'96 Caprice Classic LT1 Wagon

It's close to right on price. One-owner central-Texas car. Never seen salt, hardly seen rain, so zero rust ever. Totally stock. Garaged and Elderly-owned. I called on it. It's sounds like a GOOD one.

http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/4506061426.html

 

Seller says it was his mother's car. She traded in her one-year-old '95 Caprice wagon for it in '96 because the Chevy dealer in Killeen Texas told them was '96 was going to be the final year, and she's had it since. Dealer serviced, always been in Central Texas. Water pump has been done, other than that just normal service when needed. Few left like this one. Really sounds good.

Only 486 Caprice wagons made in '96, yep. Doubt many are still in this condition. Rare car!

 

Wow.
That sure looks good.

Are you gonna add it to your growing collection, Mike?

 

No not me, just hope it finds a good home. It deserves one!

 

That one looks great!

 

Mike.....I turned my brother-in-law onto this caprice and he bought it tonight. She sounds/ looks like a real beauty.
It's coming up to Nebraska. I think we are flying down tomorrow (Thursday) nite for retrieval.
Maybe we could hook up with you Friday on our way north to show ya the car.

Kevin

 

I'll be off work at 5, and would love to see the Caprice, and maybe we could get a pic of it with my Roadmaster. Would love to see the whales side-by-side!

I think you bought a great one. Just hope it's not used in the winter....gotta keep it nice!

PM me. I'm in Round Rock, which is on the north side of Austin, and would love to see the new toy! Congrats!

-Mike

 

Mike....pm'd you....let me know if it went through.....

 

Got it. Sent you a ton of info about things to see and places to eat in Austin.

Just know, with Friday afternoon traffic and the huge motorcycle rally in town, you may get in some big stop-n-go stuff.

Happily I am on the far-north side of town, as is that Caprice, so hopefully we can meet up.

About the only thing I don't like on that Caprice is it's not a tow-pack car, so it has the crazy-tall rear end gearing. Hopefully you folks can address that as a project once it's home. 3.23's would fix it!

-Mike

 

Ha, got an error on the PM I sent you with things to do in and around Austin.

Will just put this here. I send this out to new folks moving to town, customer’s visiting, and friends that come here on vacation. Off topic, but enjoy!

There are a TON of neat things to do and see in Austin, depending on your interests, and when you'll be here:

Places to see in Austin:

- Congress Ave Bridge Bats at dusk: Park in the Austin American Statesman newspaper parking lot. You can sit below the bridge or walk out on it and look down. Really amazing to see this in person. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_W._Richards_Congress_Avenue_Bridge

- 6th Street/warehouse district: Clubs, shops, weirdos...great for people-watching Friday or Sat Night: http://6street.com/

-Ester’s Follies, on Sixth, funny stuff! - http://www.esthersfollies.com/

-Stubbs BBQ – Good food and they have inside and outside stages, usually someone good playing: http://stubbsaustin.com/

- Driskill Hotel: This is just a COOL old hotel, neat to see the lobby even, and the upper floor is "haunted". Ha! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driskill_Hotel

- State Capital: Right downtown on Congress. Just neat to even see it at night from the street. It's impressive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_State_Capito

l- South Congress Area: This is south of the river and neat to walk at night. Lots of weird shops, resteraunts, and food trailers.
http://austin.smallplanetguide.com/rentals/index.php?p=soco_austin_neighborhood

- Mount Bonnell: This is REALLY a neat place to go. It's free, and has the best views of Austin to the east and Lake Austin to the west. The drive up is steep, and then you have to climb a lot of steps to the top, but it's worth it for the view from the top.
http://www.austinexplorer.com/Locations/ShowLocation.aspx?LocationID=1791

- Capital of Texas Highway and 360 Bridge: This is just a pretty loop drive around the west side of Austin. This area is right on the edge of the hill country, and there are places to pull off for scenic overlooks of the hill country and downtown Austin.
http://www.austinexplorer.com/Locations/ShowLocation.aspx?LocationID=1791 also you'll cross Lake Austin on the Pennybacker Bridge. You can park on the side of the road on the cliff-side of the bridge and hike up a dirt path there for a great view of the bridge and the lake below. http://365thingsaustin.com/2010/12/26/360-360-bridge-overlook/ http://laughingsquid.com/stunning-photo-of-austins-pennybacker-bridge-being-struck-by-lightning/ ,

- LBJ Library: This is free, and even if you were not an LBJ fan, it's neat to walk through. Lots of history.
http://www.lbjlibrary.org/

- Austin City Limits: This is ALWAYS cool. Check to see who's playing when you are in town.
http://acl-live.com/

- Waterloo Records: Just a really good record shop, lots of odd junk stuff too, plus cheap used CD’s and they sell local concert tickets: http://www.waterloorecords.com/CustomPage/216

-Walnut Creek Park – This is not far from Round Rock just off I-35. AWESOME park for mountain biking or hiking. Tons of trails, and a good playground for the kids too. http://www.austinexplorer.com/Locations/ShowLocation.aspx?LocationID=1355

-Brushy Creek Waterfalls and Dog Park – Wading, hiking trails, swimming, and awesome rock formations to climb on. Neat place. Kids and Dogs love it! Off 360 (Capital of Texas Hwy) just north of Lake Austin and the 360 Bridge.

- Half Price Books: There are a lot of these all over town. You can get new and used books, records, CD's, and other junk CHEAP. Fun to look around! http://www.hpb.com/

Places to visit outside Austin

- Fredericksburg: This is just a cool town about an hour into the hill country west of Austin. Great German food and lots of cool places to shop and see on Main Street, and it's right near Enchanted Rock and Luchenbach. Pretty drive out to get here too!
http://www.visitfredericksburgtx.com/

- Luckenbach: This "town" is basically an old store and a dance hall, but on the weekends there are ALWAYS cool cars and bikes here, and people just show up and start playing music and hanging out. Texas to the core. Made famous but Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. http://www.luckenbachtexas.com/ , http://gmlongroof.4umer.com/t6278-luckenbach-roady?highlight=luckenbach+roady

- Enchanted Rock: This is just outside Fredericksburg and it's AMAZING to hike up. You can see forever from the top: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/enchanted-rock

- Hamilton Pool Preserve: You hike down a hill into a natural grotto. This is one of the best swimming holes in Texas, but even if you don't swim, it's amazing just to see it. It's like something you'd see in Hawaii, but it's just outside Austin. http://www.texasoutside.com/hamiltonpool.htm

Food:

- Chuys: Hands down, the BEST Tex-Mex food. There are a few of these around town, all are good. The fajitas are outstanding, but my favorite is the Elvis Presley Fried Chicken...it's breaded with potato chips and then fried, and topped with green chili sauce. If you go, ask for Tablesuace and Creamy Jalepeno sauce with you tortilla chips. http://www.chuys.com/

- Shady Grove: Eat outside under the trees. Yes the bathrooms are in an old Airstream trailer... The tortilla-wrapped catfish is OUTSTANDING, but all their food is good. http://theshadygrove.com/

- Salt Lick: Do NOT eat at the one at the airport or in Round Rock. Both are poor imitations. The REAL Salt Lick is outside of Austin in Driftwood Tx. It's amazingly good...but remember, if you drink it's BYOB! Ha!
http://www.saltlickbbq.com/

- County Line BBQ: - There are two of these in Austin, both are good. The one on the hill serves steaks too, and has a great hill country view. The one on the water is in an old fishing lodge on a cove off Lake Austin. The sausage and pork ribs are heavenly. http://www.countyline.com/

- Threadgills: There are two of these as well. The original one is in an old gas station on the north side of town. Janis Joplin and Stevie Ray Vaughn and others hung out here. The new one is much larger and right downtown. Southern stick-to-your-ribs food. Always good, and you can spend an hour just looking at the stuff on the walls. http://www.threadgills.com/

- Huts Hamburgers: GOOD BURGERS. This place has been here FOREVER. It's small, on west 6th downtown. The college kids love it but so do the old-time Austin folks. I love this place.
http://www.urbanspoon.com/rph/11/141059/1020504/austin-hut-s-hamburgers-hut-s-hamburgers-photo

- Hula Hut: This is a fun place to go, especially at night. It just out onto Lake Austin, great views. Food is good, but you go here more for the views and the feel of the place. http://www.hulahut.com/#menu

- Rudy's BBQ and gas station: There are a few of these around town, and it's just what it sounds like, a gas station with a BBQ joint attached. The BBQ is actually pretty good, and less expensive than Salt Lick and County Line and such.
http://www.rudysbbq.com/page/home

- Magnolia Cafe: This place was made famous by Diners, Drive-In's and Dives. It's just an old building, but they have a little bit of everything, and it's all good! http://themagnoliacafe.com/

- Round Rock Doughnuts: This is in my back yard. Their doughnuts melt in your mouth...nuff said.
http://www.roundrockdonuts.com/

- Amy's Ice Cream: My kids love Amy's, and there are a few around town. You pick your ice cream...Mexican Vanilla is awesome, and then you can have topping "smashed" into it.....with spoons...or hammers. No joke...and really good! http://www.amysicecreams.com/

- Sandy's Frozen Custard: This is an old drive-in right in downtown Austin. Been here since the 1920's. It's cheap, and really good. Park up front and walk up to the window. Don't bother with the food, just get a vanilla or twist cone and eat it while looking at the downtown skyline. Great to go at night.
https://foursquare.com/v/sandys-hamburgers/4a4a4d21f964a520abab1fe3

- Curra's Grill (go for breakfast tacos): Call and order some to-go breakfast tacos before the race. They are OUTSTANDING. Their normal food is good, but the breakfast tacos are the reason to go here. http://www.currasgrill.com/

- The Oasis: This is a bit of a drive from downtown, but the view is AMAZING. This place is built on a cliff high over Lake Travis, and the back of the place is all multi-level decks high above the water. Go here for an early dinner, sit outside, and watch the sun set of the lake and hills. It's amazing. http://www.oasis-austin.com/gallery.php

- The Top-Notch drive-in: Made famous in the movie Dazed and Confused, the food is about the greasy mess you would expect. There is usually some kind of car-releated event on most Saturday nights. Just a cool old drive-in. http://www.topnotchaustin.com/

- Elgin Texas: Town is famous for it's sausage, but all the BBQ is good here, and there is a big rivalry between Meyer's Sausage http://www.cuetopiatexas.com/home.htm and Southside Market http://www.southsidemarket.com/ . Both are great but for my money Meyers wins!

That's just a quick brainstorm.



Also remember San Antonio is only one hour south of us here in Austin....and you could spend days there too..haha!

The San Antonio Riverwalk is really awesome, kids love going up in the Tower of the Americas. The boat tour is great, especially at night, and it’s really cheap too, and the Alamo is worth a visit, and there is both Sea World and Six Flags Fiesta Texas there.

Tons to do and see in San Antonio.
http://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/

http://www.toweroftheamericas.com/observation-deck.asp

http://www.thealamo.org/plan-a-visit/index.html

http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-sanantonio

https://www2.sixflags.com/fiestatexas

 

Oh and please remember the ROT Motorcycle Rally is this weekend, and the parade across town is Friday (tomorrow) evening. 200,000 bikers are invading Austin, one of the largest rallys in the country, and the LONGEST bike parade in the country.

Will be a little crazy here in CenTex this weekend!

http://www.rotrally.com/

 

....your pm came through, but anyway, looks like PLENTY of things to keep us busy for a FEW hours, so we'll plan on meeting up with you after you get off work.
Can I call you on your cell during the day tomorrow, or is that a no no?

 

No problem, call anytime!

-Mike

 

If you can take the warm weather, Mount Bonnell is great. Awesome views of both the skyline to the east and the hill country and Lake Austin to the west.

Stop and get some drinks with ice if you go for the walk up the hill.

This seems to be everyone's favorite place when we have visitors in town.

Oh and the Top Notch is not too far from there, if you want a shot of your wagon under the famous drive-in sign from Dazed and Confused.

-Mike