For car lovers, this is news that may hurt feelings and provoke envy. This is what Juan Estrada, the new owner of the 1987 Chevy Caprice, is creating. The man has acquired a unique car, one of a kind that only a few remain, and it also comes with a history, one we’ll delve into in the following paragraphs. For now, we can say that the previous owners left Estrada a surprise in the car: a thermostat, just in case he needed it.
Owner: The 87-year-old told the tow truck driver that the car belonged to his mother
Juan Estrada, better known as Mr75Caprice on social media, recently acquired the exclusive 1987 Chevrolet Caprice coupe from an elderly lady in Ohio. The 87-year-old told the tow truck driver that the car belonged to his mother. She had passed away in 1994 or 1995 and passed on the car to her daughter. The daughter only drove it on the weekends to visit her sons. So we can imagine the impeccable conditions a car with that type of use can be in.
The car appears to be in incredible condition. A combination of the care it’s received, ingenuity, and materials from the past, this Chevy still has many years ahead of it. According to the new owner, the 1987 Caprice was last washed and waxed three years ago and is still shining. The chrome bumpers look like mirrors. It’s got power seats, power doors, and power windows. The AC works, and the car got a new exhaust and a new battery at some point. According to the former owner, nobody has ever sat in the back seat. The perfectly clean ashtrays stand proof for it.
Juan Estrada, the new owner: “She had about 50 phone calls while I was sitting there”
The owner, not nearing 90, has decided it was time to let the car go. Sometimes you just know when the perfect time is. Despite receiving over 50 offers, some for $5,000 more than the asking price, she had already chosen Juan as the buyer. “She had about 50 phone calls while I was sitting there,” comments Estrada. Some even offered $5,000 more to convince her to sell it to them. The lady said, “No” every single time.
The Chevy fires up with no hesitation and descends from the trailer that delivered it. It is powered by a rarity, which makes Juan Estrada think that it might have been a special order at the time. With only 56,230 miles recorded, this Caprice has been carefully maintained, showing little to no wear over the years. The former owner shared that he only got caught in the rain once in his 37-year life.
This 1987 model was the last year Chevrolet offered the Caprice coupe, discontinuing it later due to poor sales
It is a 4.3-liter fuel-injected V6 engine with 140 horsepower. Despite its near-perfect condition, the car does lack a passenger side mirror, which was an option back in 1987 that the original owner opted out of. In 1987, it was updated with roller lifters and center bolt valve covers for a boost of 10 horsepower over the previous model year.
In addition to all this, the car received composite aerodynamic headlights, which replaced the old sealed beam bulbs. This 1987 model was the last year Chevrolet offered the Caprice coupe, discontinuing it later due to poor sales. A curious detail is that the vertical hood ornament returned in 1987, as did the woodgrain trim on the dashboard, which Chevrolet had abandoned in 1984.
Finally, the interior is also in near-perfect condition for the Chevy’s age. The door panels are covered in maroon suede, as are the seats, a very 1980s-inspired look. The odometer reads 90,493 kilometers (56,230 miles), all original, which translates to an average of 2,440 kilometers per year. It wasn’t exactly a daily driver, but it wasn’t ideal for the garage either; in short, it was a gem.
