1975 Chevrolet Caprice Sedan (orig 454-CLEAN 4dr) $3000.00

Turn2Stone · Poncho Master!

1975 Chevrolet Caprice Sedan (orig 454-CLEAN 4dr) $3000.00

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Very nice looking car

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Seems like a lot of car for the money, but being a 4 door version of a less-popular body style will keep the price down for sure.

I'm wondering how the 454 performed by 1975. Wasn't it a shadow of its former self by then? Although I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard to wake it up!

Professur · Guru

What a beast.

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

very nice car some rallies (lol) and some true duals and you got a beautifull cruiser big trunk for flea market stuff lots of room for 6 buddies going to events

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

The 454 was rated approx. 245 HP & 355 ft. lb. in '75 I believe. The exhaust system was a dual type system if the same as 1976, I have used the '76 big Chev car 454 system on a lot of A body 75 and up cars over the years with litle modification. Dual from engine to large mouth converter, dual out into dual mufflers and tailpipes. I don't think it is leagl to make a 75 and up true dual, at least it wouldn't clear a Drive Clean test in Ontario.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

It would be drive clean excempt however a nosy MTO guy could pull you over and give you a hefty fine.

Turn2Stone · Poncho Master!

I keep coming back for another look at this car, maybe I'll go see it.

I have no idea what you guys are talking about, but it sounds frustrating. I need only convince my local mechanic that its safe. There may be bylaws that I am not aware of, but if you have ever been here, you will see some crazy redneck vehicles still legally on the road.

CDN2PLS2 · Uber Guru

I had a Burgundy "76 like that with 454 and true duals.Last year for the Big Block car!

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

69Laurentian wrote:

It would be drive clean excempt however a nosy MTO guy could pull you over and give you a hefty fine.

Like Todd said, I had a '75 Monza that I used dual Mopar converters on, it was loud and strong. I never was challenged on removing the OEM single converter but as I understand it the car ha s to be equipped as it left the manufacturer. Of course this is in Ontario where the governement is our face daily.

Beaumont4008 · Uber Guru

I had a 74 454 in a caprice wagon and was a real slug. There was a Hot rod article years back that I remember ready about a 74 elcomino with a 454. There's like mine could not turn the tires in the rain. They started upgrading with intake carb and headers with little improvement. Then they did a cam change. They realy woke the beast up with this swap. They could burn rubber for a block. They found that the stock cams are set retarded at the crank and realy choke the big block in the mid 70's. Wish I could find that article.

-- Edited by Beaumont4008 on Wednesday 27th of October 2010 12:55:37 PM

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

73SC wrote:

69Laurentian wrote:

It would be drive clean excempt however a nosy MTO guy could pull you over and give you a hefty fine.

Like Todd said, I had a '75 Monza that I used dual Mopar converters on, it was loud and strong. I never was challenged on removing the OEM single converter but as I understand it the car ha s to be equipped as it left the manufacturer. Of course this is in Ontario where the governement is our face daily.

I believe that in NS anything older than 1990 isn't required to have a cat. installed.

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Beaumont4008 wrote:

I had a 74 454 in a caprice wagon and was a real slug. There was a Hot rod article years back that I remember ready about a 74 elcomino with a 454. There's like mine could not turn the tires in the rain. They started upgrading with intake carb and headers with little improvement. Then they did a cam change. They realy woke the beast up with this swap. They could burn rubber for a block. They found that the stock cams are set retarded at the crank and realy choke the big block in the mid 70's. Wish I could find that article.

-- Edited by Beaumont4008 on Wednesday 27th of October 2010 12:55:37 PM

Neat info! It's that kind of thing that I was thinking of, how fuel economy and emissions changes with basically no technology increase in the '70s seemed to really kill off performance of formally proud motors.

I'm remembering back when I had my '73 Lemans with the Chevy 350 2bbl and my brother had a '76 Lemans wagon with a 400 Pontiac (if memory serves). Although the wagon would have been heavier than my coupe, I was expecting its performance to be similar to my smaller-cubed car due to its larger engine. In fact, the 400 in the wagon was a dog compared to my 350. These were 2 bone stock, low-mileage cars in the early '80s.

Interesting how much difference a cam change made, though!

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Turn2Stone wrote:

I keep coming back for another look at this car, maybe I'll go see it.

I have no idea what you guys are talking about, but it sounds frustrating. I need only convince my local mechanic that its safe. There may be bylaws that I am not aware of, but if you have ever been here, you will see some crazy redneck vehicles still legally on the road.

Looks like a nice, comfortable family cruizer!! Sounds like you could massage the 454 to work a little better as well!

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

Turn2Stone wrote:

but if you have ever been here, you will see some crazy redneck vehicles still legally on the road.

Same here.

CdnGMfan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Actually 1975 was the worst year for power output, as the single exhaust LS4 put out only 215 net horsepower. For 1976 they used a spaghetti pipe after the single cat & ran dual aft of there for 225 horses. You could easily bump up the power on that engine.

Default axle ratio was 2.73 but you could go to 2.41 or 3.08 from the factory that year.

As for Rally Wheels, you'd have to go with Chevy truck rallies because the 1971 - 76 Big Cars had a larger bolt circle.