1989 Caprice Classic Wagon 5 Speed (mine)

EDIT: SOLD! To a fellow GRMer. Look for a build thread soon!

I have been on a bit of a hiatus from GRM as I pursue some rally stuff on 2 wheels, and have since found myself with too many cars. In an effort to clear out some projects to finish up the 944 LS1 project I picked up from @DrBoost far too long ago (I promise I'm still working on it!) I've decided to sell my 1989 Caprice Classic wagon.

Before you read too far, note that it will be sold minus the engine, Megasquirt harness, and the VDO cluster setup. Transmission, clutch, flywheel, etc will still be included.

1989 Caprice Classic wagon, named Humphrey. It has been my daily driver for about 6 years, but after realizing the rust had progressed further than I had thought, I stopped working on it and eventually picked up a different DD. Drove it around some in the snow this winter, but has been parked the last few months.

• Originally carb, Olds 307, and 200R4 automatic transmission. 2.93 8.5" rear end, open diff.
• Currently set up for a first gen small block. Will come with the exhaust from the headers back. Engine is still in it but will be removed before sale.
• NV3500 transmission from a 1989 350-powered C1500. Trans works fine but definitely has the loose intermediate shaft bearing these get when they start to wear. I autocrossed it multiple times and drove it across the country twice while I had it and it never really got worse.
• Front suspension is drop spindles and 800 lb-in springs with Hotchkis Fox single adjustable shocks
• Rear suspension is 400 lb-in springs, no rear bar but I have a panther bar you can have if you want. Needs rear control arms - bushings are shot. Also have the hotchkis shocks for the rear, but not currently installed.
• Fuel tank swapped to a later bubble B-body plastic baffled tank with in-tank pump
• Giant class 3 hitch system in the rear. Fairly rare on these and supposedly good to 7500 lbs, not that I'd want to test it
• HD brakes and middle duty sway bar of the options offered on this car
• 9c1 2.5 turn steering box
• 15x8 steelies with 255 section Hankook Ventus H101 tires in reasonably good condition
• Rare grey interior in good shape, aside from torn headliner and cracked dash
• Speakers are pretty well shot, but it has a bazooka sub in the back. You know you want it.
• Electric fans, newish radiator
• Everything works, but the tailgate window motor and lock actuators are a bit slow

I mentioned rust. Lots of cosmetic damage, but the real killers are the rear spare tire well, front and rear floor pans, and some rust in odd places like the A pillars. Most of the rubber seals are perished and only marginally effective as well, though it has new front window felts!

I'm not sure how much of a future it has on the street, but would hate to part it out or see it derbied. I would absolutely love to see it end up as a 24 hours of lemons car. With the suspension and steering, it's a hoot to drive. $400 but negotiable. No trades unless you have something I need for my Tahoe Limited build. EDIT: located in Columbus, Indiana.

Pics from the NCM Lemons race:

Current pics:

Interior:

Autocross video:

https://youtu.be/mVx7Y0teCP0

Mulholland Drive video:

https://youtu.be/Di2_lV_COAQ

In reply to gearheadE30 :

Fly and drive with the motor, in running condition...? 

You’re asking $400 torn apart and no motor.  What would be your “drive it away as-is” price?  I suspect it’d be much more appealing that way.

Yeah, I know it would be....but I have way too much money into the engine. It's massively overkill for the car, but a recently built fuel injected, distributorless, Megasquirt-controlled chevy 350 jacks the price up out of what might be a reasonable realm. Not to mention $500 worth of VDO gauges and such. I built it when I had dreams of restoring it more to its former glory, and didn't have a bunch of other projects making me think more carefully about the economics of the project.

I'd be hard pressed to let the whole thing go for less than $4000 or so, and even then I'd have to think on it since the plan is to replace the 250,000 mile engine in the Tahoe with this one and building another engine just like the one I already have sounds...tedious. But I suppose I might consider it, and if someone wants to send me an offer, I'll think about that too. Worst I can say is no.

Engine shortly after I built it. It's not quite so pretty now after a few years of Indiana winters.

400 torn apart/ no motor sounds pretty cheap for $200 worth of scrap metal, an NV3500, and some pretty fly-looking rear speakers.  Really, drop in any old small block for barely 3 figure money and beat it till it falls apart, Blues-Brothers style.  

I can't be the only guy looking on CraigsList for an engine to sink in it. That car is filled with so much HNNNNNGH!

$400 is a great deal.  If it was a MoPar (or I had Chevy motors laying around) I would be already on my way.

In reply to volvoclearinghouse :

there is definitely enough money in parts to offset what I'm asking in parting it out. The steering box, shocks, and drop spindles pretty much get you there. Those rear speakers, sketchy mounting aside, are actually pretty nice Boston Acoustics speakers I had lying around. Fronts are Infinity Reference plate speakers, but the cones have disintegrated.

I really do hope someone wants to throw an engine in it and keep using it for something. It's a simple car with a big engine bay, so wouldn't take much doing. It's just so far down the priority list with all the other project cars that I figured I would see if anyone wants it as a roller before I consider putting something in just to make it drive.

I posted it up in my Vintage Daily Driver group on FB.   This is too cool to get parted out or derbied.

Damn, i want a B Body wagon with a stick.....

@Cooter thanks; I appreciate it.

@Antihero I know where you can get one!

In reply to gearheadE30 :

I'm mostly trying to save me from myself.  This is pretty much the way I want the Tan Panther set up.

I'd be a player if I could figure out how to get it back to Alabama.  Any enablers with an empty trailer coming south wanna help?  A wagon relay for beer and steaks anyone?

I still have the 350+ horsepower motor from the Elco I got from SVReX

Fly down, buy a tree-fiddy, drop it in, drive home.

volvoclearinghouse said:

Fly down, buy a tree-fiddy, drop it in, drive home.

 

If one of you GRMers really wanted to do this (and could provide at least some kind of evidence that you can turn a wrench vs. watching me wrench... ), I could probably be convinced to help some with sticking an engine back in it. It's not exactly a challenging car to swing an engine on. In fact, I even have a time lapse video of putting this engine in it:

For the life of me I can't figure out how to embed a video...

https://youtu.be/NDNYrBRnJTo

volvoclearinghouse said:

Fly down, buy a tree-fiddy, drop it in, drive home.

 

OK. I'll chime in with the assist. If someone wants to fly in and do a Roadkill style, engine swap in a weekend and drive home, I'll lend a hand. Also, I have a running small block Chevy, in dad's old truck, sitting here looking for a home that I could sell to complete the package.

Edit: looks like gearheadE30 chimed in with a similar thought while I was away having supper with the family.

Not that I have the time or skills or even inclination to do something like drive to the Midwest with a crappy motor in tow, swap it into a rusted out wagon and tow it home, but you guys are awesome. Take pictures and put it on the build thread!

Hmmm, cost of a 600 mile capable small block?

Indy-Guy said:

volvoclearinghouse said:

Fly down, buy a tree-fiddy, drop it in, drive home.

 

OK. I'll chime in with the assist. If someone wants to fly in and do a Roadkill style, engine swap in a weekend and drive home, I'll lend a hand. Also, I have a running small block Chevy, in dad's old truck, sitting here looking for a home that I could sell to complete the package.

 

Edit: looks like gearheadE30 chimed in with a similar thought while I was away having supper with the family.

I mean it might be worth a mention on the Roadkill Facebook page but Roadkill may want to do a Roadkill kind of arrive, swap engine, drive with it...

Dont tell anybody outside of known Challenge/Lemons racers! This car was built for one of the 2 and if I can figure out how to get it home, it will make a road trip to Gainesville in Oct

gearheadE30 said:

@Cooter thanks; I appreciate it.

@Antihero I know where you can get one!

 

Believe me its very very tempting but i cant swing it right now.

At another time i would literally buy a cheap 350, swap it in and me and the wife would double team the challenge with my 84 caprice and that

I just have to say, I am proud to be the enabler of stupid ideas*

*That I wish I could do, but with a wife and 2 kids under 5 at home, right now is not that time in my life.  Maybe when my daughter's old enough to drive...