1977 Chevrolet Caprice Classic: The Great American Sedan
I know it’s hard to believe, but over approximately the past ten years, the population of new sedans has been rapidly dwindling. As a sedan fan (with the exception of a Volvo station wagon, they are all I’ve ever owned) I find this trend most annoying. I have never longed for a potato-shaped crossover or SUV with phoned-in styling. But oh, in 1977, you had choices! And a Caprice Classic sedan was a very good one.
Chevrolets were all new for 1977. Well, mostly new. The chassis had started out as the midsize “Colonnade” version, with suitable adaptations to the dimensions of the new car. As a result, the new ’77 full-size Chevys were actually slightly shorter than the Malibus and Malibu Classics that year. Order would be restored the following year when the A-body midsizers got their own downsizing.
For people who were used to the extra-large Chevrolets from 1971–76, the ’77s must have almost looked like they came from another car company. Instead of the long, low, and wide look of the ’76s, the cars were tidy, wearing Bill Mitchell’s “sheer look” that highlighted rectangular shapes and boasting 90-degree angles (or close) on their front and rear fenders. The look had first appeared on the 1976 Cadillac Seville, and by 1980 pretty much all GM cars had it.
It was a big year for change. For the first time in decades, there were no pillarless hardtops. Models were restricted to a four-door sedan, a two-door coupe (with nifty, wraparound, bent-glass rear window), and a four-door station wagon.
As in ’76, you had your choice of Impala or fancier Caprice Classic models, with the Caprice Estate sporting the requisite wood-grained paneling on the sides and tailgate. The Bel Air, once the top of the line, had faded away after 1975.
Despite the cars being noticeably smaller, headroom and rear legroom actually increased over the jumbo ’76s. Trunk space was greater too—a neat trick. Brochures prominently featured new two-tone paint, as seen on our featured car.
In fact, the deluxe ’77 Caprice/Impala brochure prominently featured the very same combination of silv- and medium-blue as seen on this car, which was spied by your author back in April on Miami Craigslist.
This is one of those amazingly well-preserved cars that I’d love to hear the story on. To survive 47 years in this condition is a clear indication that this Caprice Classic was well-loved. The ad, sadly, didn’t have a lot of detail, but it did list an amazing odometer reading of only 35,816 miles. The car was at a lot in Lake Worth, Florida at the time. The VIN was 1N69L7J120782. Hope the right person got it and continues to lovingly preserve it … and drive it and enjoy it!
For people my age and older, who remember these cars when they were fairly new and as they aged, you know the late ’70s color-keyed interior trim faded in rapid and sometimes odd ways. I remember seeing a ’77 or ’78 Olds Delta 88 coupe once with a red interior. Between the different plastics, fabrics, vinyls, and rubber trim bits, there were no less than four differing hues throughout the inside … not on this car!
The Caprice Classic sedan had a base price of $5237 with the inline-six and $5357 with the V-8. The base V-8 was the 305. With its various emissions devices, it produced 145 horsepower.
However, the tried-and-true 350 V-8 was optionally available and still a great choice. Installed in a ’77 Caprice, it produced 170 hp.
The Caprice sedan was the most popular full-size Chevrolet of 1977, with 212,840 built, believe it or not. Runner up was the Impala four-door sedan, with 196,824 made. Those numbers include both V-8 and six-cylinder equipped models.
As the ’77 brochure confided:
“The strategic elimination of excess inches and ounces has produced a car that is more impressive to look at, more manageable to park and more economical to operate. Without abandoning ‘big car’ room, ride and comfort.
“The time had clearly come for a new kind of six-passenger car. One that was more efficient, more manageable in city traffic, more appropriate for the times than the former full-size Chevy. We figured you wouldn’t mind if it also turned out to be more beautiful.”
And so they were. And I miss them. I look at most of the new cars today, and sure, some are pretty good-looking, but not many. I really miss cars like this. I wish I could still get a Caprice sedan with a smooth ride and plush, quiet interior. The last chance for anything like that was the 2019 Impala. I always admired those cars, and it was even on my short list when I got my last car. But we can at least reminisce on what was!
Memories of my company car back in 1978 – Caprice Classic Salesman-mobile
I had a 78 wagon, what a ride it had on Michelin tires. Plugs and oil changes and of course brakes is all I ever did to her in the 20 plus years I had her. Don’t build’em like that anymore.
I remember when the downsized ‘77s came out. An older coworker of mine, who drove an Olds (88, I believe), wanted a new car, but worried these new, smaller ones wouldn’t be safe enough.
In the USA, the last Bel Air was in 1975. In Canada, Chevrolet retained the Bel Air as its lowest-priced full-size car through the 1981 model year. For 1977, Canadian Bel Airs received the same downsizing as their Impala/Caprice counterparts in the U.S. Body styles offered during this period were a four-door sedan, two-door coupe and station wagon.
made a great cop car with the big block engine and upgraded suspension and brakes
Were they ever available with a big-block? I don’t recall that they were – for Chevy, I thought the 350 was tops.
Dad ordered the ’77 Impala station wagon with COPO 9C1. We, his teen age sons changed the shocks to Bilstein and improved the rear springs to the Pontiac police replacements. Much better car.
My father got a ’77 Caprice year end special. Had 350, comfortron air and no power items. The 350 had little power either so it got rebuilt by the dealership I worked for, under warranty. It was basically an L79 with lower compression and dual cat free exhaust The transmission was replaced with a TH400 when the TH200 submitted to towing a 26foot trailer. The suspension was treated to all the HD GM parts available. None of these were Chev, most Cadillac bits that were thicker, larger diameter and made the car under steer if flogged. The only give away was the 15X8 Corvette wheels and massive BFG Radial T/A tires mounted black side out . Finished in white with the bordello blue mouse fur interior, it looked like an undercover pursuit car.
As much as it was maintained is was killed by never sleeping rust which ate it’s way through the frame by 1988.
Cars have become much harder to modify these days and far too electrified. Windows, seats, door locks, flush toilets, the world has gone mad and we are now hauling around 40% more weight.
Bring back the strippers!
Many of the parts lived on.
My father bought a new 1977 Impala sedan, light green, great car. The only negative part was the THM200 “metric” transmission that came with the 305. Otherwise, great car all around.
I had a 79 caprice 2 door, drove it over 300K sold it. Same time 77 4 door 9C1 upgraded to 434CI small block with over 150K. Still have it covered up in garage, silver with red interior.
I don’t recall those rims coming on the Impalas. They sure are snazzy looking.
They were good police cars. In Chicago we had Caprices and LTDs (and some remaining “Blues Brothers” Monacos). The cars had to withstand 24/7 abuse. While they both ran well, the interiors on the Chevys held up better than the Fords, but the suspensions on the Fords held up longer. During that time I recovered so many stolen Olds and Buicks of the same generation that it seemed they were taken almost as soon as they came out of the dealerships. It was the reason I never bought a GM car back then.