When I hear the phrase “winter beater”, I picture a car that is just barely acceptable for public roads, prepared just enough to survive plowing through snow, slush and all of the crap that the local Department of Transportation sprays all over the road, and durable enough to go drift-bashing or to not be too bothered if it does find itself spinning into a curb, or a ditch, or maybe the base of a floodlight in an empty parking lot during a seasonal hooning session. Literally pick anything that you’d pay $1500 bucks for, isn’t a tin can and has a heater, that you won’t miss when it’s gone, and there you go. I don’t picture a clean 1995 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1 ex-cop car as a winter beater…unless it looks like it has run through a demo derby a couple of times, that is a good build platform. It’s not an Impala SS, but it’s close enough that it’s not worth bothering with the differences.
Forum member “Spaceman Spiff” recently scored this Caprice for a couple thousand dollars. A trunkful of parts in a car that was dead-stock from stem to stern isn’t bad, and with the only real noteworthy issue being a crack in the dash…well, let’s just call that a score, shall we? What’s the plans for the dark green-gray killer whale? Minor tweaks to make drivability worthwhile. He’s already swapped out the bench for buckets and the console out of an Impala SS, but take a close look at the gauges. In 1995 Chevrolet B-bodies had digital gauges. Can you tell what vehicle donated those?
That cluster is from a 1993-96 Chevrolet Camaro, cleaned up, modified to work with the B-body harness and trimmed to fit in the stock housing by a guy in New York for a few hundred bucks. Low buck investment, high fun return. That’s the name of the game here. But winter beater? Nah, man…go find a beater Tahoe or something like that instead. This Caprice is far past deserving the road salt death.
I know Spaceman Spiff since NJ was my home till a few years ago. Bought and sold some parts with him a few times. My Caprice is almost a ringer to his except mine is white. Can’t wait to get mine on the road this year. Cool project.
Dont let the salt rind eat it! At least spray the bottom with fluid film.
I used 3 cans of fluid film on the bottom, in the wheel wells, and under hood. I buy it by the case. It’s good stuff.
This weekend is going to be in the 50’s, so I plan to hose down everything, and use more fluid film if needed.
That’s a great car at a decent price. Fairly rare color combo for a 9C1. I agree it appears to be to nice to just be a beater with a heater…sure hope the owner sprays the frame and floors with liberal doses of rust inhibitor and visits the car wash once a week. Looks like he also swapped in the steering wheel and column from an Impala SS. Nice modifications…hope it brings the owner many trouble free smiles.
I had the windows tinted and took of the awful side molding.
I’m hoping the factory exhaust holds out, I’m enjoying the quiet ride.
Also thinking about a blazer floor shift/console, like I have in my ’95 Impala SS.