1979 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon

What a find! Not too far from me! About 2 hours away. I would love to have this, but no space or money. lol. Looks to be a high optioned car. They wet the car down for pics, it may be faded, but looks like a solid car!

http://asheville.craigslist.org/cto/3218710362.html

 

PM sent to 72KingswoodEstate.

 

I went to see this Caprice today. It is an estate car and the owners are deceased. The 28k miles may be correct based on the car's appearance. Doesn't look like it has turned over. The dash is supple and crack-free which is quite rare from what I have seen of Caprices of these years. The exterior woodgrain is also excellent - no cracks or peeling at all. Some blemishes but nothing bad. All power accessories work. Air not working but it appears to be all there. Headliner needs to be replaced - no surprise there. Even the tires are good- no dry rot at all - which is remarkable since the car has sat in a garage since 2004 - the last year it was registered.

I'm very interested, but here's my one potential reservation. It has the 305 V8, which is kind of surprising for an otherwise pretty well loaded car. If I recall correctly, there have been some previous discussions on the forum as to GM having mated the 305 with sub-par transmissions in the early box wagons.

What do you think? All observations are appreciated.

(By the way, it also has pretty good paint and is rust free.)

 

My mom had a 77 Cappy sedan with the 305 and THM200 trans. Engine was very anemic and the trans did go out on it, replaced with a THM350. The original radial style GM AC compressor let go on that car too, replaced it with an axial design replacement.

 

I wouldn't be afraid of a 305 in one of those, especially of it has a 4-barrel. Had one in my '83 Chevy G20 van conversion. Did just fine. Even pulled a 24' travel trailer.

 

This 305 has the 2-barrel carb. Hard to believe GM made this the standard full-size Chevrolet wagon engine for 1979. If this Caprice Estate had the 350 V8 4-barrel carb, I would have worked to close a deal on the spot.

What to do? I have looked for a loaded '79 Caprice Estate for several years with little luck. (Yes, the one one currently on Sioux City craigslist with 350 V8 is nice, but I want power everything. )

I don't want to drag race with it, but would hope it would not drop the transmission right after I buy it.

BTW, the factory in-dash digital clock works, too.

 

If this were me and I'd looked as long as you have (you are obviously very patient), I'd buy it. I'd take it to a trans shop (reputable one) and have them flush it and new filter and pan gasket. I'd want to be there to see what comes out for fluid. If it is brown, bad news, have them swap in a turbo 350 and no more worries. If there are some aluminum flakes in the pan, with the oil and filter change I'd drive it till it started to give me trouble, then replace it with either a turbo 350 or an overdrive unit.

The 305 engines are no power house, but they are also not horrible engines. I've had a few and for daily driving they worked fine. I pulled a sixteen foot trailer all over Western Canada for three years without an issue. Eventually it will die as all engines do and then you can grab a crate engine, what ever size and horsepower and torque you desire, and it is not big deal to do the swap. But I suspect you will get tens of thousands of miles and smiles out of it before you have to do any of the above other than the trans freshening.

So, if this were me, I'd buy it and keep in mind that at some point in future I am going to swap out the trans and possibly the engine if it is not up to my expectations.

 

Thanks, man. Appreciate the advice. I expect you are right that the drivetrain can always be swapped if necessary if everything else (body and interior) are sound. I'll let everyone know the outcome.

 

A 4-barrel will really wake up that 305. I think it's worth 2500, but would try to score it for less.

 

By the way, here is the extensive option list. So far as I could tell:

Power windows, door locks and six-way driver's seat.

GM Delco AM/FM stereo radio w/factory imbedded windshield antenna.

The 60/40 divided front seat w/passenger seat recliner and 6-way power driver seat.

Instrument panel with factory gauge package with coolant gauge, vacuum economy meter and trip odemeter.

Rear facing third row seat.

Sport wheel covers.

Luggage rack and rear air deflector.

Intermittent windshield wipers.

Tilt steering wheel. Auxiliary lighting.

 

If the Chev options list was like Oldsmobile's, it would also need the heavy duty factory cooling package to have the gauge package. Just the way G.M. ordered things.

The 305 is bloody durable, if my brother's 86 Parissienne Safari was anythong to go be. Still running strong and true st 640,000 kms, or about 375,000 miles. The overdrive transmission had been rebuilt once, which is not too bad. The thing that did disappoint him was the fuel economy. He could never get below 12 litres per 100 kilometers. His 86 Colony Park with the 351 was still doing 7 litres per 100 km at 750,000 kilometers on the clock.

 

For the record , my ma had a 2 bbl on her 305.

 

Thanks, dude, duly noted. The 305 2bbl would not be my first choice by any means. If I could only go back in time to 1979 to order this one just exactly how I wanted. Oh yeah, I was 13 at the time.

 

My basic '78 Impala 2-seat wagon I had in 1997 (same colors as this, vinyl seats, no wood) was a 2-barrel 305. That wagon didn't even have AC or a radio originally (there was an Audiovox 2-shaft cassette deck cut into the dash). It drove fine to me and had plenty of power. It wouldn't concern me for a purchase because I would be pulling it and replacing it with a carb swapped 4.8L or 5.3L 99+ truck motor and a 700R4.

 

What options does it lack? Cruise control, rear window electric defroster and power antenna. Oh, and, of course, the 350 4-bbl V8 engine.