I got my hands on an 84 caprice for $500 that is gonna be my first challenge car. It's probably not the best platform ever but It's something I will use after the challenge.
Pics will follow soon.
I got my hands on an 84 caprice for $500 that is gonna be my first challenge car. It's probably not the best platform ever but It's something I will use after the challenge.
Pics will follow soon.
Yes! Anxiously awaiting pics!
Never say "84 Caprice" and "not the best platform for..." ever again on this forum. If you can't do it in a box-body Caprice, it can't be done.
In reply to pinchvalve:
Lol, my thoughts exactly although a lot have told me I'm crazy for picking it
YES!
I wish I could find one of those for $500 locally. If it runs at all, the donk crowd has driven the prices through the roof.
This should be a fun one to watch.
Check out Bang Shift's project Buford T Justice. I'm sure it's pretty applicable to what you're doing here.
Some memories there! One of my best friends had an 81 through high school and college. Since it was the biggest vehicle any of us had, it became the chariot of choice for our group outings. Needless to say, a LOT of stuff happened in that car. 
Awesome. I approve. I had an 85 a long time ago.
SBC parts are plentiful and cheap. You can make this cars handle better than some people think, and still haul the family.
In reply to t25torx:
I hopped back on here to link that! lol
where are you? i have some leftovers from my impala SS that you might be able to use.
I like these. I'm in for updates.
To Toyman: believe it or not the guy had 2 for $500. Apparently my purchase also included an indeterminate amount of parts too
I saw the Buford build and it was what swayed me to go caprice. It's funny because whenever I mentioned these to coworkers etc their response was it'll be a huge heavy boat that gets 8 mpg.....and none of that is true....well boat is true with the stock suspension lol
Pat I'm in north idaho
So I went thru all the codes to see exactly what I have. 305 with 700r4 and 2.73 rearend
The rear end is higher than I'd like but I think the low first gear of the 700r4 will make up for it. It also works out because I'm 2700 miles from Gainesville one way so gas mileage is a good thing. This in a way is gonna be an odd build because I need it to do so much. 25Mpg would be spectacular on the highway.
Right now I'm thinking nitrous, adjustable shocks , and some simple things to help it breath better. Hopefully if I do it right it'll be able to change between highway cruiser and something that I can race and not come in last lol
Get sway bars off a cop car.
In reply to patgizz:
I'll start looking
A 3.08 or 3.23 rear won't hurt your fuel milage much. I still got 24 with my 305 TBI Firebird using a 3.27 rear. The 700R4 has a 26% overdrive, so with a 26" tire (245/50/16 or 235/60/15) you're around 2300 at 80mph. Look for a wagon for bigger front brakes and possible better rear gear. Find a tow package car. Big Caddys too.
Gave it a very thorough look thru today. Still amazed that the seats are pretty much perfect on a $500 car.
I've got a random check engine light coming on, it doesn't seem to have any effect on how it runs so it's probably something stupid.
Tranny was super low on fluid and slipped a bit if you didn't warm it up, more fluid and it seems fine. If it warms up for a long time it's fine too. I've added a quart and it's just barely into the add a pint range.
I was warned that it had either a bad starter or a battery. Its definitely the starter, it turns over very slowly when warm. A like New starter was included with the car so it'll be swapped out.
2 things bug me so far about the car. One is that it only has a gas gauge and speedometer the rest are idiot lights. Gonna have to fix that. The second is the placement of the power steering pump, I can see why it was low lol, it's not exactly user friendly in it's placement.
Low tranny fluid could throw a code so you might've cleared that up.
Im amazed in 84 on an american car the check engine light actually checks things. Ive got one on two euro cars of the same era and the only time it illuminates is when theres no engine or the engine has something SEVERELY wrong. Kudos america, good job.
Im interested to see where this car ends up, i love old boxy cars
Hmm....apparently I don't have a hollow sway bar, I don't see or feel a drain anywhere. Sweet
No rear sway bar but I was thinking of building a teardrop trailer for the journey so Ill need a trailer hitch....which seems to me would act as a rear sway bar too sort of
I remember owning an 80's body style (late 79 build) two door Caprice Classic Landaux Sport. I always wanted to do something with it but I gave it to a friend who wanted a project who then sold it for the motor and the car went to scrap :'( I should see if I can find the video of the burnout we did with that car...
I am in to see how this thing goes
In reply to Antihero:
Wait, explain to me how a trailer hitch acts as a rear sway bar?
In reply to chiodos:
It just stiffens up the frame basically, it's not really a sway bar it was meant as sarcasm lol
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