantown, Pennsylvania

1996 Chevrolet Caprice Classic 4 Door Sedan

"You might be surprised at the number of $50,000 sedans available with V8 power, luxurious interiors and advanced safety features. Nice cars, but who can afford them? There is a car with all the things that are important to you, plus a realistic price. Caprice Classic offers a 200hp V8, dual airbags and ABS, room for six, a quiet ride, and even a standard theft deterrent system. When it comes to value, there's nothing else like it. And that makes Caprice Classic Genuine Chevrolet." From the sale brochure.

For consignment, a 1996 Chevrolet Caprice Classic 4 door sedan with a title verified 86,989 actual miles. Woman owned and garaged the first twenty years of its life, the car is on just its third owner who recently performed some maintenance including new Optispark, fuel pump, and water pump.

Exterior
Pure presence with a size and shape that may be dated by today's standards, but it's also what makes this car a sudden classic! Proportions are large, from the flat plain hood, the long front doors, and that wide tail kept in check with flush mounted oval tail lights and color keyed bumper cover. Things are flush in front too behind a battering ram of a bumper and flanking an egg crate grille and an actual hood ornament, remnant of a bygone era. The black side mirrors meld into their base, defying the wind, and this example has smoke rain guards on all side windows. The 15-inch wheels look to have been designed on a spirograph with a lace like design and black inserts, each wearing 75 series tires. Overall, paint and trim is nice with imperfections noted as clear coat peeling on rear bumper, some touched up chips on the valance, minor clear coat issues on the wheels.

Interior
Gray cloth and vinyl on the doors is augmented with simulated woodgrain panels and faceplates and each is handsome and clean, opening up to cloth coverage on the 70/30 split bench up front and bench in back, each providing well padded surfaces and all present cleanly with ample room. Our gray steering wheelshows quite a bit of patina on the rim but leads to a nice instrument cluster with a digital screen in the center, analog gauges on each side, and a column of indicatorlights and if you ignore them, they become idiot lights. Simple knobs for the A/C panel in the stack, along with an AM/FM/CD radio over an open floor with gray carpet in good shape. The foam backed headliner shows some slight age but is fully intact while the voluminous trunk is lined with gray cloth panels and shows some usage.

Drivetrain
Clean conditions prevail under the massive hood where we find a 4.3 liter L99 V8, rated at 200 horsepower, fuel injected, and mated to Chevy's 4L60E 4-speed automatic transmission that routes power to the 10 bolt axle with 2.93 gearing.

Undercarriage
Lots of typical surface rust but dry conditions are noted on the underside where a single exhaust flows through the original system and dumps unceremoniously out back. We have power disc in front and power drum brakes in back and suspension consists of the standard coil springs with a 4 link in back.

Drive-Ability
America's once ubiquitous land yacht does not disappoint in the comfort department and if you favor the tight cabin and supportive seats of a sports car, this one will let you down. But if you like your Lazy Boy recliner, you'll fit right in! The V8 carries our bubble shaped car without a problem and it tracks straight, stops on demand, and provides lots of visibility through its extensive greenhouse. We note a squeak in the left front when turning right, but otherwise the ride is quiet and smooth and all functions on board operate as they should. 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.

A throwback, now star of Radwood and other shows, but a viable daily driver with room to spare, this Caprice should make your list if you're in the market. It's a well preserved American car that once roamed the streets like Brontosauruses just before the great flood of downsized cars washed over the landscape!

1G1BL52W1TR157348

1-USA
G-General Motors
1-Chevrolet
BL-Caprice Classic
5-4 Door Sedan
2-Manual Belts, Front Airbags
W-4.3 Liter L99 200hp V8
1-Check Digit
T-1996
R-Arlington, TX Assy Plant
157348-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. There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee is not included in the advertised price.

With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy listening. You can also watch on YouTube!