1987 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Coupe Landau

Greetings all,

I joined a few forums recently so some may have seen these photos before if you frequent those as well.

I have been searching for quite some time for a decently clean 1987 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Coupe, and finally located one 9 hours away up in Maine this past Oct/ Nov 2014.  I made the trip with one of my brothers, I liked what I saw, confirmed a few things in person after a month of email correspondence with the seller and purchased!

The bottom of the doors aren't the greatest as well as a check engine light for code 15 and 22 along with the temp gauge not responding/ working properly. Registers up to about 111 degrees. Tried a few things before storage and purchased the supplement electrical service manual for some reading. I am about to purchase the rest of the service manual in addition.

The photos below were taken up in Maine after purchase and during email correspondence with the seller. I don't have any good ones as it went directly into storage for the winter!

(Click photos for "full view", seems images displayed cropped.)

WOW, that's pretty sweet right there. That's a pretty rare 2-door!! Looks like it's in overall good shape. What kind of plans do you have for it? Keeping it stock? Mild modifications? Love the black paint!! I was thinking of painting mine black at one point, but then I remembered I already have 2 black cars and it's a real chore to keep them looking good all of the time. I've always thought it was interesting how GM decided to put the same mirrors on these as the Firebird and Camaro have too. Great car and thanks for sharing!

Very Very nice!!! Thanks for sharing and welcome aboard!

solo79 wrote: I've always thought it was interesting how GM decided to put the same mirrors on these as the Firebird and Camaro have too.    

Interesting as I am missing the rh side and chrome is pitting anyways, wouldn't mind putting a pair of the "sport" side mirror. Do you know which years by any chance.

Also very clean 2 door all she needs is a sunroof maybe some spokes lol

Thanks guys!

The vehicle has most of the available, for Coupe, factory options:

Has:

AG1 Power Front Seat 6-Way Driver
AG9 Power Front Seat 6-Way
AU3 Power Side Door Lock System
AV7 Front Seat - 50/50
A31 Electric Window Control
A90 Truck Lid Release Electric Remote
B34 Floor Mats - Front
B35 Floor Mats - Rear
B48 Deluxe Luggage Compartment Trim
B84 Body Side Molding
B93 Door Edge Guards
CD4 Windshield Wipers and Washers - Pulse Type
C49 Electroclear Rear Window Defogger
C60 Air Conditioning
C95 Dome Reading Lamp
D64 Visor Vanity Mirror - RH Visor - Illuminated
D68 Outside Mirrors LH and RH Remote Control, Painted
F41 Sport Suspension Equipment Front and Rear
K34 Cruise Control - 3 Mode with Resume Feature
LG4 Engine 5.0 Liter 4 Bbl. (305 C.I.D.) V8
MXO Automatic Transmission 4 - Speed with Overdrive
MW9 Automatic 200-4R
N33 Tilt Steering Column (Comfortilt)
N91 Simulated Wire Wheel Covers
T87 Lamps - Cornering
UA1 Heavy Duty Battery
UU6 AM/FM Stereo Radio with Equlizer, Cassette and Clock
U14 Gauge Package Consists of: Gauges and Tripometer
U26 Under Hood Lamp
U75 Power Antenna - Radio Suppression Equipment
U79 Speakers Extended Range Dual Front, Dual Rear
V30 Bumper Guards, Front and Rear
Z03 Landau Vinyl Roof Cover

Does not Have:

AG2 Power Front Seat 6-Way Passenger
V08 Cooling - Heavy Duty
K05 Engine Block Heater

I wish it had the AG2, but I guess I can't have everything, plus I can't drive from the passenger side anyway!

HeavyChevy77 wrote:
Also very clean 2 door all she needs is a sunroof maybe some spokes lol

Some time down the road, it will have some nice real wire spoke rims.

solo79 wrote:WOW, that's pretty sweet right there.  That's a pretty rare 2-door!!  Looks like it's in overall good shape.  What kind of plans do you have for it?  Keeping it stock?  Mild modifications?  Love the black paint!!  I was thinking of painting mine black at one point, but then I remembered I already have 2 black cars and it's a real chore to keep them looking good all of the time. I've always thought it was interesting how GM decided to put the same mirrors on these as the Firebird and Camaro have too.  Great car and thanks for sharing!    

Overall, pretty decent shape. The very bottom of where the outer door skin mates to the inner is rotted on both doors, hence my search!

My plans: 28" rims, and juiced hydros....oh wait, I almost gave MYSELF a heart attack! (Not that I don't appreciate the work , time and money those interested in such do, but not my style I prefer on my own car!)

Immediate plans:
1. Fix Check Engine Light Code 14 and 22 (I think 22 is thrown because of 14, but can't be totally sure), get mechanically good. Maybe hook back up the A.I.R. system for completeness and originality. For code 14 I will start by replacing the $20 Temp Sensor.
2. Fix Temp gauge. Shorting out the wire , goes to full hot. Unplugging goes to full cold, which leads me to believe it is a $30 Temp Switch/ Sender for the gauge. So I will start there.
3. Clean/ compound body paint and clean engine, maybe get a couple dents pulled on the exterior.
4. Fix power antenna. Previous owner installed an aftermarket radio w/ 6-CD and installed a fixed antenna mast.

Short term:
1. Engine Refresh, maybe get some more ponies out of the stock 305 LG4.
2. Replace audio speakers.
3. Replace both doors.
4. Find a NOS front emblem, missing a piece on the back.

Long Term:
1. Frame off restoration.
2. 350 or 383 engine.
3. Stock appearing.

HeavyChevy77 wrote:

solo79 wrote: I've always thought it was interesting how GM decided to put the same mirrors on these as the Firebird and Camaro have too.    

Interesting as I am missing the rh side and chrome is pitting anyways, wouldn't mind putting a pair of the "sport" side mirror. Do you know which years by any chance.

Yep, all 82-92 Firebird, Trans Am, and Camaro. Also, 84- (I think 86 or 87) Corvette. There are TONS of those mirrors on Ebay, power mirrors too!

Xtreme Thunder wrote:

solo79 wrote:WOW, that's pretty sweet right there.  That's a pretty rare 2-door!!  Looks like it's in overall good shape.  What kind of plans do you have for it?  Keeping it stock?  Mild modifications?  Love the black paint!!  I was thinking of painting mine black at one point, but then I remembered I already have 2 black cars and it's a real chore to keep them looking good all of the time. I've always thought it was interesting how GM decided to put the same mirrors on these as the Firebird and Camaro have too.  Great car and thanks for sharing!    

Overall, pretty decent shape. The very bottom of where the outer door skin mates to the inner is rotted on both doors, hence my search!

My plans: 28" rims, and juiced hydros....oh wait, I almost gave MYSELF a heart attack! (Not that I don't appreciate the work , time and money those interested in such do, but not my style I prefer on my own car!)

Immediate plans:
1. Fix Check Engine Light Code 14 and 22 (I think 22 is thrown because of 14, but can't be totally sure), get mechanically good. Maybe hook back up the A.I.R. system for completeness and originality. For code 14 I will start by replacing the $20 Temp Sensor.
2. Fix Temp gauge. Shorting out the wire , goes to full hot. Unplugging goes to full cold, which leads me to believe it is a $30 Temp Switch/ Sender for the gauge. So I will start there.
3. Clean/ compound body paint and clean engine, maybe get a couple dents pulled on the exterior.
4. Fix power antenna. Previous owner installed an aftermarket radio w/ 6-CD and installed a fixed antenna mast.

Short term:
1. Engine Refresh, maybe get some more ponies out of the stock 305 LG4.
2. Replace audio speakers.
3. Replace both doors.
4. Find a NOS front emblem, missing a piece on the back.

Long Term:
1. Frame off restoration.
2. 350 or 383 engine.
3. Stock appearing.

Juiced hydros requires 14" 100 spoke knock-offs.lol 13's are way too small for these cars. 28" is way too big.haha 14s with lowrider white walls are just right I think.

Sounds like you've got some good plans. Mine will also be mostly stock appearing and I'm leaning more toward pro-touring style options lately. Frame off restoration is definitely the way to go! These cars are easy to take apart.

solo79 wrote:
Juiced hydros requires 14" 100 spoke knock-offs.lol  13's are way too small for these cars.  28" is way too big.haha  14s with lowrider white walls are just right I think.
s I'm leaning more toward pro-touring style options lately

Of course not 13"s fit just right just gotta grind the caliper a little and then ur 3" off the ground. Used to ride my 77 4 door on 13"s with the smallest tires p155-70r13 I think

And yes as the days go by the subtleness of pro touring complement the car

My uncles black on black 1984 2 door landau is what made me fall in love with these cars. It was by far the classiest/sexiest car I had ever laid eyes on that wasn't from the 60's at that time. That look is exactly why I had to get one for myself. I really like the more updated front and tail end of these compared to his 1984... not to mention the scarcity of a 1987 2 door. Congrats on the find/purhcase!

Very very nice indeed , I feel same love the 60s Chevys but love the B bodys . I think it's these old timers

passing on now and their cars are finally coming out of the garages where they've been hoarded and up for sale.

I seen a few choice Caprices with a 70 something behind the wheel recently. The previous generation loved

these style of cars, my Uncle(rip) bought a 95' RM brand new and he said Buick RWD was the only car he would

ever buy and the RM\Impala SS\Fleetwood were the last of those made. Funny too my uncle was a Automotive

Tech teacher in NYC for almost 40 years and he loved those B bodies lol.

Nice ride!

Xtreme Thunder wrote:
The bottom of the doors aren't the greatest as well as a check engine light for code 15 and 22 along with the temp gauge not responding/ working properly. Registers up to about 111 degrees. Tried a few things before storage and purchased the supplement electrical service manual for some reading. I am about to purchase the rest of the service manual in addition.

Update: 05-19-2015

1. Code 15 appears to have been solved by installing a new CTS. Read the codes again and only Code 22 is stored, TPS. I have a new one, just need to install it, doesn't seem like an easy task.

2. Temperature Gauge is now responding as it should. Installed new Temperature Sender. I ran it quite a few times and seemed to only get to about 160 degrees, so I ordered a 192 degree Thermostat. Well, this weekend was about 85 degrees and drove to and back from a local car show and temp gauge got right up to about 190-200 and stayed there, so, maybe I didn't need the new. I will still install the new along with the new gasket.

3. Engine bay is on its 2nd degreasing, it gets cleaner each time! Nice to see wire colors again!

4. 4-Way Hazard Flashers now works, new flasher!

New Business:

A. Once transmission is warm, coming to a stop, at about 5-10mph car will buck and stall out, unless I put it in Neutral. May be related to TPS or may need a TCS as it may be getting "confused" and going in and out of TC Lock-up and eventually stall. Always starts right back up again though with no issues.

B. Passed NYS Inspection (A lit CEL is exempt on vehicles before 1994 in NYS, which I knew). Noted Front ball joints should be replaced.

C. Cleaned the tires, noticed some dry rot between the treads and some beginning on the sidewalls. Need to look into some new rubber soon.

D. May see if I can get A/C working. Previous owner had it converted from R12 to R134a, but mentioned it does not hold charge and leaks from the compressor.

E. Power windows work, however, only when cool, will stop working (both sides, even trying to control from pass side) when warm out. My old '85 4-Door Caprice did the same thing in college. Any ideas?

F. Pseudo coolant leak at radiator. Will sit for 2 days and no leak, next day may have a little puddle underneath vehicle. Thinking temp/ pressure difference with a small pinhole leak in bottom of the rad. Needs new rad.

Anyway, the Supplemental Electrical Service Manual is a totally must have and probably the best gifts I ever received! Haha!

Did you ever get the TPS in?I had a Dodge Dynasty I fixed last year and it bucked and stalled at stops. The problem

was a Bad TPS .

Myloth wrote:Did you ever get the TPS in?I had a Dodge Dynasty I fixed last year and it bucked and stalled at stops. The problem

was a Bad TPS .

I haven't installed the TPS yet. It will probably be installed beginning July, as we will be on vacation until then. Hoping the TPS solves the CEL, but if it doesn't the engine is coming out anyway...

Another side note, the car was not originally Black! The Black paint is peeling in a couple places and has a metallic finish under. At first I thought it was the primer, but then my brother and I got thinking and I cleaned the trunk jamb and door jambs, they appear a faded Red color. The vinyl top, which I thought was a highly sun faded Black, is a highly faded Red. Went further to decode the paint code, sure enough, Red Metallic; Body Color, Vinyl Color and Body Side Moldings. Am I bummed it is not original? Yes and no. Yes because it is not original, and no because it has a "story" and I won't feel bad about repainting it a newer GM color I like. I'd like a dark metallic graphite color, probably something from the Camaro or Corvette as I am really not sure I would have liked the Red with the Gray interior! In addition, they did a poor job of taping the chrome in places, not so much on the Landau chrome, but the headlight chrome. Haha!

I have A.D.D. on things for the Landau recently!!

Still no TPS installed. I will call the shop where I get certain things done, old school guy and has extremely fair prices, I'll also have him hunt down the exhaust leak. The ticking is annoying! Both are robbing me of power!

I have been working on paint correction and chrome polishing. I have some before and after of a few sections which I need to upload from my phone to where I host my images. Some blemishes are deep and beyond an aggressive compound, but looks really good.

In between the paint/ chrome correction, I am working on figuring out the stereo situation. Has an aftermarket Pioneer HU w/ 6 CD changer which is located in the trunk. The system is about 15 years old. I figured the sound should have been much better than it was, so I began poking around. Found out that both rear 6x9 speakers were non-working order, and the front passenger speaker works when it feels like it, leaving only the front driver side working. I pulled the rears out, loose connections somewhere, but the speaker material was dry rotten and had holes. The front driver side was similar and the front passenger was completely different, but wasn't working. I pulled the HU out to find a chop job of wiring! It was a rats nest of wires! There is a short in the wire from the back of the HU to the vehicle harness, so I rewired all the butt-style crimp connectors and adjusted the prongs on the car harness and aftermarket harness, wiggle another section and issue persists. I decided to order a new HU and front and rear speakers. I went with Kicker KSC464 for the front 4x6s and Kicker KSC694 for the rear 6x9s, the speakers sound great, but the front passenger is still having the issue due to the wiring issue. I figured I'd order a new HU too, so I picked up a Clarion CZ505 and the SiriusXM SXV300V1 ($70 rebate on the SiriusXM = free and $25 rebate on the Clarion HU for their 75th anniversary) so I can listen to only 80's tunes when I am in the car, Haha! The new HU and wiring harness adapter should be here Wednesday, so if all goes well should be installed by the weekend.

Still lookin' for those door shells though!

Xtreme Thunder wrote:

Still lookin' for those door shells though!

On the Impala forum I gave you links to a couple NOS ones. I'm Mr. B over there.

Sweet Seventy9 wrote:

Xtreme Thunder wrote:

Still lookin' for those door shells though!

On the Impala forum I gave you links to a couple NOS ones.  I'm Mr. B over there.

Thanks much! I saw you had responded, I have contacted similar in the past, but all come back with discontinued.

Finally going in for some work on September 17, 2015.  Going to have them tackle the TPS, TCC Solenoid, Drive belts and locate the exhaust leak (I believe near the catalyst or between the catalyst and the exhaust manifold). I am hoping most of those will solve some of the driveability issues I am experiencing.

Installed the new HU and new Speakers, sounds much better.  May conceal a very small amp in the trunk area or under the passenger seat as the front speakers can handle 75 watts RMS each and the rear can handle 150 watts rms each.  The results are clear now, but the HU pushes 22 watts RMS/ ch now and struggles at the higher end of the volume scale.  I just need to button up the SiriusXM antenna wire, but the rear seat back needs to be removed to feed where I want it to run, hence the next question.

Anyone know how to remove the rear seat back? I got the seat portion out, but that same method doesn't work for the back portion.  I see and kind of feel the seat back frame material may be connected with the seat belt torx bit.  If so, I need to grab a quality T50 bit.

Yup, there's a couple Torx bolts that have to be removed first then it should lift and come right out. You may need a breaker bar to remove the bolts, they're usually in there pretty good.

Sweet Seventy9 wrote:Yup, there's a couple Torx bolts that have to be removed first then it should lift and come right out.  You may need a breaker bar to remove the bolts, they're usually in there pretty good.

Perfect, that's what I figured. Breaker bar I have, those type of bolts are a pain. That will, hopefully, be this weekends progress so that I can reinstall the dash/ HU and HVAC.

I believe i have the mirrors you are looking for on my 85 landau.  I am in search of the door trim that goes with this car and these mirrors.  If you are interested in swapping plus cash on my end please let me know.  **********. Text me ANY TIME OF DAY/NITE!!!  

Mike

Or if you even just want to sell the landau trim pieces off of the doors or even entire landau trim set i have cash in hand

Damn my bad read someone elses comment thinking it was yours.

MC CUSTOMS wrote:Damn my bad read someone elses comment thinking it was yours.

All good!

Got the car back from the shop, they were able to complete 2 of the 4 items I had them fix, at least it was the most important!

The TPS has been replaced, so far no more check engine lights!

The TCS has been replaced, so far no more bucking and stalling when slowing down for a light after about 30mins of driving!

The exhaust leak is coming around the exhaust manifold and a few repair clamps further downstream.  The ticking noise is annoying and was not fixed.

The drive belts were not replaced as the power steering bracket has a couple bolts broke off and the shop didn't want to replace the other belts, just to have to remove again if I were to move forward with replacing that part.

New Business:

1. The HVAC fan control only use to work on high setting, and on the way to taking it to the shop the other night, it stopped working, even on the high setting.  I have the supplemental electrical book (a MUST purchase!!) and there is a list of problems and troubleshooting steps.  Either the resistors, blower motor, switch, relay or fuse. At first I would have replaced the resistors as that was a symptom of only high speed operation, but now it stopped working all together.  I mean, to replace all the parts I listed are under $100 and all easily accessible except for the switch, I'd have to pull the radio/ HVAC back out, which now that I have done it will be a breeze.

---------------------------

Engine swap is looking like a valuable option, hmmmm...

Also got the new radio and speakers all buttoned up, even the SiriusXM looks professionally (maybe even factory) installed!