Chevrolet Caprice 4D HT, 1975, Lappeenranta

Chevrolet Caprice 4-door hardtop for next driving, minimum work required for inspection:

- mufflers for the exhaust (pipes end under the rear seat; resonators used to be there)

- finish the driver-side sill, weld up the front wing, weld the cross-member at the rear of the chassis (welded in a poor place, but the frame hasn’t failed thanks to the towbar frame)

- remake the front air-spring mounts (quickly made mounts have a design/measurement error; I haven’t checked why the front won’t rise)

- need front shock absorbers and brackets fabricated

- the automatic ride-height sensor at the driver’s front corner has torn off its mount

- secure the front seats

- replace the number-plate light

- adjust windows and doors

- cleaning

Everything else seems to work, fluids stay in the radiator, brakes responded after bleeding, etc. More details on modifications made to the car:

I’ve owned the car since 2008 and have done almost all work myself; front brakes and joints, lights and rear brakes are probably still original!

I bought the drivetrain on eBay with about 86,000 miles (≈138,400 km) on it and I drove the car roughly 15,000 km over two summers, so the drivetrain has been used for about 150,000 km in total; since the suspension rebuild a maximum of 15,000 km. The front-left wheel bearing has been replaced in the meantime and the rear end has been rebuilt but not yet driven.

About the drivetrain (all modifications inspected and approved for this body):

Drivetrain originates from a 2007 2500 HD Silverado

- engine: 6.0 Gen IV LS, LY6 (cast-iron block, aluminium heads), CAN-controlled, drive-by-wire

- transmission: 6L90

- custom-made standalone wiring harness

- fuel pump installed oddly: there is no in-tank pump so a pressure pump tries to draw fuel from under the tank, which causes priming/bleeding issues

- fuel return to the tank implemented via a “Corvette” filter

Air suspension: eBay quick kit with 1/2" (12.7 mm) solenoid valves, restrictors added and thinner lines to the front:

- 2 × Viair compressors (possibly 480C?), tank pressure 16 bar

- rear: 2600 Dominator bags

- front: newly fitted 2500 Dominator bags; hastily made mounts are problematic and the front doesn’t rise at all

- AccuAir e-Level automatic control kit, pressure gauges in the boot and cab, and a button for adjustment (three preset heights)

Rear axle: 8.5" (≈216 mm) Buick 10-bolt (axle shafts attached using external flanges bolted on)

- Yukon DuraGrip Positraction carrier for 30-spline axle shafts, 4.11:1 ratio (old was 2.83; this hasn’t been driven yet but should theoretically suit the gearbox’s 6th gear 0.667 ratio for cruising)

- axle shafts from a 2018 Jeep Wrangler

The body has been heavily modified to fit the drivetrain: the firewall widened and pushed into the cabin, driveshaft tunnel raised. Many rust repairs and lots of metalwork done—areas worked on 18 years ago may show varying quality.

All wiring done by me from raw wire, mostly following original colours. Some odd wiring choices exist, e.g. not all relay bases are connected with standard connectors but wired into supplied outputs. Body electrics mainly in the driver-side fusebox in the engine bay, plus a few fuses in the boot for audio, central locking, air compressors and the remote. Engine electrics on the passenger side of the engine bay. Replaced and rewired the 1994 van wiper motor. Electrical system uses two batteries.

I used raw wiring to avoid placing a fusebox in the footwell, which would have been required with ready-made kits.

New fuel tank; associated seals replaced. Currently fitted with a Blazer power-steering pump (steering is stiff when stationary), but a new pump is included. All brakes and joints/bushes replaced, so these parts have been driven a maximum of 15,000 km.

Rear bumper narrowed for looks; sills are being modified to fit side-exit pipes, passenger side already modified. Side pipes and dump valves included.

Door and window seals renewed. Head unit, amplifier and speakers bought new for this car; photo of the amplifier included. 12" (≈305 mm) free-air subwoofer recessed into the rear glass (won’t come out without removing the glass). Whole body lined with sound-deadening mat.

Front bench seat sold as it didn’t fit over the raised driveshaft tunnel. Included are electric front seats from a 2000 Blazer, reupholstered but not installed.

Line-lock purchased for this car but not yet installed; included.

Total percentage of replaced parts: 24%
Engine, transmission, front and rear springs: 24%

Removed from road (SORN) 26 August 2020 -

The vehicle must be collected within 7 days of the auction ending unless otherwise agreed - Huutokaupat.com.