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Ready to Enjoy: 1968 Chevrolet Caprice Estate Wagon

After spending a number of years in a private collection, the time has come for this 1968 Chevrolet Caprice Estate Wagon to head off to a new home. While it might not be perfect, it is in the sort of condition that is guaranteed to turn heads wherever it goes. The Caprice is located in Chatsworth, California, and is listed for sale here on eBay. The owner of this luxurious piece of practical family transport has set a BIN price of $22,000.

Finished in Tripoli Turquoise, this really is a stunning looking Wagon. The exterior isn’t perfect, but the blemishes that are present are of a very minor nature. The worst of these is a slight dent and bend in the front bumper on the passenger side. However, I have seen good panel-beaters bend these back into shape without even marking the chrome, so this might not be a big problem. There are also a couple of areas where the car has received a minor paint touch-up, but these are pretty hard to spot in the photos. Rust is not an issue with the Caprice, and a combination of the California climate and indoor storage have certainly helped in this respect. The wood-grain all looks good, as does the exterior trim and chrome, along with the factory tinted glass. The wheels that are fitted to the Caprice aren’t original, but I think that they suit the car quite nicely.

You open the hood on the Caprice and are confronted with an engine bay that is clean enough to eat off. If the cleanliness isn’t enough for you, an added bonus is that this is a full, numbers-matching car. You get a 327ci, 275hp Turbo-Fire V8 engine, Turbo Hydramatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. That is a pretty awesome combination, and the inclusion of a factory dual exhaust means that it wouldn’t sound too bad either. The owner says that the car runs and drives really nicely, and given the overall presentation, this is a claim that I find pretty easy to believe.

The Turquoise theme continues inside the Caprice, and so does the theme of impressive presentation. It isn’t perfect, but the imperfections appear to be quite minor, and shouldn’t be terribly hard to fix. The priority for me would be the single split in the dash pad just above the wheel on the driver’s side. This is pretty small at this point, so it might be feasible to have this repaired without having to replace the entire pad. There are companies that can perform this sort of work, but it needs to be addressed before it deteriorates too far. The trim around the door openings is also worn in a couple of spots, but this is one of the easiest and most satisfying pieces of interior trim that you can replace. The factory clock doesn’t currently work, but other items such as the factory AM radio, tilt wheel, and the power rear window all work as they should.

You look at the cargo area of the Wagon and can get a pretty fair indication that this is not a vehicle that has seen all of the usual wear and tear that you would expect from your average family vehicle. The presentation back there is close to perfect, and it would almost be a shame to load anything in there that might mark or scuff any of the trim. Still, the next owner might be able to devise a way to protect the trim and thus maintain it in pristine condition. It’s also worth noting that while the Caprice wasn’t optioned with air conditioning, a nearly complete, new factory system is being included in the sale. It will be the next owner’s choice as to whether they have this fitted.

We’ve seen some really nice wagons over the years here at Barn Finds, and this 1968 Caprice really must rate up there with the best of them. It isn’t perfect, but its condition is good enough that it is a vehicle that is guaranteed to attract plenty of attention wherever it goes. The few flaws that it has should actually be fairly straightforward to address, and if the general public isn’t impressed enough with the external presentation, just pop the hood. If the originality and cleanliness of the engine bay doesn’t get them, nothing will. The BIN price might seem to be a bit high to some people, but recent sales results tend to indicate that it is slightly lower than you might expect to pay for a Caprice in this condition. That makes it a vehicle that is well worth a serious look.

Comments

  1. Avatar JOHN Member

    What a nice looking wagon! Too bad that front side light emblem didn’t have a “4” on it instead of the “3”…

    Like 9
    • Avatar Tom Member

      Right on John! I would have had a real Woodie then!! (sorry, couldn’t resist!).

      A 4 instead of the 3 on the emblem probably would have changed the first 2 in the price to a 4 !!, a 3 anyway.

      Hole-y exhaust Batman! But look at those six sides on each nut and bolt! Sweet.

      Nice car but WAY down my list.

      Like 1
  2. Avatar TimM

    Momma needs a new grocery getter and it doesn’t get better than this!!!

    Like 4
  3. Avatar ccrvtt

    My Mom had a new 1967 Caprice wagon with the same motor. I’m here to tell you it would haul a–
    lot of groceries really fast. A 427 would be icing on the cake, but that 327 was no slouch. Ride, handling, style – if this were midnight blue I’d be sorely tempted. It’s one of my top two or three favorite longroofs.

    Like 4
  4. Avatar local_sheriff

    What a beautiful barge; stunning year design, colors and condition. Also a stunning price for someone on average salary.

    That 327 coupled to a TH is more than adequate for propelling this fantastic longroof in both style and speed without the weight and fuel consumption of a BB. Can’t say there’s anything I dislike here apart from the asking. Great, great find!

    Like 2
  5. Avatar Bob S

    Pretty car! ‘Nuff said.

    Like 2
  6. Avatar Terry

    I know wagons are very popular these days but 22k for a small block Caprice Estate with crank windows and standard options is a bit steep. This car needs the body work sorted and new paint to even approach this price. As clean as it appears, it is still not worth it.

    Like 2
  7. Avatar rpol35

    I’m a bit of a ’68 Chevy wonk having owned a convertible for the past 15 years. This Caprice is the nicest ’68 of any body style that I have seen in a very long time!

    While the wheels aren’t exactly right, they are close, it’s the centers that aren’t correct but rally wheels were an absolute option on all ’68 B body (full size) models.

    Bit of an overload today, also, with the coverage of the ’68 SS hardtop too. That one is in really nice original, (unrestored, a bit worn) condition. Only two things noted about that one, the incorrect steering wheel (’68 had a one year only design and they are subject to serious cracking so I guess it was replaced) and the SS wheels, which are wrong but really go well with this model.

    Like 3
  8. Avatar Moparman1123

    I always liked this generation Chevy wagons. My father bought a new ’67 Impala wagon with a 283 to fit my mom, 4 sisters and myself into.The next year our best friends across the street bought a ’68 Caprice with a 327 like this one but maroon and without the woodie option.

    This is a nice one.

    Like 2
  9. Avatar Steve in KC

    Dig the turquoise window handles, among other things on this beauty. Nice attention to detail. I’d be interested to see what she goes for.

    Like 0

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