I owned a 1973 Caprice Classic. It had the build quality of a high school shop project, the vacuum controls failed to suck, the emissions-choked 400CID made about 8 horsepower, and it rode like a waterbed on pogo sticks. And those were its good points
I owned a 1972 Chevrolet Impala. The standard V8 was a 350 Cu in 2bbl. I wanted to order a Caprice but also wanted a Desert Gold Metallic exterior and a light beige interior. The Caprice only came with a cloth interior and with two small children I wanted vinyl. So, as I had to order an Impala to get the vinyl interior, I added every option that came standard on the Caprice - small block 400 V8 and all of the extra trim items. It was a beautiful car and we kept it for a long time. Wonderful driving car.
I LOVED my 73 Chevy Caprice. I miss it now. I was given it when I was 17. My first car in 78. I learned how to work on it and take care of it…yep ok sure, it had rust on the aprons it sure guzzled gas... But drove powerfully, reliably, and like on a cloud. The interiors and factory stereo with eight track player…were just great. Oh what good memories! A Collectors car now. Gorgeous. Classy. Cheers!
I also got my ‘73 Caprice when I was 17, but I still have it. Recently did a frame off restoration on it, it’s better than new and what a joy to drive!
I like how the temperature gauge is to the left of the steering wheel for driver use only. Nothing is more annoying than having your passenger f::::k around with the temperature buttons while you're trying to drive.
I had at 73 Caprice coupe also! My parents passed it down to me when they got their 77 Monte. That Caprice outlived the Monte along with the next few Hondas they had! Like you said, my succumbed to rust but was still running strong on the original engine and tranny with 245K miles. Best memories ever, wish I could have it (or perhaps a convertible today).
I love these 70s Chevys and Caprice models.... when I needed a reliable car in high school to get back and forth to work, I found an older gentleman selling a white with woody side paneling 71 Caprice Wagon for $400...ran great while I needed it and am still sorry I sold it... should have kept it
My best friend's mother had a 1971 Caprice Classic Coupe in the same brown color and with the exact same color interior as you have in this video. It was a nice riding, quiet car. The seats were like a Cadillac's. He would sneak it out and bring me riding around when his parents were out for the night or away on vacation. I would sneak my mother's car out too and go riding around with him. At the same time, my other friend's father had a beautiful Hunter's Green 1968 Fleetwood. The interior still smelled new. The sweet smell of the leather (Hunter's green, too) was intoxicating. Sometimes, he and his brother would sneak it out when their parents were away. My other friend used to sneak his father's 1970 Ford Country Squire Wagon out. He'd spin the tires every time we stopped at a light or stop sign. It had the big 390 in it. That thing was fast. Those were the days. 😁😁😁
My friends and I used to do the same thing. Dad had a 73’ Grand Prix my friend’s dad had a 66’ Oldsmobile 98. One night I took a bend too fast and went off the road. Destroyed a wheel and tire and trim on bottom. Crazy thing is my Dad was on to me so he took keys to bed with him but I took Mom’s keys and had one made for myself. I was 15 years old. He handled it great I should have been beat but after another episode I was decked lol that’s another story
@@youtold7727 I bet you smile though every now and then when you think about it. 😁 When I was 9 years old, my mother used to let me warm up her car while she got dressed for work. At first, I would just go back and forth in the driveway. As time progressed and I knew how long she would be, I began going around the block. The rest is history! 😁😁😁
@@waynejohnson1304 ….Wayne aren’t mother’s the greatest? My Dad had a 65’ mustang convertible I was 10 years old and we’d be visiting our aunt or someone and I’d say mom give me the keys and I’d drive up and down the street. My Dad had a softball team in those days and they would go out of town for tournaments and one weekend him and my uncle left , my uncle had a 67’ Cougar and he left it with my mom. We went to a wedding. Soon as we got there I said mom throw me the keys lol my friend, younger brother and me was driving around this neighborhood through an alley 100 times and this old man was waiting for us and screamed come here you little S. O. B. and I floored it. So I said that’s enough we’re gonna park it. I was pulling in same spot mom had it in and I just bumped the car in front of us and people were walking into wedding, my friend said he just got his license today. Oh man I have a million stories. 62’ years old now but I did calm down some. Last week racing a guy after work on the interstate I was going 140 in my Jaguar. Heck I was more worried about hitting a deer than the police.
@@youtold7727 That's a riot! 🤣🤣 During the ice storm of 1971, I took the car out and picked up my friend. I was 10 at the time. My sister found out I had taken the car and called the Police. Once they spotted us, they followed us for about 30 minutes before performing the "pit maneuver" on me. They knocked me into a stop sign which my mother had to pay for. It was a while before I was able to drive again. 🤣🤣Today, I am retired. I have 4 Cadillacs in my driveway. I am up past 100 MPH at least once or twice a week. I have been known to race a bit too. 😁😁
I graduated from college in 1977, and my graduation present from Dad was a 1972 Caprice classic two-door coupe with the concave rear window, cream colored vinyl roof and a beautiful slate gray body. I would give anything to have that car again - but don't we all wish we had our cars from the '60s and '70s?
My dad bought a new 1971 Caprice tan, brown vinyl roof, green interior. One of best cars he ever owned. What I learned to drive in. Only thing we didn't like was the flow thru ventilation..had 400 motor and that thing would scream!!😊😊
Good motor, 4 bolt main caps. Used mainly in trucks but a fellow marine had a 71 Monte Carlo w/ a 402 4 bbl.Plenty of power & damn quick for a big car.
My parents had a '73 Caprice 2-door black on black. So wanted my parents to keep it for when I turned 16 but couldn't talk 'em into it. Would be a collectible today for sure!
My second car was a triple black '72 Caprice Coupe. 400(402) 4bbl. Had the bright aluminum wire caps with the knurled center knob. The were popular through 1977 or '78. Rode so smooth and very quiet.
I love these older cars and you have to give credit to the people who either restore them or keep them as original.Magnificent cars should always be saved.
Adam, what an amazing circumstance for Chevrolet. The United Auto Workers strike of 1970 shut down all GM North American operations just as the all new 1971 GM full-sized cars were coming off the assembly lines. At the same time, the first press photos of the new Chevrolet Caprice/Impala were released to newspapers and magazines. The stunning "Cadillac-like" front styling really got people around town talking! The first TV spots proclaimed, "The 1971 Caprice - Looks and Drives like Twice the Price". But showrooms were empty until Thanksgiving 1970.
A little known fact about the strike you mention in 1970. Little did the car industry giants know that by relenting to the workers demands ( for the most part) that gave fuel to the growing behemoth the UAW would turn into all thru the 70s and 80s, making it the most powerful union nationwide, even more than the teamsters. Unfortunately, it was the death knell to the uncontested invincibility the Amercan Auto Industry held worldwide. Bad designs, cheap materials, terribly shoddy workmanship to the vehicles because many workers had jobs for life basically due to the Unions power. The foreign imports swooped in with better cars, and never looked back ( starting with that strike in 70).
@@thomasomalley7745 American industry gave itself raises in lockstep with the unions. Began sending jobs over seas. The price of all cars went to the moon and financing became the norm. It was a self feeding downward spiral.
The strike also delayed the new 1973 body style for GM intermediates scheduled for 1972, thus the carryover Chevelle & M.Carlo with just grille changes. One wonders if there would have been a 1972 Pontiac Grand Am??? CB
Thanks for taking me down memory lane. My grandparents had a 1972 Caprice 2 door in a sort of lime green. I LOVED that car. I had dreams of owning it one day. We always called it the “green car”. My grandparents kept it until around 1994. They knew how much I liked the car so they let me drive it once when I was 15. Shortly after that they sold it. I realized then they let me drive it because they were about to get rid of it. Back then, we didn’t have the internet like we do today and he needed some steering parts for it and had a hard time finding them. I think at that point my grandmother talked him into getting rid of it because parts were hard to locate. I was heartbroken when they got rid of it. I wanted my first car to be an early 70’s Caprice or Impala.
There was a mid century modern home in my home town that had carport on the south side. Under that carport, for decades, sat a 71 or 72 yellow four door hardtop caprice. It looked right at home there as the styling of the car was really nice.
When i was a.kid our neighbor bought a new 73 caprice triple red....i remember hearing him brag to my dad about it having a 454...and how good it ran and drove....he had it for a long time....
I purchased a used 1973 Caprice 4 dr. hardtop in 1996 with only 38,000 miles on it for $2500. People often tell me they like my Caddy. It has 196,000 now, but still runs great and passes emissions. Someone recently told me they couldn't believe how quiet it runs.
I HAD A 1968 CHEVY CAPRICE,, WHAT A GREAT CAR!!! IN THE 70S THEY WERE JUST AS NICE A FULL BODY BIG RIDE LIKE A CADDY CHEAPER,,.. THE 60S WERE THE BEST..I HAD A 1972 IMPALA AND MY BROTHER HAD A 1972 CAPRICE GREAT RACE CARS...
A friend of mine had one of these in the mid-'90s, when a bunch of us went to work for the same PC manufacturer right out of college. Sadly, being a 20-plus-year-old car belonging to a cash-strapped recent graduate, it wasn't the best-preserved specimen. One day all six of us were carpooling to work in it when the 454 threw a rod, stranding basically the company's entire technical support department. Our boss was... not amused.
The weak link on my Caprice was the damn driveshaft constant velocity joint. I remember having the car for just a weekend while at college. Was driving all my buddies home when the driveshaft let go on the highway.
@@fleetwin1 I used to lose the hanger bearing on my '66 C10's drive shaft more often than seemed strictly necessary. Slightly less dramatic than losing a CV joint, but still a significant emotional event. :)
@@ZGryphon After the first time, I got used to the whining noise the driveshaft would make and replace it before it "let go". Tried using "rebuilt" driveshafts, but they were never right, had to buy new ones.
Enjoy your content, especially the designer interviews!. First new car 1973 Caprice 400 SBC. Dad worked at Florida dealer Cecil Clark Chevrolet. A policy was to re-align front end and balance tires on every new car, something to do with motor carrier tie downs. This task fell to Dad as the alignment guy. He recalled later "the factory build got everything right on this car" and I noticed it when it first came in. A few months after the car was sold, the owner, a salesman, traded in the car for a station wagon model. Dad bought it right away; our family car until 1986, when it was given to me in my third year of college. When I bought a new Chevrolet in 1990, and while not a trade in, the Chevrolet salesman bought the for himself personally. He called us a few weeks after purchase to comment on the reputation the car had around the dealership for being so smooth to drive.
I remember when my parents picked up our 73 Caprice coupe, the salesman was actually making negative comments about it! Little did he know this car would outlive many of the Hondas this dealership loved selling. I always hear Adam talking about the "jiggly ride", or frame wobble, this Caprice had none of that, it was always tight, even when badly rusted away. The 4002bbl carb was pretty lean though, wish I had taken the time to rejet it. I had removed all the damn smog plumbing off the engine, and it still did better on the smog tests than most cars a few years newer with catalytic convertors. I guess it was just a good/happy engine.
My best pal's dad gave him a '72 Caprice to drive in '77. It was a 2 door, grey with black vinyl top and 400 2V. Beautiful car and very peppy. Topped out at an indicated 115 and had a luxurious ride. Very durable too - he was not good with maintenance and one day the oil light came on, it was 4 quarts low. Filled it back up and never had a problem. Thanks for the memories of my teen years in the 70s!
My parents had a 71 Caprice Coupe with the 400 small block. It was a dream to drive and the ride rivaled their neighbor's Buick Electra. We made many trips to Florida from Kentucky, and two trips to Colorado and back. In later years my parents bought a wonderful Sedan Deville, but I think my father always liked his Caprice best of all the autos they owned.
Beautiful cars. My neighbor had a '72 Impala Custom Coupe in red with a white vinyl top and a beige vinyl interior. It was kept in mint shape and I always told my neighbor I'd buy it when he was ready to sell it!
That sounds really good, Tom. I hope you get the chance to buy it. Let me ask you something. Do you know if Chevy made an open hardtop 2-door Impala coupe in '76, the final year of this generation? I can't seem to get an answer. I know they did in '75, and suspect-----suspect it was the final year for those, like it was for the Caprice conv. '74 & '75 had the open hardtop coupe and a thick pillared stationary window coupe, but had a choice. Anyway, please review and advise when you get the chance. Thanks.
The '71-72 full size Chevrolet was the best looking of the series ever, in our opinion. Especially the 2-door with the standard roofline. Although suffering a bit from a de-contented interior, it certainly had great ride and handling characteristics. Lots of available power at the tap of the gas, even with the 350 2bbl. 👍👍
My first car (in summer of 1980) was a 1973 Impala Custom Coupe (the one with the concave rear window). I'm surprised this model year was not included in this video because the only differences from 1972 was individual three-tail-lights design for the rear (rather than a single plastic piece 3-light design per side), a slightly different egg-crate grille and front signal lights moved from outboard of the headlights to a lower position in the front bumper. I saved up all summer to pay $1000 cash for this car, which had a little over 70,000 miles on the odometer, a small-block 350 with Rochester 4-barrel carb, dark metallic brown paint (with no vinyl roof - hated those) and cream-colored vinyl upholstery.
My dad got a new company car every year in the 1970's. One of our very favorites was his 1971 Impala. If memory serves me, he had a 350 ci small block, don't remember it being the 400. The smaller engine moved the car along just fine. It was comfortable, stylish, handled well and fun to drive. Excellent daily transportation.
My first car was a 71 Impala 4 door hardtop. I was 17 and thought I was THE coolest dude for miles and miles around, even though my car was actually a rust bucket. I named her Loretta. I'm from Gary, Indiana and ended up driving her all the way to Los Angeles when I turned 18. Good memories! About 10 years later, I bought a 71 2 door Impala that wasn't a complete rust bucket, but I ended up trading it for a pickup truck after a short time.
I had a 72 Caprice 2 door with the 402 Big Block. It was the first engine I ever rebuilt. Wished I had kept it, but someone pulled out in front of me and bent the frame in front of the driver's door. Could have been fixed. I've never seen another one with a 402. Interesting fact-I thought for the longest, before rebuilding the engine, that the long speedometer stopped at 120 MPH as it would stick there when on the floor and go no further. After putting a Melling 280 duration .563 lift cam and Holley 4 barrel on it, I discovered it would climb past and well past 130 scaled.
@@youtbe999 They ditched the old Chevelle body style and went to a horrible replacement which has almost entirely vanished from the planet. Saw a junked one several months ago. Power block worked on an olds some time back. To me it was a waste of time. Yes my dads 73 Camaro was mostly the same.
Dad had a '71 Chevy Impala Sport Coupe, white vinyl roof over midnight blue. That car had vacuum issues that the mechanic couldn't resolve, and Dad owned that car only a couple years. He replaced it with a '74 Cassini Matador, a car we loved to death despite it being a championship ruster.
I`m kind of amazed. For someone that only started their youtube channel not all that long ago relatively you have done an amazing job showing us your wonderful collection and informing us with your vast knowledge. As a retired mechanic I must say I have always hated bean counters but you have enlightened me to the other aspects of the car industry. Your content is always informative and entertaining. Thank you Adam. P.S @0:29 I have owned a few of those but thats the most beautiful example that I`ve ever seen. I used to use them as party vehicles because they were plain Jane in their normal colors of some drab green color, their were so many of them they were common place. I could blend into the traffic without being noticed while me and my buddies and girlfriends were out doing our party thing in the early 80`s trying to escape the watchful eye of the law.
In the summer of 76 my mom’s cousin and her family came from Oshawa to visit us in Winnipeg. The husband worked in accounting at GM, so of course they made the trip in a 454-equipped 76 (May have been a 75, I’m not sure). Caprice. Cool car! My parents were driving a screaming yellow 72 Volvo at the time so the Caprice was otherworldly to 15 year-old me.
Hello! My family had a 1971 Kingswood 9 passenger station wagon. I always thought it had a 350 2 barrel. I know it was delivered at the local Chevrolet dealer in July of 71. When my mom was the color Rosewood metallic she was ready to divorce my father. Lol. She wanted a LTD Country Square I always thought that was a great option. Traveling in the Kingswood was always a pleasure. It seems like it had so much room and the 3rd forward facing seat was great. The Kingswood was a great car. It was the car for me my drivers test and naturally I passed the first time. Everyone was so afraid to drive the Kingswood except me. My next car was a Granville convertible. Both were so amazing to drive. 👊👊👊👊👍👊👊👍👍👊
When I was in high school the local Chevrolet dealership loaned our school new Chevrolet’s for driver’s ed behind the wheel training. I really enjoyed driving that light green metallic Impala 4 door sedan.
I had a 71 Caprice given to me back in the mid-eighties. 400 small block. I loved that car. Comfortable. Rode well, and never left me stranded. Sold it only when I moved to Germany. Yep, back window leaked. And the vinyl top was a mess.
You can’t get white walls hardly any where. At least the type you could use every day. And not just on the parade or car show circuit. Can you imagine a car like this with black wall tires? Things that night mares are made of.
Ikr. Used to be like $3 extra a piece.I asked for reg whitewalls a couple years ago when I replaced all 4 tires and they said n/a 😡 I think Koker Tires would have but $$
I got one inch Hankooks on my 70 Eldo. The original had Uniroyal Pinstripes. I don't know anywhere you can get pinstripes. And the tires now are metric. The Eldo took L 78 15s. Gangster whitewalls are available.
We had the wagon model somewhere around this year in a beautiful, deep blue. This was when I had just received my license and I'd borrow it from Dad and take my friends out "for a cruise". I seem to recall the antennae being inside the glass of the windshield which wasn't great for reception. Considering its mass, the car was pretty good at getting out of its own way.
I owned a 72 Caprice with the 402 Cid big block. I painted a guy's trim for the car. Rebuilt 402 into a 416 incher. Full landau roof, tilt, 60/40 pwr seats, tilt wherl am/fm 8 track, AC, Cruise, rally wheels and red striped aftermarket steel belted tires, TH 400, leather, 12 bolt posi rear axle. A 4BBL Holley and medium riser intake, air intake, Hooker Headers a 3" dual exhaust with crossover H pipe. Other than that, it was stock. 4p years later, it still runs and drives great with 14k miles. When I croak, the 5 boys will want it. But it5 been left to my granddaughter who will drive it very soon. That because my kids were fighting over our estate. Not even that old yet. They get NOTHING for that, save for my one son who refused to engage in that conversation. So everything else goes to him. But the 72 Impala and Caprice were beautiful cars.
In the early 70’s I owned a 1972 Caprice Classic 4door hardtop, silver with black vinyl roof, fender skirts etc, it was a beauty, drove and floated like a ship, very comfy, had a big block 4 bbl carb. My last car before getting married, I miss it.
Just got done commenting on your LTD video! My friend who had the 72' Ltd 2dr, his older brother always had really nice early 70s Caprice's! Their dad always had connections for these types of vehicles that were like new! Even though they were only 7or 8 years old? They were nicer than any other makes of the same years that I ever seen! I remember taking batting practice and turn to bat left and David started laughing at me! I told him that I could hit his car that was parked out in the street on the other side of the "right center field fence" He said I couldn't do it! First two pitches ended up landing just feet from his rear and front bumpers, he begged me to turn back the the other side of the plate! Good times!👍✌❤👊🇺🇲
My Dad bought a brand new 72 Kingswood which was the Impala level wagon. He traded a 66 Impala wagon for it. It had the 350 engine. Nice riding car that was great in the snow. The clam shell tailgate was interesting. Early on it kept throwing fanbelts which I think they finally narrowed down to a harmonic balancer issue. It kind of went through the family and I got it last as a winter car. It had over 200K on it when we got rid of it.
I had a 1972 caprice classic, dark green with tan vinyl roof, that I bought used with 20,000 miles, while a junior in college. Supposedly owned by a coal miner in Logan, WV previously. I was 6’6” and couldn’t drive a small car. I had it for about 2 years. It was a good car, rode well, but only got about 8.5 mpg city, 17 highway. 400 V-8 small block. Used a quart of oil every 750 miles or so. Sold it in early 77, got a new Chevy impala. Very nice car also, but had many problems mechanically. Lost it in a divorce in 1983. Didn’t miss the frequent mechanical problems. I agree Adam, the 72 Chevy Caprice was a beautiful car and had an excellent ride. And loads of leg and head room. Never knew why it burned oil, unless the previous owner took poor care of it.
When I was 13 my parents traded a '65 Dodge Coronet for a new '72 Impala. Was a lot larger than the Dodge, but the trunk and back seat didn't seem any bigger. A lot of space between the bumper and radiator. It was a good car, but I think they should have gotten another Coronet.
In 72 My Dad was driving a new Buick Estate Wagon. This would be our last wagon ever bought. As my Mom told my Dad no More Wagons. We only have two kids left at home.
Oh Adam, to me, I think that the '71 Chevy was the absolute most beautiful of them all, ever! I've always been a lover of Chevrolet, this year it just looked the best to me!
The car of my very young and impressionable youth. 71- 76 Caprices and Impala's were the road warriors of the city and country. Every other house in the neighborhoods of the Northeast had a big Chevy out front because they were indestructible. Big' roomy' fast. Dented up? No problem. You could pull the dents out. Engine trouble? Easy to fix V8s with plenty of room to work with. My dad only bought chevys. Dependable beasts, all the way to the 90s. Every time I see one I still smile...
Thank you for making me smile & remember . I had a 72 Impala , White with a Biege interior and a 350 engine . GREAT CAR , when G.M. still made a great car that you could go anywhere with and never worry . Even after years she was still reliable and EASY to fix , as I never had any real problems with it . My biggest reoccurring issue was the fuel filter used to get clogged , and that was a 5 minute fix .
This is a car that has aged very well. Back when I was a kid, 1970 and earlier Impalas were considered to have more of a youthful flair, while the 1971 and up cars were more closely associated with your grandpa. However, I think time has tempered that assessment to a certain extent……🤔
Adam, you missed the opportunity to include any pictures of the convertible, a really beautiful version of the Caprice. Maybe it didn’t come out until later years. Fun history lesson
I drove a 2 door 1976 impala it was for work and had lots of miles on it , but I loved it and carried a lot of weight for work. I learned how to drive with that car and it was like a tank , favorite memories were taking it on camping trips the trunk was huge !
My grandmother had one of these. It was a white hardtop coupe with a red vinyl roof. I thought I was told at the time that it had a 305 engine in it. But that must not be right because only a minority were made with a 350 and I’m not aware of any that were ever sold with a 305 which would’ve made this a very slow car. I think it was either a 73 or 74 model and remember riding in it with a very smooth, quiet ride. I was very impressed with that at the time even as a kid. It was a nice, reliable car and ran very well.
I had 71 4dr HT.as my first car it was originally the celery green with tan interior. I had it painted black and velour interior.... That was one Sharp Caprice
My parents, who'd bought Pontiacs since the first Star Chief in 1954, bought the first Grand Ville in 1971, sharing, of course, the same Fisher body as this Caprice. Always garaged here in Texas, no snow/salt/etc. on the roads. Rusted out in the trunk area, those stupid louvers leaked the whole time in the rain or car washes. They switched to European cars after that, never went back to GM, and I couldn't blame them. Your 1970 Caprice and Limited are so much better-bodied.
I owned a generously optioned 1973 Caprice Estate that was an absolutely fantastic car. Very smooth engine and transmission, excellent ride/handling/load-carrying compromise, great visibility, extremely roomy, and admirably reliable. The only negatives were very cheap dashboard materials and that my car's 400-2 bbl was in a bit over its head on the heavy wagon. I miss that car.
I had a 72 Impala Hardtop and it rode like a dream and was pretty dependable. Gold with a black vinyl top. Unfortunately like you said Adam, the trunk completely rotted out. But for the most part it was a good car. I've had a few Impala's and liked them all very much.
