In the wake of the OPEC oil embargo of 1973, U.S. automakers began downsizing their mid-size and full-size cars to be more fuel-efficient. For the Chevrolet Impala and Classic, their turn came in 1977 when the cars got bigger on the inside while getting smaller on the outside. Coupes lost more than four inches in width, five inches in wheelbase, 10 inches in length, and 600 lbs. in weight. With such a drastic year-over-year change, the 1978 models were virtually the same. That includes this Caprice Classic Landau which was bought new by the seller’s father. The car is clean overall and may only need a new set of tires if you wanted to put it into service right away. Located in Calgary, Alberta, this Chevy is available here on Barn Finds for $4,800.
For 1978, Chevrolet would build 2.4 million automobiles of which 322,000 or one out of every seven built was a Caprice Classic (the latter part of the name had been added to gussy up the appeal of the car, maybe like Coke did several years later after New Coke didn’t take off). If you wanted a 2-door version of the car, there were two choices: the Sport Coupe (37,000 copies) or the Landau Coupe (22,000 units), like the seller’s car. Three engines could be had in the Caprice, but we don’t know which one is in this car. Let’s rule of the 250 cubic inch inline-6 and go with either of two V8s, a 305 that put out 145 hp or a 350 that was good for 170 hp.
When the seller’s father retired in 1978, he treated himself to this ’78 Caprice when it was brand new. He drove it until 2003 when he gave up driving. We don’t know how much the auto may have been used the past 18 years, but the odometer reflects 143,000 kilometers (which equals 88,000 miles in the U.S.). The car has been garage-kept most of its life, though it had a run-in once with a door jamb that produced a small dent in the right front fender, which is still there.
This automobile presents well overall (except for the dent) and there is no mention of rust. Other than the tires being rather old, you should be able to hop in it and go anywhere. We assume everything works properly as there is no mention of any repairs that are needed. Chevrolet sold plenty of Caprices and Impalas in the late 1970s, so the public was appreciative of GM’s efforts to make bigger cars more affordable to drive.
Math not your strong point I’m guessing. 143,000km. = 88,856 miles not 68,000.
You are correct about the math. That has been changed in the review.
My bad…didn’t do the math correctly multiply Kms by .6 to get miles. The engine is the 350.
Always liked the rear window which you’d think would be a styling que on an olds or buick instead of a chevy. Buckets with a full console and floor shifter would be cool.
The “bent window” coupe was brilliant and beautiful. I almost wept went it went away in the (’80? ’81?) refresh.
I’m glad the malaise-era Chevies are getting some love. This basic body style lasted for so long and became so commonplace on the highways, it’s hard to remember how crisp and elegant they looked when first introduced. Plus, that cool, wonky rear window was only a 77-79 feature.
The fifth digit of the VIN “L” means it has the 170 horse 350-4bbl.
Never seen one of these coupes with buckets and console. I would like to fo a LT1/6MT swap in one of these coupes.
This series of Chevrolet/Buick/Oldsmobile/Pontiac (1977-1985?) were among the best cars GM ever made. I’m not being facetious either…
How do I purchase it?
had a 77 2dr ,drove it for 19 yrs…great car
I have always thought it would be cool to restore one of these as a ( what if )Chevrolet made an Impala SS. I think a set of Camaro bucket seats and a console, then add an Impala grill with some SS badging and wala! I had two of the 77 to 79 Impala’s, both 4 doors, and both excellent cars though the 305 ci was no barn burner it was very dependable. If this wasn’t so far away I would be all over it.
I know these cars and if Ihad the room I would seriously look at this. They are very good values, and great drivers.
Everybody stay well.
Oldsmobile made a model of this body generation with buckets and a console–maybe a pace car variation. I searched all over for one to grab that interior for my Caprice, which I kinda converted to an SS, with badges and 8″ rally wheels. Never found that interior. The Caprice went away. As mentioned earlier…great cars..I had three of them.
I had one of these. I got it from my friend in the used car business. The AC in this car was so cold it was like a meat locker. I miss that car! One of the best GM vehicles ever built.
This was my favorite Caprice ever. I like it and if the conditions were right and I had room I’d be interested in it. Getting it here to Georgia would present a hurdle, but not impossible. I’m not sure what the process would be to get it into the US.
There are brokers that handle the import details…not very expensive (check online) and transport people that will carry to your destination or for $900.00US I can arrange to deliver it to Twin Falls, Idaho…Spokane, Wa, or Salt Lake city, Utah…You can drive it home from there or have it trucked.
Such a beautiful design. All that room in the front passenger compartment and no obnoxious console to eat up that space [taken to total absurdity in current cars].
And to think this became the bloated mess of the ’90s bathtub Impala/Caprice.
All that knowledge wasted. Plus the cost to downsize and re-tool to replace it with those low brow designs. Such a shame.
This still looks good. And always will.
The ’90s version will always be a joke.
Car for sale looks nice. Yes it has a dent but it’s 45 years old. I would worry more about safe tires and whether the undercarriage is rusted. I drove a 1980 Caprice rental car for about a week and it was easy to park despite its size because of excellent variable ratio power steering and its square roofline visibility. I owned a 1979 Bonneville and it felt fuel starved despite being a 301 when the rental was probably only a 305 but the Chevy ran smoother. Didnt see many 2 door coupes on the street back when new so this car is distinctly different.
Smaller is bigger because this is basically a rectangular box – the most efficient packaging shape. But the design is decent here, but there is only so much you can do with a box to make it look different year to year – same with the later egg shape, & today’s “electric razor look” front grills/ends.
It would have been better on the 2 door above to retain the frameless glass from ’76, because in a narrow garage, you can roll down the window & when there’s no window frame, it’s easier to squeeze in & out of the car.
I had the same car but silver.. bought it for $200.00 cdn. lasted forever until the cancer got to it .500 plus km’s . tranny gone but that 350 kept on ticking. it’s sitting in a buddy’s garage for another day.