Just when you thought domestic performance, especially in an American passenger car, was dead, Chevrolet cooked up the 9C1 police package for their go-to fourth-generation Caprice. The 9C1 had been around for a while, but starting in ’94, it got married up with a detuned version of the LT1 engine, and voila, a police version of the Impala SS was born. These hopped-up 9C1 Caprices were offered for three years (’94-’96) and that was it. At one time, used examples were for sale all over the place, but as time marches on they have obviously become less encountered. Well, we’ve certainly encountered one today, a beautiful 1995 example to be precise. It’s located in Evergreen, Colorado and is available, here on eBay for a current no-reserve bid of $3,300 with four bids tendered so far.
Known as “Eddie” by its current owner, this 133K mile subject pulled patrol duty in Beverly Hills, California (think Beverly Hills Cop with Eddie Murphy and the moniker will make sense). The current caretaker has been in charge for the last eighteen years and based on the detail in the listing, it seems that he has been pretty meticulous about care and maintenance – no donut eating going on here!
Other than the steel wheels, there’s not much going on outside that hints at this car’s former station in life. The finish is an uncop-like gray-blue (Medium Adriatic Blue?) and presents beautifully – no dents, creases, rust, paint fade, or other pursuit-induced hijinx. I gather that this was a staff car and not used in regular patrolling exercises.
As mentioned earlier, this edition of the 9C1 got a power boost thanks to its 260 net HP, 350 CI (5.7 liter) LT1 V8 engine. The seller adds, “I have only made two modifications to Eddie. One is his K&N FIPK cold air intake kit ( the original intake system is included with the sale ) the other is his Amsoil bypass oil filter. Regular engine oil filters are of the bypass type meaning the oil flow bypasses the filter upon cold startup, high RPM operation or when the filter becomes clogged“. All receipts for repairs and maintenance are included with the last notable work involving a radiator replacement. Gear changes are handled by a 4L60-E, four-speed automatic transmission.
Inside, other than the placement of bucket seats, looks like a non-constable environment that has held up extremely well. It’s hard to believe that this is a twenty-eight-year-old car that has experienced 133K miles of use – it just seems too clean. I was expecting at least a big ole dip in the driver’s seat bottom but nope, this Caprice is having none of that. The carpet, headliner (there is a cop night light in place), dash and door panels are perfect – this interior requires nothing. And good news, the seller mentions, “In May 2022 at 128,774 miles Eddie got a new AC compressor, condenser, filter dryer, low and high-pressure lines, expansion valve and a new serpentine belt and tensioner“.
I guess I was initially expecting a sow’s ear, as that’s how old police cars frequently roll, but clearly, this example is a silk purse. If I were interested in this cruiser, I’d do nothing to it other than simply drive and enjoy. Many will say that these Caprices, and Impala SSs, were really the last of the true GM B-body cars and I would have to agree with the sentiment. I really like this one, how about you?
The old newspaper ads would tout “Ice Cold Air” and rightly so in this case. Here’s hoping that Eddie finds a good home.
So far it’s 12,700 less than my friend is asking for his Green 1996 SS with tan interior.
Be still my beating heart! Once again we are shown another sweetheart from a past love the last of the gunfighters ! Who can deny the last generation GM rear wheel drive sedan, coupe or station wagon? Add in slippery form follows function only the 90s provides & shazam the classic we have here & the requisite LT-1 . It’s a car worth having ! I wish I had the money & space ! Long live the whale!
Not meaning to be pedantic, but the last GM RWD sedan was the 2017 Chevrolet SS sport sedan (née Holden Commodore SS-V Redline). I owned mine about four years and it was a hoot. Drove it through 26 US States and into Ontario.
The subject car above rings a lot of bells for me, but I am already at my limit!
in 1998 bought a 96′ former North Carolina DMW car (guys who pull over Tractor Trailers) but will full 9C1 Package with little over 70K miles for $6,500. Didn’t like the Digital Speedo at first but it grew on me, loved the analog gauges surrounding, unfortunately had to sell her a few years later, with only a few thousand miles I’d added.
Knucklehead came back a few months later,
“It needs a new transmission!”
“Who are you?” I asked
Fortunately I left a few days later for an all expense paid Government tour of Southwest Asia.
Frank
I was assigned a brand new 96 Caprice 9C1 with the LT1. That year they didn’t de-tune it from the SS(300hp) and the transmission programming let it seemingly have a 4-speed automatic instead of a 3-speed w/OD that would lock out if floored like my 93 Caprice did. One night for no apparemt reason with about 35,000 miles on it with no load on it whatsoever there was a sound almost like breaking glass from under the floor and the transmission was done. The local Chevy dealership replaced it under warranty saying that GM experimented with composite(plastic?) parts in the transmission to save weight he thought and they’d just fall apart. Supposedly the factory replacements were good old metal. Great car to drive.
In 2003 (wow, 20 years go by in a hurry!) I bought this 95 9C1 in Choctaw Oklahoma. Supposedly it had been an FBI car special ordered with a leather interior. I already had 1 95 9C1 but this one was really nice and the then owner had installed Impala SS wheels, a power chip and 3.70 trutrax posi. I never drove it on the winter and it still has no rust. I’m ashamed to say it has been sitting under a car cover in the barn for the last 7 – 8 years. I bought a 2012 Caprice PPV 9C1 several years ago and that is now my fair weather daily driver. The 95 is/was a wonderful road cruiser but 17+ years of technology make the 2012 an even better cruiser.
I hope you changed the coolant. I have a 96 ss with 9000. miles on it. I also let it sit but started it 3 times a year. I took it for a ride two weeks ago and i noticed the temp gauge climbing I pulled over and it puked some coolant out. The coolant went bad and now i am having the coolant system flushed. It is nasty.
make sure to not use any tap water ,. distilled only.
All fluids need changing, a drain and fill with trans, and another a week later. Power steering and brake you can pump and fill.
theyre not gonna make em any better, so steward it well
if i were to dabble in this model, id make a cherry black, SS wagon.
I encountered one of these on december 15 1991, it was sitting on the side of the road when I came over the hill at a fairly high rate of speed. I remembered reading about these cars when Car and Driver did a test on them, I knew the 0-100 was in the 20 second range and did a little quick math in my head and figured I could be over the next hill and out of site with 3 different ways to turn. Had north and south exits on to I-35 or just keep going straight on the road I was on. I wisely decided to let off the gas and coast to a stop. Still took him almost 2 minutes to catch up to where I stopped at and he was pissed. I knew the guy from school and asked if he could write me a non-point ticket and he said that I was lucky he wasn’t taking me to jail. Worst speeding ticket I ever got and it was my 30th birthday on top of it
Great story.
Sounds like you had time, and were flying. Timmy, you maybe should’ve got on the gas ⛽️ and taken that Left turn. 66% chance he’d have missed you. 🙌
👮♂️ 🚔 🚓
Possibly, but I think I made the best choice to just coast to a stop. I called the prosecuting attorney for the county that I was in and told him that the fine money was going to bad enough but the points off my license would be a big problem. He just changed a number on the ticket and changed it to a non-point ticket, they were only interested in the money. If I would have tried running and got caught it would have been really bad and it only ended up being a 125 dollar ticket
Beautiful looking car. I’ve always loved this generation Chevy Caprice. I also love police pursuit vehicles (PPVs).
Definitely a plain clothes detective ride (Beverly Hills style). I’d shell out for this one (I can dream, can’t I?).
Very nice offering for a retired 9C1. I’ve had my ’94 9C1 since a local township retired it back in 2007, and I won it by highest sealed bid of $1200.00. Mine still has the full cage, and one of unique options a 9C1 comes with is the ability to shift out of park without putting your foot on the brake pedal. Stealthy & quick. Pictured with my ’94 SS which really needed a bath the day I took the picture.
Nah, I was thinking “Eddie Haskell”, Leave it to Beavers standard bad boy, and poor influence on the boys, who ironically became a L.A police officer. Can you image being stopped by Eddie Haskell?( Ken Osmond) Chevy had a short fling with police cars, city units mostly. Didn’t have the zing of a Crown Victoria, that most state patrol outfits used. I never cared for this “puffy” look, even though, it holds true what God intended for a car, engine, transmission, driveshaft, and rear axle. In that regard, they really are nice cars.