Thinking of getting LT1 Caprice (Former Police Use)

[CT Tim]

I currently have a 00 Impala Ls. I've had it for about half a year now, gets terrible mileage for a paper car, has the light feeling to it and I have always had larger cars or suv's.
My logic is that if I am going to be getting such bad mpg I might as well have something that from what I've heard is one of the most reliable cars ever built and basically can be run into the ground and most likely will be getting better mpg-(I get no more than 13 now). Now most of my driving will be city and I may on occasion like to pull a light trailer as well so I'm thinking this might be a good choice except I'm not sure what I'd get if I sold the Impala and I am not sure where the best place to get a 94-96 lt1 is.
Anyone with any experience with one, I'd greatly appreciate your comments about this.
-Tim

[CD Smalley]

I's really spend sometime figuring out what is wrong with the car you have first.

However, if your looking for a decent 9c1, look here

http://www.keymotorsusa.com/

[Blue Bowtie]

Agreed. Unless all of your driving is city, and you live in San Fransico or Duluth (nearly vertical hills), your mileage should be a lot better than 13. I'm not knocking the B-Bodies - I have two of them. But you really need to solve the mileage question even if you are only going to sell it or keep it as a backup vehicle.

[fast9c1]

got me a 9c1 95 caprice lt-1 . look at impalassforum.com
alot of info on the caprice and impala ss .

[96capricemgr]

The LT1 was available in civilian cars. Only reason to look specicfically for a 9C1 woulf be if you really dig the rubber interior, arguably less desirable oil cooling, untold hours of idling beyond the milage. Battlescars underneath which will include mostly cosmetic frame damage.

Newbies mistakenly think a 9C1 is something special, reality is at least with the 94-9 cars they were a Caprice made cheap. The ignorant will point at the FEW minor differences like the rear discs it got but those of us with a clue know GM used the wrong proportioning valve and in everyday driving the civilian drum brakes will actuallu work much better. No "cop chip" either. For that matter if you like comforts look at a Roadmaster mechanically the same again but usually some more seat adjustment and the like.

[HLandin]

It all depends on your preference. But keep this in mind, it may be a Caprice but you should give it a good examination prior to buying. Agreeing with 96capricemgr, I have seen some pretty sorry looking Caprices at the SAME place I purchased my most recent one, cars that appear to have minor cosmetic damage (but you can tell upon examination that either a door, bumper, or fender was replaced with possible damage underneath). And because of the money associated with repairing those cars, its almost better just to use them for parts. If, on the other hand, you can find a Caprice (and depending on what you want, a 9c1) in good condition, it could be like finding a diamond in the roth.

If you fancy a 9c1, here are a few things to chew on:

-Heavy duty frame
-Rubber matting floor (some people don't like it, but I love it because its soo easy to take care of and keep clean)
-Heavy duty cooling package with larger radiator, transmission cooler, oil cooler, and power steering cooler (depending on year, could be standard or optional)
-Transmission with higher shift points than civilian version
-Heavy duty seats (bench is standard, but many come with front buckets)
-Depending on model year, only way to get 350-cid motor (either L05 or LT1, both are fun)
-100% Silicone green hoses (heavy duty, good for lifetime of car) with worm clamps
-Special suspension (generally firmer and better than civilian suspension, especially the old boxies)

Now, yes, the suspension could be worn (depending on age or abuse while in service, but that is standard on ANY used vehicle), and yes, the car could have been idled alot (cops like to sit and wait). As far as the idling goes, what is it going to do? It certainly won't make it overheat. While ordinary cars might not do so well just sitting in the heat, if there is nothing mechanically wrong with the car (hense the need for a good inspection before buying, just like any other car), it will sit all day running the A/C and not overheat. That good 'old mechanical or dual electric fans along with the larger radiator and oil cooler will keep the motor as cool as it needs to be.

So the bottom line is, if you do decide to get a Caprice (9c1 or not), make sure you inspect it and examine it well before buying. Even do a little research on your computer by checking some place like Carfax. You might find so little suprises that could save you money in the long run (I was checking a '96 Caprice 9c1 I had considered buying on Carfax, and discovered that it had been involved in two minor reportables ).

[silicon212]

The one thing idling can do over time is cause a worn camshaft. The cam doesn't get sufficient lubrication at idle speed.

[HLandin]

Is there a way to resolve the cam not getting enough oil at idle, any modification? Also, since you said it causes cam wear, does it cause wear on the bearings or on the lobes?

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by HLandin

Is there a way to resolve the cam not getting enough oil at idle, any modification? Also, since you said it causes cam wear, does it cause wear on the bearings or on the lobes?

The cam lobes generally receive their only lubrication from oil that is slung off of the crankshaft. At speeds below 1200 RPM, this oil is insufficient to keep the cam lubricated. The bearings are pressure oiled, so there's no problem with that. It is possible to make a modification to the oiling system to help with the problem (note, this problem really applies to flat tappet cams, rollers might be okay). Basically, install a high-volume oil pump and drill some #68 holes in the bottoms of the lifters (you need to take the lifter apart to do this) in order to oil the cam lobes directly. One downfall to this approach is at low RPMs, the lifters could "collapse" due to insufficient oil pressure (a lot of that pressure will be blown out through the hole you drilled), leading to valvetrain noise at idle and low RPM.

[96capricemgr]

-Heavy duty frame debatable for the 94-6 years as all whale boddies got the extra bracing that in boxy years was reserved for the 9C1but the civi is not weak
-Rubber matting floor (some people don't like it, but I love it because its soo easy to take care of and keep clean)
-Heavy duty cooling package with larger radiator, transmission cooler, oil cooler, and power steering cooler (depending on year, could be standard or optional) for the 94-6 years the civi L99 had the largest coolant capacity all had the same radiator core, tranny coolers the same as civi models so equiped, the external oil cooler could overcool oil rather than regulate it like the in radiator of the civi, the PS cooler is a joke at best
-Transmission with higher shift points than civilian versionnot enough to matter or on an older car will just buy you more time in valve float RPMS
-Heavy duty seats (bench is standard, but many come with front buckets)guys I know with 9C1s like the civi seats better, don't know if it was thin padding for the belts cops(all the stuff they carry around their waist) wore or if the belts wore out the padding
-Depending on model year, only way to get 350-cid motor (either L05 or LT1, both are fun)again not applicable to the LT1 years he is interested in
-100% Silicone green hoses (heavy duty, good for lifetime of car) with worm clamps
-Special suspension (generally firmer and better than civilian suspension, especially the old boxies)as you said likely worn out anyway


Don't let people tell you the 9C1 is anything special, just concentrat on finding a nice car

[abebesheir]

9c1s aren't that much better than regular civilian Caprices, but if you can find one that was used for administrative purposes (district attorney, fire chief, etc.) then it will usually be in decent shape.
I own three 9c1s... a 1991 that was used as a Pennsylvania FBI car, a 1992 from New Hampshire that was used as a rural patrol car then a fire chief's vehicle and a 1993 that was used as a New Jersey patrol car then a fire chief's vehicle.
Obviously, the NH car is in the worst shape due to the fact that it was used in high speed pursuit and had to endure rather harsh winter conditions. The Pennsylvania car is in the best shape.
I have noticed that Caprices are rather thick on the ground where I live (Connecticut), including a lot of the boxy type... so they must be durable vehicles in general. The 9c1 heavy-duty package can only add to the life of the car.
Keep in mind, though, that when you buy a Caprice 9c1 you are buying a car that is anywhere from 10-20 years old.

[CT Tim]

I really appreciate everyone's input regarding this vehicle,I definetly have gotten a wealth of knowledge that I couldn't have gotten anywhere else.
I will still be looking into where I might be able to get one if it turns out I do sell the 2000 Impala (still have to see what could be wrong with it to get such poor mpg).
Now basically I just wanted to check and see if most of you do feel a Caprice would be the best car if I am going to be doing mostly city driving, (essentially it will be a company car for my business that will see long hours and will need to be on the road as much as possible,i.e. no time consuming repairs every other week or so), I may also have the occasional need to pull a light trailer with it.
By the way abebesheir -what part of CT are you from considering I'm right outside New Haven.
Once again all responses are appreciated-
Tim

[abebesheir]

CT Tim, I'm from Waterbury... I would say that for your purposes a Caprice would be a good car provided you find one that didn't see a lot of abuse during it's police career.
I have a 1991 that saw only FBI duty (no high speed pursuits, but presumably a lot of stakeouts) and it runs like a top.
In contrast, my 1992 and 1993 have seen a lot of abuse as patrol cars...