Low mile 1994 Impala - whats it worth?

[Mark Rinker]

A cousin from AZ called last night. His wife's grandmother passed away, leaving them a 1994 Impala LS with only 19K miles. Always garaged, aluminum wheels, and clean as a whistle.

1) How to determine if it has the LT1 350?
2) Whats it worth?

Any informed feedback would be appreciated. My feedback was this cars sounds like its in the eye of the beholder - he probably should hold out for the first 5K offer on Craigslist. Am I close?

Too bad granny didn't get the SS version...comes in handy if you are a little late for church! :)

[Edahall]

First question, is it the Impala SS model or the regular Caprice model?

If it in fact is an Impala SS, it would be worth some money and would definitely have the 260 hp LT1 engine. If it's the regular Caprice model, it would most likely have a 4.3L V8.

Chevy Caprice
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/93-96_Chevrolet_Caprice_Sedan.jpg/800px-93-96_Chevrolet_Caprice_Sedan.jpg

Chevy Impala SS
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/94-96_Chevrolet_Impala_SS.jpg/800px-94-96_Chevrolet_Impala_SS.jpg

[Mark Rinker]

Its the Caprice model. He wants $4000 for it. I'd say its a great deal.

[rustyk]

I'd be VERY cautious about buying this - driven about 1200 miles/year. When I was in the oil "bidness", a car like this was called an "Aunt Minnie", so-called because spinster Aunt Minnie drove her car 5 miles to the supermarket and 3 miles to church every week, and conscientiously changed engine oil "by the book": Every four years. The engine's innards looked like a coal mine.

Unless it can be proved it was regularly serviced, if it were I, I'd be looking elsewhere. It could be just fine or it could become an Unexpected Project Car.

[Mark Rinker]

My cousin actually related the big trips the car had taken - just a few from Cali to Arizona and back, and the rest was around town driving.

One of my great aunts died in the late 80s, leaving our family a 1970 Malibu 4door, that I later parted out. It had 80K miles and all of it was in and around West Des Moines, Iowa. Never left town from 1970 through her death, maybe a handful of trips to Chicago after that when my sister was driving it.

The '010' high nickel block 350 (same as used in the original LT1s for the Corvettes and Camaros) that came out of that car was as clean inside as I have ever seen. It went to the machine shop, had 0 core shift, and was massaged into a 500hp alky motor for a modified race car. (It was funny seeing 'Aunt Maudes' engine propelling a B-modified around a 1/4 oval at 80+mph at 7000rpm...)

Maybe a fluke, but I think there are far worse things for a car than to be driven short distances by old ladies. Like dusty environments. Or like being driven like it was stolen by some punk kid that likes to overrev the engine while manually shifting the automatic at 4 grand...etc...etc... :p

[JDmills]

seems to me that I read somewhere that All LT1's came through with dual exhaust.. and the smaller V8 had a single system... I would not be afraid of a low mileage rig.. even if granny didn't drive much, the rest of the car would be worth the $.. and motors are not that hard to rebuild..

[chickenhunterbob]

1) How to determine if it has the LT1 350?
[/I][/B]

LT1 is an RPO code, like LBZ, L65, etc. so whatever engine option the car has will be included in the RPO codes in the glove box.

[HH]

FWIW - The sister car, the Buick Roadmaster had the LT1 engine also.

[Mark Rinker]

If I had 4K sitting around, I'd buy it without reservation...but...

[Ben10]

A super clean 1991 caprice w/47k miles brought a tad over $2,500.00 on Ebay, so it might not be a stretch to think a car with 19K and 3 years newer could attract something north of $4,000.00. I sold a 1985 Thunderbird with 25K to a guy 3,000 miles from me a few years ago. I think that one sold for something like $4,500.00. Ebay is expensive to sell a car, but it offers a wide market. As we say in the auto industry- It only takes one.

I'll try and post the link here to the attemped sale of the 47K Caprice. I've never posted a link here, I hope it works.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/GORGEOUS-1991-CHEVROLET-CAPRICE-CLASSIC-47K-ACTUAL-NICE_W0QQitemZ120395210653QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Ca rs_Trucks?hash=item120395210653&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A-1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Good luck!

[chickenhunterbob]

You could buy a lot less car for a lot more money.

19,000 miles is like a demo, or almost a new car, not a lot of '94 models around with that little on the clock.

Whoever buys that car for 4,000 has found themselves a pretty good deal on a car that should give a lot of trouble free miles.

Mark,

Filled up with gas at the BP just on the south side of 94, or 494, or whatever, in Elk River last Wednesday, hoped to see a truck with "MRE" on it, lots of snow plow work just west and north of there, went north off 94 on to 59, wow, that was an interesting trip...for a ways.

[6.5 Detroit Diesel]

I thought the LT1 wasn't put in until 95? Wouldn't the easiest way to be check the RPO's?

[Heartbeat Hauler]

As an owner of an LT1 Caprice I can tell you that 4 grand for an LT1 is a great deal! Not so great if it is the 4.3.

Quick verification, as mentioned above, look for dual exhausts. You can also look at the RPO codes on the glove box door, look for B4U - sport suspension, and G80 - posi rear. You can also look under the hood and there is a sticker on the radiator core support right by the latch that tells you exactly what engine is in the car.

The Lt1 Caprice comes with all the goodies, except for a descent rear gear, mine has 2.93 gears...ug! But surprisingly enough my car is not bad in the acceleration department.

The cop car Caprices have RPO code 9C1, if you find a low miles one of these grab it!

Oh, I forgot, I should have said that the RPO code for the LT1 engine is, yep you guessed it....LT1...:)

1187
Mine looks just like this...umm...plus door dings... :)


I found a pic of mine....
1188
JP

[Heartbeat Hauler]

I thought the LT1 wasn't put in until 95? Wouldn't the easiest way to be check the RPO's?

The LT1 showed up in the B-Body in 1994, before that it was the LO5 (5.0L), 5.7L for the cop cars (9C1). This 5.7L was not an LT1 it was the standard 350 with some durability stuff and a tune for higher top speed, etc. etc.

Yup, RPOs are the sure way to tell, you can also take the VIN to a Chevy dealer and they can print out everything you wanna know about your car...I have my print out.

JP