We recently received a message from a Reader about an interesting junkyard find. My first thought was that it would just be the usual sad basic junkyard find, but boy was I wrong! Tyler W and a closer friend discovered an old junkyard in Pennsylvania that still had a few very special cars hiding in it. They found not one, but 11 ’66-’67 Chevrolet Chevelles, 3 of which are SS396 cars. They also found the rare wagon you see above. It’s a Caprice Wagon that was optioned with the 396 Turbo-Jet V8!
Tyler’s friend ended up buying the SS396 cars and the wagon. Having sat outside in Pennsylvania for over 30 years, they are all in pretty sad condition. While that doesn’t necessarily make them good for restoration, it certainly makes for an entertaining scene to look at. I would have been happy to just wander around and look at each of these finds up close.
His friend has plans for the Chevelles, but he’s decided to move the wagon along to someone with the time and energy to take it on, or at least someone that can use it for parts. He’s asking just $1,700 and you can find it here on Facebook in Claysburg, PA.
As you can see though, it’s going to be a massive project to tackle, but it sure would be sweet once done! And think, you’d have all the power of a Chevelle SS, but with plenty of room for your family.
Here’s a closer look at the big 396 V8! It looks to be super rusty, but hopefully it isn’t beyond saving! Even if you don’t have any interest in the car, a good 396 is worth a bit of money to someone building an SS396 clone.
I’d sure love to see detailed photos of the three Chevelles that Tyler’s friend bought, but I’m going to guess they are all in rough shape. Hopefully, he will keep us posted on their progress! So, which would you rather have, a Chevelle SS396 or the Caprice 396 Wagon?
Do you know about a junkyard full of classic cars? We would love to see it! Please take and send us photos via mail@barnfinds.com.
It’s a parts car. Someone will piece it out and as you mentioned use the engine for another project. For an engine donor alone, it’s overpriced, 396’s aren’t particularly valuable. The headrests, if original to the car are a rare option.
Steve R
Looking at that one interior shot of the wagon, it looks amazingly clean for something looking like it does on the outside. And yes, headrests on a 1966 anything would be a rare option ticked on the broadcast sheet. So a bench seat from a later car was added? Restoring the wood paneling after taking the body down to bare metal would be a huge undertaking. Oh how I remember those dashboards from the 65-66 full size Chevies!.
Too bad they’ve been wasting away all these years but still should salvage many parts off the cars.
I love that wagon, but you have to wonder why it ended up in the yard. It looks like it was probably in pretty decent shape, when it was parked. It’s a shame, but I don’t think there’s any bringing this one back to life.
Back in the late 60’s early 70’s, there was a speed shop chain in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area called Ben Pilla that had a half dozen Caprice wagons for shop “trucks”. They were all black 68-70’s with wood grain, hide a way headlamps and big blocks. They were the coolest wagons around, but being used for parts deliveries, etc, they had a hard life, and got pretty used up.
Dude, Ben Pilla! Boy I haven’t heard that name since the late 80’s . We had one here in Rosedale Maryland back in the late 80’s. I used to buy parts for my 72 Pinto that had a built 302 in it.
In my opinion the price is right if your local to the car!! With the power that the motor produces it’s got to have a 12 bolt rear so all the drive train is useable for another project and 1700 dollars doesn’t seem that bad to me for those parts!!
knock,knock whos there?. 396 wagon
‘Fraid these are crackers after sitting in the dirt, sad to see in this condition, but when they were parked they were probably just used up old cars. Good luck with them, hope they got a good deal on them. good luck to Tyler and his buds on these!! Stay safe, might wanna get a tetanus shot.
Cheers
GPC
That isn’t the original seat. One of the other photos shows it to be a split bench, which Chevrolet did not offer (to my knowledge) in 1966.
I remeber back in the summer of 72. My brother and I were on rt 60 . Right outside of Ansted,W.Va. We went buy this gas station on 60 west heading into town. Their was a gas station with alot of old cars and trucks–back in the 30,s–40,s almost covered up with weeds. We stopped and I asked the guy at the station about them. He said I was MISTAKEN their was no vehicles. It made me mad and we almost fought. I haven,t been back in that area in along time.They might still be their and someone might be able to buy them or parts–IF they are still their. I like seeing old cars and old trucks in junkyards and dream of what they looked like and can look like. I could be mistaken,but I think it was a Ashland gas station
@johnny Sounds like some of the places I photographed with my little film camera during the same timeframe (1969-80). My dad and I would do a swing through Maryland, PA, West Virginia and Ohio several times a year scouring for parts while visiting extended family members. I can almost 100% assure you, if those cars were pre WW2 and in the weeds in 1972 they have been scooped up by now. Also, I haven’t seen or heard of an Ashland station in decades. Still, you never know…..
I will have to get my link and send in for a junk yard in North Carolina that has dozens of collector cars in. 1963 406 Galaxie, Torinos, Cyclones, BB Fairlanes, Mustangs everywhere. He will not sell cars only parts. If you were around for the 74 – 75 gas crisis you know how cheap they were back then. BB cars you could not sell. A friend of mine tried to sell his one owner 65 GTO 389 3-2 4 speed for $350 and could not so he parked it and still has it. I turned down a Boss 429 with an extra engine for $1,000. Nobody in the race shop I worked in wanted it. I had to buy a motorcycle to be able to get to work. I could not get enough gas to drive even my Maverick 6 cylinder much less my Mach 1.
I think of how many of these cars like this that a yard purchased and either sold the parts off them or crushed them . I remember back in the 70’s and 80’s how many cars I ran across like this .At that time nobody realized they would one day be collectors .I bought a 67 Chevelle in 77 and I had the worst time with parts . Could only buy used and that was hard .In 86 I sold it after totatly rebuilding the car .Told my wife I can always buy another Chevelle . Well guess what I still don’t have a chevelle and don’t have deep enough pockets to get another I know it a lot of years after supply dwindeled down or they needed the money .
I loved almost all cars from 1965-1970! My Parents were in the market for a new station wagon in 1966 and were trying to decide between the Caprice wagon with the 396 or the Ford Country Squire with the 390. Ultimately my parents chose the Country Squire due the new magic tail gate for that year which you could fold down or open like a door. My Mom loved that car and always commented how happy she was that we got that car over the Chevrolet.
I had the twin to the wagon. I think it was cursed. Hit a deer with left front, got hit in the right side side by a loon running a stop sign. It was parked in front of my house and a truckload of gravel buried it when it turned over. It was a very good tow car for a while!
Charlie, sounds like the subject of a TV commercial….ie “we are Farmers (insurance)…da da da da da da dahhhhhh!”
One has to be suspect when looking for drivetrain parts in the junkyard. Every car pictured seems to be whole and free of major body damage. Seems to me a drivetrain issue got them there.
I’ll never forget in the late 70’s when a 65 cutlass I was driving dropped the trans and I was looking for one to fix it. My uncle had a body shop with a private junkyard and he did a lot of towing, still does to this day. My cousins anyway my uncle has passed years ago. Anyway the lesson was, I asked uncle John if the 65 Buick hit hard in the back end had a good trans in it? His reply, and I never forgot it, it drove to the damn accident didn’t it? That was his tactful way of letting me know never to look at a pristine bodied car for any drivetrain parts unless you know it’s history. Followed that lesson ever since and it has served me well.
My dad bought a 1966 caprice wagon when I was a kid. It was white with the wood grain sides And a teal or turquoise interior. The engine was the 396 and it had some type of experimental electronic ignition. I’m glad I can remember it.