Yikes! What happened here? There’s no doubt about it, ’66 full-size Chevies are among my favorites, thanks to a ’66 Impala SS convertible I owned years ago; it was one of my favorites! But this Caprice two-door hardtop? Well, it has its visual problems, but let’s check it out and see what’s really here. Kewanee, Illinois, is where you’ll find this first-year Caprice coupe, and it’s available here on eBay for a current no-reserve bid of $1,025, with two bids tendered so far.
To compete with Ford’s top-drawer LTD, Chevrolet introduced its range-topping Caprice midway through the ’65 model year. It started as strictly a four-door hardtop, but by ’66, a two-door hardtop, with its own formal roofline, and a station wagon were part of the Caprice’s line-up. Sales were good in ’66 with 181K Caprices finding new homes. As for our subject, where does one start? The elephant in the room is that silly, oversized, tacked-on cowl induction hood scoop. Beyond that are issues with body seam degradation, missing trim, and surface rust, though the body’s integrity seems OK. Fortunately, there’s no indication of serious rot. As for the wheels, I’d say eighties vintage Camaro.
Don’t believe the “427 Turbo-Jet” fender badges; this Caprice’s engine room is occupied by what appears to be a 275 gross HP 327 CI V8 engine outfitted with an Edelbrock four-barrel carburetor and topped with an open-element air cleaner. And of course, the old saw of “Car ran and drove when parked” is claimed by the listing. The rear wheel connection is made via a Powerglide two-speed automatic transmission. Of note is the master cylinder; it’s a dual-circuit unit and a welcome upgrade over the original single-circuit piece.
The interior is, well, it’s all inside. No idea where those seats originated, the dash cluster is from a ’67 Impala, there’s an aftermarket steering wheel on the job, and an oversized tachometer to keep track of the Powerglide’s single shift from low to high. The backseat area is completely blown up, and the door panels look like they’re missing. As for A/C, this Chevy was originally so equipped, but the compressor has been yanked, so there will be no cold for you.
In stock or restored form, these are fabulous-looking cars. Yes, it’s a subjective judgement, but I think Chevrolet really got their styling nailed in ’66 – even that much more so with the lines of the Caprice coupe. As for this example, I think I’d keep looking if a ’66 Chevrolet Caprice coupe was on my gotta-have-it list; how about you?
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