Literally a fancy Impala, the Chevy Caprice snuck onto the market halfway through 1965 as a higher trim level car than the Impala. A friend from high school had a 1965 sedan in white with a blue top and power everything, it was an amazing car even though it was two decades old when he owned it. This 1966 Chevrolet Caprice Wagon is listed here on eBay in Birmingham, Alabama and the current bid price is $10,100, but the reserve isn’t met.
Coming onto the market in early 1965, the first Caprice models had the iconic round tail lights and they were a top trim package for the Impala. No wagon was available that first year, but in 1966, buyers got both a Caprice that was its own model and a wagon if they wanted one. This example is wearing sporty wheels that wouldn’t have been an option, but they look great here I think.
The first-generation Caprice was made for the 1966 model year until the end of 1970 and the seller says this one has minor rust in the bottom portions of the body. The floors and rockers are said to be solid, and they think it’s wearing most of its original paint – I’m not sure if it’s Mist Blue or Trophy Blue, but one of you may know. They don’t list a VIN (rare for an eBay listing) or show a photo of a data plate.
The interior is said to be mostly original, other than the console and accessory gauges. The front seat could use some help if a person wanted it to look like new inside. The back seat looks perfect and the rear cargo area also looks fantastic. The seller doesn’t say whether this is a nine-passenger wagon or not and other than the driver’s seat vinyl showing some tears, it looks like some of the windlace may need to be replaced. That’s all fun weekend stuff. Hagerty is at $10,100 for a #4 fair-condition car and $18,000 for a #3 good car, for an average value.
The engine is Chevrolet’s 396-cu.in. OHV big block V8 with 325 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque when new. Backed by what the seller says is a 700 R4 automatic transmission, the drivetrain is said to have around 10,000 miles on it and is very reliable. Please read the seller’s listing to see the upgrades on this beautiful wagon. Any thoughts on this Caprice wagon?
Nice wagon with well thought out modifications. I’d be surprised if the reserve was less than $25,000.
A nearly identical, though non-modified 1966 Caprice wagon was featured in this site in May of 2022 with an asking price if $22,500.
Steve R
Overdrive Automatic wow.
The 3.06 low gear with 3.73 posi will scoot.
Adding to the authors friend in HS, a close friend in HS, his mom had a car just like this, maybe a ’67. Took his drivers test on it in ’71. Many think, oh boy, 396, well, I think it was a really small 2 barrel( maybe 1 barrel?) and certainly wasn’t Grumpys Toy. Fact is, beating the heck out of it was the only way,,for a kid. Neutral drops, the whole magila. One day, whilst giving ‘er heck, a lifter stuck, made an awful racket. He parked the car in the garage not telling his mom, couple days later, she came home with a brand new 1971 lime green Pinto. Wagons sure get the attention, mostly because nobody wanted them, and the motor was yanked for grandpas Nova, and junked the rest. Amazing find.
Pretty neat car, with some caveats. First thing I would do would be to put either one of the factory center caps on the wheels, (rally wheels are one of the most attractive factory wheels out there, in my humble opinion) The other thing that would give me pause is the rust mentioned in the description. One would most certainly want to take a really close look at that. On the plus side, the modifications to the drive train probably make this a pretty fun car to drive. I can see this car making someone a fairly happy buyer, (depending of course where the reserve is set at)
You’ll love every mile driving to the gas station. Nice looking old long roof with wood and all.
oldrodder, those are factory center caps. They were mostly used on taxis & police cars.
They weren’t the factory caps that came on any model passenger car except some fleet cars. (Even then they were rare as most fleet cars had standard steel wheels) Plus I think you know exactly what I meant.
Sweet looking crossover.
Auction update: bidding ended at $12,600 and the reserve wasn’t met.