Remember our 1966 Caprice CC? I have been regularly passing it since its CC debut last April, and I have to tell you, the more things change, the more this Caprice stays the same.
Since we last saw it, the only change has been the aired-up tires, which were half-flat back then. One thing that made me stop were the checkered-flag emblems on it. My original photos did not have a clear enough shot, and I wanted to know what this red Caprice was packing under the hood, at least when it left the factory gates.
Well, how about 396 cubic inches of Sixties Chevy goodness? Despite this car’s tired condition, I now know why it has been retained, and not recycled into Milwaukee’s Best beer cans. I imagine the lion’s share of ’66 Caprices had the 327.
It has even appeared on the local craigslist a time or two, but it’s still here.
And it’s still being used as a shed of sorts. Need a hubcap or wheel cover?
image: superchevy.com
I hope this car gets restored someday, as the 1965-66 full-size Chevys were a pretty nice looking set of wheels. As these photos of a lovely 396-equipped white-over-red example on SuperChevy.com show, these cars look great when properly spiffed up! And I LOVE the white interior!
image: superchevy.com
I wonder – did anyone ever order a 66 Caprice with redline tires?
I don’t think it would’ve been a factory order, but I’m sure a Chevy dealer in the day could’ve been persuaded to swap some redlines off an SS with the whitewalls from the Caprice . . . .
And the generico disc brake rally wheels? That’s SuperChevy mentality for you.
I’d rather have Tom’s Caprice if it is still packing its Rat. His original post on this car brought me to CC.
I thought about mentioning the Rally wheels, but I figured you would bring it up, so I refrained. 🙂
The list, as I understand it, is Zackman – fixed rear windows, Junqueboi – rally wheels on cars they don’t belong on, and JPC – 2 speed automatics on anything built after 1964. Am I missing anyone?
I’m so predictable 🙂
In my little town there’s a light yellow ’66 Caprice that I occasionally see. It’s a 396 car, and you’ll be glad to know it has the factory accessory faux-spoke wheel hubcaps and thin white stripe tires. And yeah, it does look better than wrong-year rallys with redlines. Or worse, white letters.
I hope someone gives this one a good home.
I actually could probably make use of one of those trim rings stacked up in the seat.
Yes, JPC, fixed windows are anathema to me, as “Syke” never lets me forget!
Man, what a once-beautiful car!’
Of course I’m biased – dad owned a 1966 Impala sports sedan. Red, just like in the one above. No vinyl top, black cloth-and-vinyl interior. 250 ci. in. powerglide.
Oh yeah – it had a great AM radio, too.
I tend to think of the tires as half full.
What a find! This is the kind of car that makes you stop, take inventory in your head what it would take to bring her home and begin the restoration. Those crossed flags and the big block call outs on these Caprice’s, Impalas and Chevelles meant something special was underneath the hood!
Would love to see and hear this car restored and burning rubber.That front grille reminds me of my Vauxhall Cresta PC which was the nearest I ever got to a 60s Chevy
My dad used to have a beige ’66 Impala sedan–with the 396, a sleeper if I ever saw one. He told me a story about driving in Houston during a hurricane. With drum brakes. He had to start braking about 2 blocks before the stop signs. Good times…
No rally rims for my ’66 Biscayne. I have a complete set of 15″ generic plain steelies waiting to be powdercoated satin black and a new set of repro dog dish hubcaps to be slapped on.
Mine was originally a 250 / Powerglide car that a previous owner stuck a generic late model 350 into. When I put it back together, I have a damaged but repairable 396 out of a friend’s ’68 Camaro RS that I plan on putting in, as well as his old Muncie 4 speed after he does the six-speed Richmond swap he’s been talking about.
A bit off-topic, it’s not a Caprice but it’s nice to see a vintage 1966 Chevrolet ad 😉 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7Jsh_I8U78
Agree on the “disc brake” rallye wheels being “wrong” on this car. Most that I saw in my youth had the wire wheel covers or the simulated “mag style” wheel covers. And I do recall most I encountered were usually 396’s w/THM. Powerglide was the standard automatic w/SBC’s . . . in fact, Poweglide was the standard a/t with SBC’s (350 2-bbls) on Monte Carlos through 1972 . . . .