In 1980, Chevrolet engineers were chasing after better gas mileage in any way that they could. The Caprice that year was touted for having better fuel economy than any full-sized Chevrolet in history.
The Pick of the Day is a 1980 Chevrolet Caprice classic sedan listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Lakeland, Florida. (Click the link to view the listing)
“The 1980 Chevrolet Caprice stands as a beacon of American automotive history, encapsulating the essence of comfort and reliability that defined the era’s full-size sedans,” the listing begins.
Launching initially as a top-trim variant of the Impala four-door hardtop in 1965, the Caprice became a standalone model just one year later. It lived for 30 years and four distinct generations, eventually riding off into the sunset due to market changes and financial troubles at General Motors after 1996. The front-wheel drive Impala became Chevrolet’s top offering a few years later. While not sold to the public, a “captive import,” the Australian-produced Holden Caprice, was used as a Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV) between 2011 and 2017. Occasionally, you may see these out on the roadways even today.
The third generation was long-lived, lasting all the way from model year 1977 to 1990, albeit with some incremental changes along the way. When compared to the outgoing model, the 1977 Caprice was 10 inches shorter and over 600 pounds lighter. The benefits of downsizing quickly became apparent in fuel economy and in agility. In 1980, designers took things even further by tapering the hood, lightening the doors, and increasing the use of high-strength (yet lightweight) aluminum materials.
That brings us to today’s featured Caprice, which shows just 66,682 miles on the odometer. It’s hard to know whether that number is accurate because A) the odometer displays only five digits, B) the seller didn’t mention anything about it, and C) CARFAX reports don’t exist for vehicles older than model year 1981. However, on sheer appearances alone, the car looks the part of a well-kept low-miler. The exterior has a classic yet understated two-tone “gold-over-gold” motif, complete with an eggcrate grille, rocker moldings, and whitewall tires to give it all that period correct flair from the malaise-era 1980s.
Power comes from a (new-for-1980) 4.4-liter V8 that was rated at 115 horsepower and connected to a column-shifted automatic transmission. The cabin looks like a nice place to time, optioned with faux woodgrain trim, air conditioning, and a Delco GM push-button radio. The dual-bench six-passenger seating layout (and velour upholstery) remind me a lot of my first car, a 1986 Chevrolet Celebrity, which had similar appointments. As a matter of fact, the steering wheel design looks identical, too.
“Whether you’re an avid collector or simply someone who appreciates vintage charm, the Caprice continues to hold its ground as an enduring piece of Americana on wheels,” the listing concludes.
The asking price is $11,000 or best offer.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, you’ll find it in the archives at Pick of the Day.
This looks like a nice, low mile example, but (Holy Moly!), were these ever horribly-built rattletraps in their day. Time is the healer, and younger folk see these “Malaise Era” domestics as kind of cool looking. But for those of us who were there… it’s like vacationing in Iraq. Been there, done that, never going back!
4.4 V8? Definitely not a dynasty motor.
It’s a small-block.
that’s a $2500.00 car. no more no less!! I probably has lots of worn out parts we cant see. Does the air work??…I didnt think so….
There’s no need to defame a vehicle without knowing the facts on it.
The defamation applies to the entire production run of these poorly-designed and built cars.