My '95 Caprice Classic STW, "Sally"

[DerekTheGreat]

Sounds like my dad these days. A far cry from how he was some thirty years ago.

The bro-dozer thing is horrible around here. In Florida, it's even worse. They've taken to mounting stripper poles & platforms on the back of their trucks. "No Fat Chicks" sticker optional, as if any self respecting chick would get within ten feet of said truck.

Speaking of better visibility, I replaced the headlights in the Tahoe with Xtra Visions, made in USA to boot. I'm rather surprised at that. Anyway, big improvement, but I think the headlights need to be aimed. We'll see what Angie says. Side note, changing bulbs in one of those early GMT800 trucks is a breeze. I really like those things. They say the GMT400 is the best truck GM ever made, but I'd give the nod to the 800.

[Arquemann]

Perhaps, but it's possible it hasn't been. It was only 40 something years old at the time, but the 727 in my '69 Plymouth shifted just fine and it was original. Interesting how that thing shifts. How long do gear changes normally take? Does it hold gears in relation to throttle position?

You're asking too hard questions now, I've driven the car just once, most observations are from just riding along. Slower than the AOD in my MGM, but it's hard to say. Dad's cars barely go over half throttle anyways.

If only cops here had that hard on. I understand wanting better visibility, but people around here do it at the expense of blinding oncoming traffic or the person in front of them through their mirrors. There's better visibility, then there's just flat out obnoxious. Factory HIDs are right on the verge of that these days.

Yeah, our cops and inspection system keeps most of the turbo-garbage amazon LEDs and other janky shit off the roads. The stupid SUV trend doesn't help as vehicles get taller and headlights are higher, blinds you way easier. Can't imagine the insanely tall trucks you have are any better. Sitting in a car I wouldn't want the headlights behind me to be at head height...

I'm trying to see better responsibly, but even so it's illegal... I'm just trying to figure out if it's worth the risk and money to see a bit better.

[DerekTheGreat]

No idea if the trans has been rebuilt, would assume so, considering it's over 60 years old and the odo has rolled over atleast once, maybe twice. As far as performance, it's kinda slow, sometimes clunky and most other times quite smooth.
Pretty sure the 4-speed Hydramatic went out of use as it is pretty large and heavy and it was way more expensive to manufacture than the later 2- and 3-speed units. And without the benefit of an overdrive gear, it's kind of a moot point to have 4 gears. Also being introduced in 1939 meant engines had way less power, so having more gears had a bigger advantage vs the more powerful stuff of the late 50's and onwards...

Perhaps, but it's possible it hasn't been. It was only 40 something years old at the time, but the 727 in my '69 Plymouth shifted just fine and it was original. Interesting how that thing shifts. How long do gear changes normally take? Does it hold gears in relation to throttle position?

...The Caprice has "Guide" headlights, which seems to be an OE manufacturer for GM. OEM replacements aren't available and RA sells Depo and TYC, both chinese crap. Aftermarket design headlights are also not an option, 99% are complete garbage performance-wise and 99% of them look like garbage too. Only proper option would be to retrofit good projectors into the factory headlights.
Until LED replacement bulbs become legal here(some currently legal in Germany), and after someone makes a legal LED for 9004 / HB1, there's not much I can do to improve my low beams legally. Or I could retrofit e-certified headlight housings to the car. How about installing a pair of Valtra tractor LED headlights?
Hella makes an increased wattage 9004 bulb, which would only be a bit illegal and barely noticeable. Cops have a real hard-on for illegal LED headlights, a friend has gotten a ticket and a fix-it order in record time, 55 minutes on the road after installation.

Guide is OE. Aftermarket stuff has me apprehensive too. The lenses on the Tahoe are all faded courtesy of Arizona sunshine, but the restoration kits don't seem to last long and the quality of aftermarket stuff probably isn't going to match OEM so they've stayed piss yellow.

If only cops here had that hard on. I understand wanting better visibility, but people around here do it at the expense of blinding oncoming traffic or the person in front of them through their mirrors. There's better visibility, then there's just flat out obnoxious. Factory HIDs are right on the verge of that these days.

[friskyfrankie]

Was not the "S" a 3rd gear allowing for a 1-2-3 shift? Not sure I remember that far back.....

[Arquemann]

Oh, hmm. I.. no, must have bench seat.

The earliest transmission I heard of was the Chrysler deal, with some fluid clutch type thing. Thank you for the link, good read. I just assumed the old GM's with a "Hydromatic" had a two speed. Funny that they could build a four speed back then but later went to a 2 speed and three speed. Overdrive would've been welcome in the 60's and 70's too. The article does not explain the ranges, unfortunately. Very curious about the "S" deal. Has your dad's transmission ever been rebuilt? How does it shift and how is the feel compared to other transmissions?

I wonder, are your housings OEM or replacements? If they are cheapies, it could be why the light output is dismal.

No idea if the trans has been rebuilt, would assume so, considering it's over 60 years old and the odo has rolled over atleast once, maybe twice. As far as performance, it's kinda slow, sometimes clunky and most other times quite smooth.
Pretty sure the 4-speed Hydramatic went out of use as it is pretty large and heavy and it was way more expensive to manufacture than the later 2- and 3-speed units. And without the benefit of an overdrive gear, it's kind of a moot point to have 4 gears. Also being introduced in 1939 meant engines had way less power, so having more gears had a bigger advantage vs the more powerful stuff of the late 50's and onwards.


The Caprice has "Guide" headlights, which seems to be an OE manufacturer for GM. OEM replacements aren't available and RA sells Depo and TYC, both chinese crap. Aftermarket design headlights are also not an option, 99% are complete garbage performance-wise and 99% of them look like garbage too. Only proper option would be to retrofit good projectors into the factory headlights.
Until LED replacement bulbs become legal here(some currently legal in Germany), and after someone makes a legal LED for 9004 / HB1, there's not much I can do to improve my low beams legally. Or I could retrofit e-certified headlight housings to the car. How about installing a pair of Valtra tractor LED headlights?
Hella makes an increased wattage 9004 bulb, which would only be a bit illegal and barely noticeable. Cops have a real hard-on for illegal LED headlights, a friend has gotten a ticket and a fix-it order in record time, 55 minutes on the road after installation.

[DerekTheGreat]

Oh, hmm. I.. no, must have bench seat.

The earliest transmission I heard of was the Chrysler deal, with some fluid clutch type thing. Thank you for the link, good read. I just assumed the old GM's with a "Hydromatic" had a two speed. Funny that they could build a four speed back then but later went to a 2 speed and three speed. Overdrive would've been welcome in the 60's and 70's too. The article does not explain the ranges, unfortunately. Very curious about the "S" deal. Has your dad's transmission ever been rebuilt? How does it shift and how is the feel compared to other transmissions?

I wonder, are your housings OEM or replacements? If they are cheapies, it could be why the light output is dismal.

[Arquemann]

I'd just save up (like I'm doing for my vinyl top overhaul) and do it then. But yeah, having a seat so you can drive in the meantime is a must.

A four speed auto without OD? Intriguing. I always thought they started with a two speed, then three and finally four with OD in the 80's once they figured out how to do it. What's the shift pattern? Do you have control over all four forward gears?

Oh I love me some good sealed beams. The Tahoe in our fleet is the worst, has faded composites that produce light in the shade of dehydrated piss. I think that's mostly the bulbs, but it's time to try and restore or replace the housings. The headlights on my Townie and K1500 are really nice, feel they provide plenty of light. Lincoln's lights are noticeably brighter.

He wants buckets so he got buckets, much to my disagreement. It's not really about the cost either, he just had another excuse to go with bucket seat. Though he got six of those Dodge bucket seats for free. Mixed and matched the best backs, bottoms, seat rails and rear covers. Now he's butchering the seat backs to make them shorter, full height they stick above the belt line and look dumb.

I find it a bit odd you haven't heard of the GM Hydra-Matic, basically the first proper automatic trans. It was in a ton of cars, even Lincolns and Rolls-Royces.
In dad's Olds the gear selector goes P-N-D-S-L-R, I have no clue which does what.
A quick read: https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/gm-hydra-matic

The Caprice's headlight housings are in okay shape, which is kinda astonishing considering the light output is abysmal, even with good new bulbs. A pair of new housings is about a hundo off RA, but most likely the improvement is minor, not worth the money.

[DerekTheGreat]

I'm a bench seat guy too, I was pretty bummed out when dad decided for the buckets. But like I said, the original bench seats would need a total overhaul, starting from new springs. Cha-ching...

The trans is the factory Hydra-Matic, it's a four speed auto, non-lockup & non-overdrive. Same that Cadillacs got.

Sealed beams are okay, since they can be replaced whole and actually have pretty powerful choices. There's also H1/H4 conversions which are very nice. But the Caprice has stupid composite headlights with shitty reflector technology and plastic lenses that fade. I've got some fancypants Nightguide Platinum bulbs in there and they still suck balls.
Just old enough to have shitty old reflectors instead of HIDs and new enough to be plastic and not a replaceable sealed beam type design.
Also I'd have relayed the headlights in a heartbeat, but apparently that makes the Canada-spec factory DRL system go haywire. It has something to do with resistances and power draws.

You're from Michigan, I thought you'd appreciate good headlights.

I'd just save up (like I'm doing for my vinyl top overhaul) and do it then. But yeah, having a seat so you can drive in the meantime is a must.

A four speed auto without OD? Intriguing. I always thought they started with a two speed, then three and finally four with OD in the 80's once they figured out how to do it. What's the shift pattern? Do you have control over all four forward gears?

Oh I love me some good sealed beams. The Tahoe in our fleet is the worst, has faded composites that produce light in the shade of dehydrated piss. I think that's mostly the bulbs, but it's time to try and restore or replace the housings. The headlights on my Townie and K1500 are really nice, feel they provide plenty of light. Lincoln's lights are noticeably brighter.

[Arquemann]

Seems like the bearings on the pass. side e-fan are toast, sounds like a dying dolphin / screeching activist turned up to 11. Turned by hand it growls a bit too.
RA sells a VDO/Conti fan motor for a whopping 18€. Threw in a Bosch MAP sensor and a PCV valve while at it, shipping's barely any more.

Yesterday I removed the huge intake resonator and blocked it off with hockey puck, mainly to have better access with a can of start spray. Didn't find any obvious vacuum leaks, but I replaced a piece of hose anyways, another one could do with replacing too, but didn't have correct size hose on hand. MAP sensor looks really old and crusty, for 23€ I'll slap in a new one for peace of mind. Same with the PCV valve.

Impala guys really get their dicks hard about removing the huge intake resonators, but I can't hear literally any difference in the intake noise. But I don't have a shitty cone filter either, so that's probably why.

If I can't get the mpg to return closer to normal with new O2's, MAP and the exhaust leak patched, I dunno what to do.

[Tiggie]

I think those wheels might just be my all year round wheels. Looking sharp on the Caprice.

[Arquemann]

The dash is really nice. Yes, at least with most of the old four doors you got that wide open effect with all the windows down, helps. One carb is all I'd want. Each additional one creates headaches of exponential magnitude. Kind of seems like sacrilege without a fluffy bench seat. Four speed auto? 700R4 that was swapped in, perhaps?

Hmm. All of my dailies have halogen glass sealed beam headlights, I think they work well enough. The Townie's might even be Silver Stars, can't remember. Biggest thing I did to help them was aim 'em. That and replace them, the old ones were pretty dim for some reason.

I'm a bench seat guy too, I was pretty bummed out when dad decided for the buckets.But like I said, the original bench seats would need a total overhaul, starting from new springs. Cha-ching...

The trans is the factory Hydra-Matic, it's a four speed auto, non-lockup & non-overdrive. Same that Cadillacs got.

Sealed beams are okay, since they can be replaced whole and actually have pretty powerful choices. There's also H1/H4 conversions which are very nice. But the Caprice has stupid composite headlights with shitty reflector technology and plastic lenses that fade. I've got some fancypants Nightguide Platinum bulbs in there and they still suck balls.
Just old enough to have shitty old reflectors instead of HIDs and new enough to be plastic and not a replaceable sealed beam type design.
Also I'd have relayed the headlights in a heartbeat, but apparently that makes the Canada-spec factory DRL system go haywire. It has something to do with resistances and power draws.

You're from Michigan, I thought you'd appreciate good headlights.

[DerekTheGreat]

The dash is really nice. Yes, at least with most of the old four doors you got that wide open effect with all the windows down, helps. One carb is all I'd want. Each additional one creates headaches of exponential magnitude. Kind of seems like sacrilege without a fluffy bench seat. Four speed auto? 700R4 that was swapped in, perhaps?

Hmm. All of my dailies have halogen glass sealed beam headlights, I think they work well enough. The Townie's might even be Silver Stars, can't remember. Biggest thing I did to help them was aim 'em. That and replace them, the old ones were pretty dim for some reason.

[Arquemann]

Dig the steel wheels and center caps on the Cap-Rice. Hate LED's in any shape or form for exterior lighting, cars or otherwise.

That Oldsmobuick is really sharp, aside from the four doors. I like the faded paint. Interior pics? What options does it have?

Eh, dunno much about these, it's got a 371 Rocket and a 4-speed Hydra-Matic. I think the VIN said J2 Golden Rocket, but any sign of 3 carbs is long gone, instead has an old-ass Rochester 4bbl. I like the 4d hardtops on these, windows down of course.

Not much of an interior to speak of in the Olds. Work in progress, recently dad decided to yank out the clapped out bench seats and got a set of buckets from some plastic mopar product.
I have no idea of the vision, but there's gonna be 4 bucket seats and a full length console, probably. Dash and interior trim are painted that dark metallic grey, if that's something to go off of.

I don't like LEDs either, but I could make an exception cuz I can't see shit with the composite candles in the Caprice.

[jaywish]

That Olds has really nice styling.

[DerekTheGreat]

Dig the steel wheels and center caps on the Cap-Rice. Hate LED's in any shape or form for exterior lighting, cars or otherwise.

That Oldsmobuick is really sharp, aside from the four doors. I like the faded paint. Interior pics? What options does it have?