Impala spearheaded Chevrolet’s sales in the ’60s, propelling the full-size lineup to an impressive record. The GM brand sold over 1 million units in 1965, helping the company dominate the category in the domestic market.
Caprice joined the Impala lineup halfway in the 1965 model year, as Chevrolet wanted to offer a more luxurious version of the four-door hardtop. The early success of the car convinced the company to promote it to a stand-alone series in 1966.
The first-generation Caprice came to be as a two-door hardtop, a four-door hardtop, and a station wagon with room for six or nine passengers. It continued to share many parts with the Impala, including the engine option – the strategy wasn’t new to Chevrolet, as the GM brand used a similar approach when it launched the Impala in 1958; Impala debuted as the top Bel Air version, gaining series status for the 1959 model year but still sharing almost everything with the Bel Air. Caprice received the first revision in 1967 when Chevrolet introduced subtle refinements for the grilles and taillights, a new instrument panel, and new options such as a tape player. The 1967 Caprice was available with the same engine lineup as its predecessor, with one big difference. The GM brand dropped the 427 (7.0-liter) Turbo Jet with 425 horsepower – this engine continued to be a good choice for the Impala SS – so the top choice was now the 427 with 385 horsepower.
1967 was a big year for the Chevrolet Caprice. GM produced its 100 millionth car, so it picked the Caprice to celebrate the achievement with a special coupe rolling off the assembly plant in Wisconsin. In 1963, Chevrolet did the same with the Impala to celebrate the production of the 50 millionth car.
Let’s move to this fantastic Caprice that’s been inside for decades.
As anyone can tell after only a few clicks on the photos in the gallery, the 1967 Caprice listed on eBay by seller classic-crazed comes in incredible shape. It’s not a perfect 10, as the car does not belong to a collector, but it’s not far from becoming one.
The Caprice has been garaged nearly its entire life. The car moved to a garage in 1975, so theoretically, it didn’t spend too much time under the clear sky.
It’s easy to tell this Caprice has always been spoiled with proper maintenance. The paint exhibits only small chips and scratches, so fixing it looks easy. It’s the original paint, so the buyer is unlikely to be interested in a full respray, especially because the car has no major metal problems. The rust isn’t a concern on this Caprice, which is unexpected. Classic cars, especially models produced in the ’60s, typically have massive rust on the floors and trunk. The Caprice looks nearly spotless, another sign the car spent decades in a climate-controlled garage. The owner knew precisely what they were doing, so the car’s current shape is unsurprising.
The interior looks at least as great as the exterior. Open the door, and you’ll find lots of options, including bucket seats and headrests, air conditioning (installed by the dealer), and a rear window defroster.
The Caprice left the factory with plenty of goodies, including power steering, power brakes, and front and rear bumper guards. All are still there, as the car checks all the boxes for an amazing survivor.
The best thing about the car is how original it continues to be after all these years. It’s still unmolested and unrestored, so what you see is exactly how Chevrolet wanted everything to be. The owner has full documentation for the car, including the original Protect-O-Plate and safety inspections to verify the mileage.
This gets us to the next impressive thing about the car. The odometer indicates 23,000 miles (approximately 37,000 km), and all are original. The 396 under the hood runs and drives like new, so the mileage makes perfect sense. After all, the car spent the last decades in storage, so it’s no surprise it sports a low mileage and an engine in tip-top shape.
The auction is underway, but I don’t think the current price makes sense for a car this rare and in this condition.