This was our Caprice!!! 😄😄😄 Words cannot describe how overjoyed I am to see that it was bought by somebody who's willing to restore it. Despite its horrific current state, it wasn’t always like this. This car has a long history with my family, and in a weird way, feels like a part of the family. It's history: This Caprice was bought new by my Dad's neighbors as a kid up in Madison, Wisconsin: Jug and Emma. Jug and Emma owned it from 1968 to about 1991-92, somewhere thereabouts. Emma outlived Jug, and passed away in 91 or 92. The car was bequeathed to my Great Aunt Janet and my Uncle Jim. My dad, who had long since moved from Wisconsin out to California had to relocate to Indiana for work in 1994 (The company moved out to Indiana). He had no vehicle, so my Aunt Janet gave this car to my dad to commute to work. At the time, this car wasn't really a collectors item. It was just an old car. He got it with 27,000 miles on it. The rest of the family moved out to Indiana in 1995 I think. I can vividly remember my dad using a heat lamp to warm up the carb on snowy mornings to go to work. We quickly changed houses after moving to Indiana, but unfortunately, "Big Red" A.K.A. "The Red Sled" as Dad's coworkers called it, was too big to fit into our garage. That is how the deterioration started. It was a slow process. My brother learned how to drive in this car, and I can remember playing make believe games in this car with my friends as a kid. By the way, the words carved on the side was caused by yours truly. I was very, very young. I was trying to carve my name, "Brandon", but didn't even know how to spell it yet 😅 Don’t ask me why I did it, kids do dumb things. Tbe damage to the front was caused when my dad forgot to turn the parking brake on, and it rolled into another car in his work's parking lot (fortunately the guy was cool about it, and just asked for us to pay for the damages). According to the odometer when we got the car hauled off, the car got parked at 99,7516 miles. To my knowledge, the car still ran when it got parked. The rust was just getting too bad. The last memory I have of this car running was the tailpipe falling off, and causing sparks down the road. For years we planned on restoring it. Starting a Caprice fund, buying NOS parts (which I still have), getting samples for replacement interior fabric (which I also still have), etc. But the fact remained that we had nowhere to house it, nor work on it. My dad is getting up there in age. And after my Aunt Janet (the second owner of this car) died a few years back, and he had to deal with her estate, he decided to start getting rid of things so we don't have to go through the same stress. It was a big decision to get rid of this car, and we were genuinely sad to do so. But there was just no way we could have given it the love it needs. I tried desperately to slow the car's deterioration. You’ll notice the car has Rust Check everywhere. Which might have actually slowed the rust a fair bit. I tried using a tarp to protect it from the elements, but that just caused the interior to humidifiy, causing the nightmare you see inside. If you are truly intent on restoring it, then I am more than happy to give you the replacement parts I have for this car if you just pay for the shipping. I was intending to just auction them off, but if this car can get a second chance at life, then I will happily take the loss. I have the replacement header panel, the emblem that was destroyed, the upper grille, the antenna (which is the only non-original part I think.), the lower trim exclusive to the 4-door 1968 Caprice (which was always missing on this car, because Emma scraped the original trim off against the garage I think), and maybe a few other bits and bobs. I also have the original manuals and such for this car. My brother has the mirror. He intended on turning it into a picture frame because the glass was cracked. He would probably happily give it to you if you plan on restoring Big Red. The motor(?) for the windshield wiper is the only part I might not be able to get. My parents neighbor has a 66 Biscayne which is not all clapped out, and we let him take the motor before we had Red hauled off. To my understanding he had to modify it to replace the 66 wiper motor, so it might not even work for this car anymore. But beyond that the car is completely original. If you have any questions, or want to get in touch with me, just let me know how I can get in contact with you. I am more than happy to answer any questions you might have. Thank you for saving Red ❤️
I would be interested in the parts for the car. It would be nice for them to be on the car they were bought for. You can send me an email @ chuck46278@hotmail.com or hit up StreetRat garage on Instagram. Thanks for the back story!
Thank you !👍we had a 1968 327 v8 green blk HT 4 Dr after the belair. It was my first family car I drove at 17 off the showroom in the window in DC…drove 3 blk to high school. Friends would say here comes the “boat” I’m 4’11. I have loved cars my whole life . This car had a wonderful life Till 1991…tried to save it but my sisters dog tore up the back seat and I sold it to a guy who really needed a car for work and I have missed it ever sense. I had a boyfriend who really took care of that car greatly and I think it had a hemi-8 I just know I could pass 2 trucks on any two lane hwy and fly in that car.. I wish I knew where it was now it was well taken care of and we had a lot of fun❤️ I will be following you this made my day …TY…
I remember in 1975 I was looking and test Drive Chevy Carprie in cream color no body damage from side street garage near the bus stop in Philadelphia with AC for $900.00 that all I had from selling everything I had.
Hey Mr. Street! I love what you’re doing for this car man. In June of ‘22 my wife & I took on a ‘68 impala custom 327 ci w/h a th400 4 door in light blue and frankly a little rusty too, just with a little more floor though lol. You’re right, 4 doors have never really gotten any love , but we’re out to change that Thanks for giving this car a second chance at life ! Can’t wait to see more. - Steven
Should also have a bottle of transmission fluid to pour down the carb and free up the lifter's and a bottle of Berrymans B-12 Chemtol and feed the carb.
I owned two 1968 Impalas one was a fast back and one was a two door Impala custom silver with a back vinyl top. i had it repainted and the top was in good shape. It had a 307 with a turboglide tranny. The first Impala had lifter noise due to soft lobes on the camshaft so it ticked this was very common I was told. My dad had a 1977 Monte Carlo with a 305 it started popping through the carb at 38,000 miles and had to have camshaft and lifters and timing chain sprocket replaced.Gm wouldnt do any thing about it because he didnt have the oil changed always at the dealer,, not right!
I'm a 100% with you on getting the car looking as good as possible from start, not only does it give you motivation but if you decide to bail on the car for whatever reason it makes for an easier sale, I've seen plenty of projects where people take a car apart and have to sell it as a basket case and lose money.
❤❤I would love too see u take the 1968 Chevy Caprice. I noticed the background on this video.There was a suburban or Tahoe black, if 4x4 ,Maybe take the body off 1968 frame, sell body parts of the LS Sub or Tahoe, cut ✂️ 🤔 off extra n put 68 on frame of the LS 4x4 frame 🤔 so AWD 1968 Sleeper Crew Cab ❤ Caprice !!! That would get u HELLA VIEWS N COOL.ASS CONTENT, BECAUSE NO ONE WOULD EVER TRY IT ,PLUS COOL VIEWS N 😎 Video. 2025 lS Holley Show. ❤ Jason B, Wichita, Ks
U have a Post left, n selling body parts off LS Sub or Tahoe would Generate you extra funds . Plus you have the computer with the chassie transmission Everything You change in the body. You could even use the dash. It's just a body swap on a newer frame, The computer will work , the computer doesn't know the body is a 1968 Chevy Caprice ❤❤2nd part comment Jason B, Wichita, Ks
Nobody said anything about the TV show that uses one of these 4dr hardtop Impalas in Black. That car is considered a star and has a cult following. I would put this on eBay or online auction.
@@streetratgarage I say good luck finding a running rolling classic for $500 maybe 25yrs ago. Most of the originals have long been crushed or belly down in the dirt with no motor or trans. I think you did alright if you get her roadworthy and patch her up. She'll still look good goin down the road and will get plenty of 👍😎. Thanks for the video! Unfortunately Barrett Jackson auctions ruined the classic car market for the average joe.
