UPDATE 3/15/22 – This sweet Caprice has reappeared here on eBay but this time it is on the other side of the country. It might be a quick flip but it might also be your second chance at this fire-breathing Bowtie!
FROM 1/12/22 – Originally equipped with a stout 427, this 1969 Chevrolet Caprice Coupe near Phoenix, Arizona now packs a later 420 HP 454 under the hood. That and the factory hidden headlights should grab the attention of Chevy fans everywhere. The listing here on Craigslist asks $25,500 for the crisp-looking ’69, and the seller describes it as a strong runner that can be “driven anywhere.” Thanks to reader craiger for spotting this nifty coupe.
Both variations of Chevy’s Mark IV Big Block, the 427 (7.0L) and 454 (7.4L) engines could be difficult to distinguish if you wanted a stock-looking engine bay. With dyno numbers over 400 HP, the new buyer will probably enjoy the warmed-up 454 without changing a thing. What looks like a Champion Radiator in aluminum should keep the angry rat motor cool even in the Arizona heat. Chevy offered two 427s in the full-sized ’69, making 335 and 390 HP, according to sales literature.
Factory air conditioning no longer works the seller has the compressor and describes all other AC equipment as intact, earning bonus points for a word we often see incorrectly written as “in tack” <slight facial tick>. Unless you’re selling a horse, the word you’re looking for is “intact.”
A few years before (safety-mandated) “diving platform” bumpers challenged designers everywhere, the Caprice wore a nicely integrated rear bumper that offered protection in a smooth chrome element of the body lines. A 12-bolt rear end with 3.08 gears backs up the rebuilt 454, and should allow highway cruising and leverage to burn the tires. Chevy brochures mostly showed these coupes with a vinyl top, but the seller says this one came painted as you see it today. The five-slot wheels look great on this green machine. A repaint in original color has the exterior looking ready to cruise. Correct upholstery material and other extras come with the sale. Not everyone likes the formal roof line on the ’69, but I’d take this look over an earlier fastback any day. Can you see yourself cruising in this big block Caprice?
I really like the lines on this car. I love the engine that motivates it and I also get weak in the knees over concealed headlamps. This one has me hook, line, and sinker!
Lites’ em up when you floor it. Beauty car love the Caprice model.
I’m with you on the roof, Todd.
Other than the A/C not being “intact”, talk about a car I wouldn’t change a thing on, this one is it. Love the bench seat and column shifter in this case.
The 1969 & 1970 full size Chevies are a favorite for me, with 1969 having a slight edge on 1970 in my opinion. This one came from the factory with the right options, enhanced a tad with the even bigger engine. My only dislike is the colors. I could overlook that for this car!
Agreed on the roofline. I liked that roofline when my dad had a ’66 Caprice. I think the first Caprice appeared in ’65. It is striking and one of the best designs ever!
The first Caprice was a ’65 model, a top-of-the-line option in the Impala lineup that was only available as a 4-door hardtop. As I recall, it was only a 2-door hardtop in ’66, and added the 4-door hardtop and a “woody” wagon in 1967. The convertible was still an Impala exclusive, as it would remain until 1975. By 1968, the lineup went full range (except for the convertible, of course), including a 4-door pillared sedan.
65 is correct. 66 had all body styles. Later on the converts were only Caprice.
By 1973 the convertible was Caprice only, which I always found odd since it used the Impala interior.
Converts always used a vinyl interior for obvious reasons.
this car mirrors a 350 powered Impala i once owned other than the inserted engine and the headlights. all the way down to the color of the exterior and interior except my air worked and my car got better gas mileage.
The concealed headlights were a Caprice exclusive, and only for the 1968- and ’69 model years. If you see them on any other model of full-size Chevy (say, an Impala SS), they have been added somewhere along the line.
’68 caprice only? yes.
But as for ’69, according to
https://www.guyswithrides.com/2021/07/14/69-chevrolet-kingswood-estate/
“in 1969 Chevrolet offered hidden headlights as an optional extra not only on Camaro but on the full-size Caprice and Impala lines as well.”
I could have sworn i once saw a ’70 concept with hidden headlites.
While I like the ’65 Impala, I really like the bumper-integrated taillights in the ’68, ’69 and ’70. Beautiful cars!
Contrary to what Barn Finds states, Chevy offered 3 427’s in ’69, ie. the 335-horse LS1, the 390hp L36, & most importantly, the L72, which was rated @ 425 horsepower. The L72 sadly was not listed in any sales literature.
I’m actually purchasing this car it’s crazy that I found it on here but they didn’t make a 4:54 somebody added that later on ?
I had a 69 pretty similar. Mine was blue with a black vinyl top, 396 with a 400 turbo… My friends used the tease me all the time about driving this boat around. It is a huge car and it handles and rides like crap. I paid $200 for the car it was running on 7 cylinders due to a flat cam lobe. I didn’t put many miles on it because it was very very hard on gas and I had a corvette to drive. Pulled the motor and trans and sold it for $250 after 5 yrs of ownership. These have gained a lot of popularity since I sold mine in 2008.
Beast, got to love it, the lines the only flaw is where’s the A/C?
My money would have to go on the 427 Caprice with factory 4 speed from the other day.
My first car was a ’69 Caprice coupe (auto 396 2 barrel) that I purchased in 1975 with no visible rust on the body. It had a black vinyl top, over a silver/taupe color. There were plastic seat covers on it from new that protected the black button tufted brocade upholstery. I wish the previous owner had undercoated the car. I would probably own that car today if it had been. The floor panels rusted out by 1977, and I traded it in.
A car with show to go along with the go! I always liked the lights-in-the-bumper styling. Good looking car all around, too bad there’s no room for it in my life.
Just a sweetheart. Wish there were more of them.
I knew many who had similar to this car that would say it was the best car they ever owned
I had one, and it wasn’t even one of the 10 best cars I ever owned… These cars handle like a school bus without sway bars and the ride is not much better than a Vega. They are nice looking now because they are rarely seen anymore but, definitely not a great car.
My uncle bought a brand new Caprice 4 door hardtop in 1970. Beautiful dark green. 300 horse 350 under the hood. So smooth and quiet.
I wonder? Took the 427 out for another project and placed a later 454 in it..always know your numbers before you commit..
For 8 years while I was growing up, our family car was a 4-barrel 427 motivated ’69 Kingswood Estate, Chevy’s Caprice-level station wagon. Dark green and woodgrain applique down the sides. My dad always said that he wanted something bigger than the base engine in a car, but he usually went for the most powerful one available. (He still claimed that he wasn’t a hot rodder!) Imagine waving to the driver of the Mach 1 that he just dusted at a traffic light from the rear facing back seat of a luxury station wagon… THAT was a lot of fun for an 8 year old up-and-coming gearhead! 🏁
The 427 4-speed ‘69 Caprice from yesterday was a much nicer car for about the same money…
Best looking big car front end treatment ever. My 6 year old granddaughter could design a better looking vehicle than any junk built today. Do these car makers actually pay stylists today? What a waste of money.
I disagree – the ’68-69 charger & ’70 ford XL with hideaways look better.
Also, you may not have seen the ’68 caprice with ULTRA rare hidden headlites …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtPp70YJNAw
Astounding that i only ever saw ONE! so equipped. But did see many ’69s. Odd.
Yet Chevy made TWO ’68 caprice TV commercials(view on youtube) featuring the hideaways!