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View Full Version : Need Caprice/Impala SS suggestions and help.


BlackenedRR
07-20-2010, 09:56 PM
For the last 4yrs, I've been chauffeuring my grandfather around in his '95 Caprice Classic since he can't drive. Well a few weeks ago, he decided to hand me the title to the car. So now I'm the proud owner of a 78,xxx mile, Dark Grey Green Caprice. It's a perfect grandpa car, complete with whitewall tires, cheesy hubcaps, cushy suspension and an LT1 under the hood. Plans so far are to de-badge the car, get rid of all the chrome trim, replace the grille with an Impala SS piece, add an Impala spoiler on the trunk, Impala taillights and new bumpers to smooth the front and rear out. I also want to swap the front and rear seats for Impala units, if I can find them. Other than that, I haven't really made up my mind as far as wheels and tires, suspension or performance mods. The one thing I know I'll never change on the car is the color, my grandpa had to wait 6 weeks to get it in this color, and I love it! So what would you guys suggest? Please post pics or links that show ideas.

HAULNSS
07-21-2010, 06:33 AM
You need to check out the http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/ for the best source of B-body info.

Good luck finding seats as the good ones are very expensive. I'd try to find some C5 or GTO seats. The late 90's Bonneville seats are a near drop in, but those are also getting hard to find in decent shape.

IMO, the single best modification to my Impala is the T56 six speed. :thumbsup: It is so much more fun to drive now.

Information on my Impala SS (http://www.minnessota.com/view_album.asp?Album_ID=26&CatLevel=2&Cat1_ID=1&Cat2_ID=&Cat3_ID=&Cat4_ID=&FromSearch=True&SearchPage=%2Fdefault%2Easp%3FCatLevel%3D2%26Cat1% 5FID%3D1#)

Good luck in your search.
Randy

214Chevy
07-21-2010, 07:00 AM
Please post pics .....

Exactly....so lets see it. LOL!! :rofl: :rofl:

jy211
07-21-2010, 07:13 AM
something like this? :D

Ex cop car. Bought it cheap as it was crashed. Found a caprice front clip, swapped in. Had the tranny rebuilt at 100K. Did a full tune up, then slapped on a superhcharger :)

Changed out the seats, I forget what they were out of. Lowered the car with springs and it was on 20's. Fun car to race around in.

BlackenedRR
07-21-2010, 12:22 PM
You need to check out the http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/ for the best source of B-body info.

Good luck finding seats as the good ones are very expensive. I'd try to find some C5 or GTO seats. The late 90's Bonneville seats are a near drop in, but those are also getting hard to find in decent shape.

IMO, the single best modification to my Impala is the T56 six speed. :thumbsup: It is so much more fun to drive now.

Information on my Impala SS (http://www.minnessota.com/view_album.asp?Album_ID=26&CatLevel=2&Cat1_ID=1&Cat2_ID=&Cat3_ID=&Cat4_ID=&FromSearch=True&SearchPage=%2Fdefault%2Easp%3FCatLevel%3D2%26Cat1% 5FID%3D1#)

Good luck in your search.
RandyThanks Randy! I think I might have joined up there the other day, can't remember. I have been looking into the Bonneville seats, have yet to find a pair locally that aren't shredded. I might broaden my search to other car makers. A 6-spd would be sweet, but I'm not going to get that far into this thing until the motor or tranny blows. With the mileage so low, I want to keep the stock drivetrain for now and just drive it. But, I do see an LS motor and manual trans in the future...:thumbsup:

Exactly....so lets see it. LOL!! :rofl: :rofl: I'll get some pics today. The car is dirty as hell thanks to the rain the other night, but I don't want to wash it since we're coming into our monsoon season.

something like this? :D

Ex cop car. Bought it cheap as it was crashed. Found a caprice front clip, swapped in. Had the tranny rebuilt at 100K. Did a full tune up, then slapped on a superhcharger :)

Changed out the seats, I forget what they were out of. Lowered the car with springs and it was on 20's. Fun car to race around in.That's badass!!!!

onevoice
07-21-2010, 03:09 PM
The impala ss forum is a good resource, but more and more tends toward the 22" and 24" wheel crowd. There are lots of take off Impala SS suspension bits around, I would start there. Just keep in mind that these are BIG cars, and great cruisers. In my opinion it just doesn't make sense to try to make an autocross hero out of one. I think yours is the same color as Impala SS graygreen, so you might find some body parts that match. I love mine.

CRCRFT78
07-21-2010, 05:03 PM
You can also keep an eye out for any cop/taxi Caprices. Alot of them have the bucket seats also.

BlackenedRR
07-21-2010, 06:33 PM
The impala ss forum is a good resource, but more and more tends toward the 22" and 24" wheel crowd. There are lots of take off Impala SS suspension bits around, I would start there. Just keep in mind that these are BIG cars, and great cruisers. In my opinion it just doesn't make sense to try to make an autocross hero out of one. I think yours is the same color as Impala SS graygreen, so you might find some body parts that match. I love mine.Yeah, I've seen one Impala with 22" wheels that I actually liked, but I seriously doubt I'll go bigger than 20". As far as autocross, or any other type of racing, I wouldn't do it in this car. Mainly I want something I can get on the interstate with and open it up while being comfortable inside.

elitecustombody
07-21-2010, 07:36 PM
If you need a set of new never installed adjustable upper & non-adjustable lower SLP rear control arms,let me know,I also have a custom made front bumper and custom short smooth rear bumper,I was planning on using it on my 95 SS,but sold the car before installing this stuff.

BlackenedRR
07-21-2010, 09:03 PM
Pics of the bumpers?

HAULNSS
07-21-2010, 10:32 PM
They work fine in most autocrosses. :D

I have a blast with mine on the road courses.

Hop in and go for a spin in my Impala at BIR's 3.1 mile track.... http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=1423806327456&ref=mf Watch the whole thing, as it kind of interesting towards the end. :thumbsup:


Autocross
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/6469/dcp0530.th.jpg (http://img256.imageshack.us/i/dcp0530.jpg/)

MAM - Mid America Motorplex
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/2761/img2803u.th.jpg (http://img819.imageshack.us/i/img2803u.jpg/)http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/6612/img2802x.th.jpg (http://img541.imageshack.us/i/img2802x.jpg/)http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/1756/img2792u.th.jpg (http://img340.imageshack.us/i/img2792u.jpg/)



BIR - Brainerd International Raceway
http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/6513/img9001i.th.jpg (http://img541.imageshack.us/i/img9001i.jpg/)http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/2315/img1908p.th.jpg (http://img819.imageshack.us/i/img1908p.jpg/)http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/1686/img1907yt.th.jpg (http://img517.imageshack.us/i/img1907yt.jpg/)

Wilwoods, ram air hood, and Hurst shifter
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/4656/dcp1134.th.jpg (http://img517.imageshack.us/i/dcp1134.jpg/)http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/2666/dsc01633q.th.jpg (http://img517.imageshack.us/i/dsc01633q.jpg/)http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/7069/consolelrear.th.jpg (http://img257.imageshack.us/i/consolelrear.jpg/)

Donuts....
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/4365/dsc03987v.th.jpg (http://img22.imageshack.us/i/dsc03987v.jpg/)


:thumbsup:

I hope you get to enjoy your car as much as I enjoy mine. Mine is a few miles shy of 190k and has never had a valve cover off or any internal engine work. :cool:

Randy