1967 Chevrolet Caprice Custom Estate Wagon
The Estate’s original owner was a doctor from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. When he walked into his local Chevrolet dealership, he knew precisely what he would need from his new station wagon. He owned a large Airstream trailer, and since these aren’t the lightest things on the planet, this Chevy needed some muscle to move it. He then picked up a pen and the Order Form and proceeded to go nuts! The first box that he ticked was for the L36 version of Chevrolet’s mighty 427ci big-block V8. This monster pumps out an impressive 385 hp and 460 ft/lbs of torque. With those sorts of numbers, this wagon would barely notice the weight of that Airstream. However, the buyer was far from finished. He also chose to equip the Caprice with an M20 4-speed manual transmission, a Posi rear end, F41 suspension, power steering, and power front disc brakes. Chevrolet produced this wagon when muscle cars were beginning to develop as a category in their own right.
The doctor checked off all the available options … air conditioning, power windows, sports instruments including a factory tachometer, an AM/FM stereo radio, a 4-speaker 8-track player, a remote exterior mirror, and the versatility of a rear-facing third-row seat. Optional roof rack and rear air deflector as well as the chrome trim package.
This Estate could hold its head high in that exalted company because it could demolish the ¼ mile in an astonishing 15.2 seconds. That figure sounds fairly reasonable today, but for a eight-seat family wagon in 1967 that tipped the scales at more than 4,400lbs, it was astonishing.
Ah man! I was pleasantly pleased to see this especially when I scrolled down and saw the monster under the hood and the 4 speed! I would have ordered the same exact thing, except for the wood panel look! That was when the customer was king and could order WHAT he or she wanted and car companies accommodated. My parents in 1968 ordered a fire engine red Dodge Coronet Station Wagon with a 383cid and a 4 speed.4 barrel too, but not all of the other options except for A/C for my mom to drive and when we went back to Michigan to visit relatives. Man I wish I had that Red SW now, it moved ass! My mom was a hot rodder! She used to race the kids in Mustangs and Camaros and 'Vettes and gave them a run for their money.
ReplyDeleteAta time when minimum wage was maybe a buck an hour....if. And a well paid doctor might make $40-50K a year. A purchase that represented 10% or more of a wealthy person's annual income.
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