Fuzzylogic

Hey all,

Found a guy that'll give me a 1990 Chevy Caprice minus engine and tranny for free, body is straight and in great condition. Before I add this to my ever-growing collection, can someone school me on these vehicles? Do they have any sort've aftermarket, such as suspension pieces, drivetrain, etc?

I was looking for a four-door Malibu or Fairmont when this fell in my lap. I know the other two have great support from aftermarket vendors, and I know the later Impala/Caprice (B-bodies?) have great support... But these boxy Caprices, I have no clue! So any help is greatly appreciated!

EdmontonSS

AFIK, the B-body underpinnings have remained esentially the same forever, there should be lots of supsension, brake and chassis parts for any year of B-body.

patgizz

iTrader: (6)

aftermarket is endless. anything for an impala SS fits them chassis wise. 77-96 B and D bodies remained unchanged in that dept. my 79 cadillac deville, D body, has 96 SS rear end, springs, control arms, steering box, and sway bars.

my 91 wagon is getting SS springs, steering box, but the wagons are wider in the back so the rear ends and rear sway bars are not interchangable.

Fuzzylogic

Oh, I didn't know it was the same as the later model Caprice/Impalas. That's SWEET!

AronZ28

iTrader: (2)

Keep a quite exhaust on there and it'll be an awesome sleeper.

philntx

iTrader: (8)

This was one of my first suggestions to you. The '90 caprice was the best of the body series (IMHO).

EdmontonSS

I really like the '78 two-doors with the wrap around rear windows....

KC Henry

festo

Which magazine is it ??
I want one !!!

KC Henry

If I recall correctly it was something like May 2001 GM High-Tech Performance or something like that .

rooster1969

Nice! That almost motivates me,I have an orange 1977.

KC Henry

You should drop a LSX motor in it. They seem to run very well with them. I run 12's at the track with just a Stock 98 Trans Am motor in mine. You could pick up a 5.3 liter pickup truck motor for $350-500 used and have yourself a decently quick cruiser.

rooster1969

First I would have to get rid of some stuff. 98 Markviii that needs to go,probably get rid of my 95 silverado. I need to redo my pace truck, and some work to my daily driver sport side. If I can ever find time to plow through all of that then I could pull all of the stuff off of my 87 9c1 caprice that I want for the 77 Impala. All of this and find just the right 1998 to 2002 SS Camaro for my next toy. Or I could just say to heck with it all and buy a prius. Not a bad little car,just incredibly boring!!!

philntx

iTrader: (8)

It was the May 2001 issue. Page 24
Not an LSx-based motor, but still a bad-assed car!
It was built with a 434 CID Bowtie block (600HP) 700R4, 4.11's, driven 300 miles a week!

SurlyJoe

KC Henry, nice swap. I am a b-body fan too. I have an 85 lesabre that I am wanting to swap in an ls motor. Did you have to notch the frame at all? Did you order mounts or make them yourself? What headers are those? Thanks in advance.

busta9876

iTrader: (3)

I'm starting a 5.3L swapinto a 89' 4 door caprice ...nice straight car. It even has the spot light on the side, beefed up suspension and bigger brakes. It's got the 5 on 5 wheel lug pattern, which is chevy truck pattern. It wasn't a cop car, but some detective's in my town. They city recently sold it at auction. A kid gave me the car for $100 if i'd pull the motor / trans and just bolt in motor and trans in his 78 camaro.

5.3L will be bone stock except for a 2005 cummons diesel turbo a friend of mine is gonna loan me and running Megasquirt II.

I'm on my way out to check the motor over, I just picked it up last week...gonna do compression check / leak test see if everythings okay.

Any idea of stock truck intake clear the hood in any way? Which manifolds work? I may just make a set of headders like I did for my 67 pickup.

anyways...

KC Henry

Thank you for the compliments and kind words ! Have have pics of your Buick ? The crossmember has been notched slightly to clear the oil pan. Aside from that the headers are just the cheapest headers I could find on Summit racing and are tiny primary tubed 98 Trans Am headers from Headman Headers. The mounts are hand made by the friend I had do most of the swap.

Sounds nice, have any pics ? I don't know about a truck intake fitting under the hood but I know that there is tons of room between a LS1 intake and my hood. Have any plans for what you plan to do with it ? Drag, Road Race, Cruiser?

busta9876

iTrader: (3)

no pics right now...

plan to drive it daily.....I've got a 1990 cavalier z24 I drive to work every day but i've got 3800 supercharged I want to put in it....but it might take some time so i'm going to put this caprice together to drive in the mean time.

KC Henry

Sounds like some awesome projects !

busta9876

iTrader: (3)

got some pics of the car...
checked the RPO list,
9c1 police package
j55 heavy duty brakes
jb3 suspension package, special handling

and best of all
GU6 3.42 rear axle....

i'm pretty happy about this swap now...

is the rear end in these the 8.5? what can I get a posi unit out of that will fit?