The Caprice debuted as a luxury version of the Impala in mid-1965. This was no doubt in response to the new Ford LTD which was a dressed-up Galaxie. The car proved to be popular and became its own series in 1966, remaining a regular Chevy fixture through 1996. According to the fender script, this ’66 Caprice left the factory with a 396 cubic inch V8, but that’s since been replaced with a 454, which was first offered in 1970. Located in Mojave, California, this old Chevrolet is available here on craigslist for $11,500 OBO. Hats off to Pat L. for another great tip!

Chevrolet came off a dynamite sales year in 1965, having sold more than one million full-size cars. The Caprice was a nice shot in the arm and helped the GM division nudge out Ford once again. Caprices were all equipped with V8 engines whereas the rest of the line had an inline-6 as the starting point. 2-door Caprices were distinguished from the Impalas by their formal hardtop rooflines, as is the case with the seller’s car.

The key selling point for this ’66 Caprice, besides that it has survived, is that it gained a bigger engine at some point, at least from the 1970s forward. The odometer has rolled over and the mileage on the overall auto or its acquired engine is an unknown. We’re told the vehicle “runs and drives” without saying how well it performs those tasks. The 454 is paired with an automatic transmission, but we don’t know which one or whether it came later with the motor.

Faded and scraped red paint covers the exterior, and it could be the original color. But the upholstery looks out of place compared to the outside color and the rest of the interior. There is some surface rust and pitting in the trunk, but the undercarriage looks nice and tidy. There is a brand-new gas tank situated under the trunk. The Chevy has some snappy aftermarket wheels and a set of tires with under 1,000 miles on them. As a project car, this might not be a huge undertaking. Restomod candidate?