Although the 1977 Chevrolet Caprice could have been a casualty of the 1970s fuel shortages as Chevy dramatically reduced its size and power capability, "Motor Trend" magazine named it Car of the Year for its new style and economical engines. The 1977 Caprice also went on to become the top selling car in the United States with 660,000 units sold. The Caprice signaled that the era of full-size, gas-guzzling cars was a thing of the past.
Origins
The Caprice debuted in 1965 as a full-size model. It originally was a top-line trim package on the Impala, but it received its own nameplate just a year later. The Caprice came as a coupe, sedan and station wagon. These were huge cars with a 119-inch wheelbase. The station wagon tipped the scales at more than 4,000 lbs. With the arrival of the 1971 models, the Caprice was the largest Chevrolet ever with a 121-inch wheelbase. It exuded luxury rivaled only by General Motors' Buick Electra and Cadillac. Under the hood through 1976 was Chevy's massive optional 454-cubic-inch V-8.
End of an Era
The fact that it took Chevrolet three years to develop a small version of the Caprice is testament to the automaker's loyalty to the full-size car. But in 1976, Detroit had already weathered the 1973 oil crisis and a second one would follow in 1978. The model year 1976 proved to be the last year of the 121-inch wheelbase full-size car. The big-block V-8s, like the 454, also disappeared. For 1977, Chevy radically reduced the wheelbase to 116 niches. The 1976 model's soft lines and boat-like length of 222.9 inches and 79.5 inch width gave way to a trim, tidy and sharply lined body. The 1977 Caprice's body was 212.1 inches long and 75.5 inches wide, although it stood almost 2 inches taller than the 1976 version at 55.3 inches.
Pretty to Look At
The 1977 Caprice came as a two-door coupe, four-door sedan and the station wagon. While it was smaller than the 1976 model, the 1977 coupe featured a generous 20.9 cubic feet of cargo space. The new Caprice was boxy and featured a unique rear window that gave it a semi-fastback look. The car's new height made the cabin roomier, with the interior featuring luxury accents and easy-to-read instrument panel.
Power
What the 1977 Caprice gained in smart styling, it lost in power. For the first time since 1965, the V-8 was no longer standard equipment. In its place was the base 110-horsepower 250 cubic-inch in-line six-cylinder engine. Options included the 145-horsepower 305 V-8 with a two-barrel carburetor and the 170-horsepower four-barrel carburetor 350 V-8. The straight-six was fuel efficient, but a laggard in getting up to speed on freeway on ramps. The 305 provided adequate power and good mileage. The best performer was the 350, which also powered the Camaro Z28s during the same period.
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