Is a 1966 Caprice 2 door hardtop with a factory 4 speed a rare car?
I am going to look at one this next week.
The car has the 4 speed with the factory console complete with the four gauges.
Thanks in advance for your answers.
Yes. it would be a rare (combination) car. Very few full sized 1966 Chevrolet cars were ordered with a 4 speed. Then fewer yet Caprices were ordered with a standard transmission, yet a 4 speed.
If the car was born with aaa small block it would have a wide ratio 4 speed and a big block would have a close ratio.
although i'm not a pass car expert, if it were a 66 vet, the vin derivate would be stamped on the main case, just to the rear of the shifter side plate. i suspect by 1966, the pass cars got the vin derivative as well. mike
There were 32,062 full size cars equipped with 4 spds. Of those, 1595 were M21's and another 2 were M22's. Now, all big blocks with 4-spds included a tachometer. All tachometer cars with 4-spds and gauges included a clock in the console that replaced the manifold gauge, which is pretty rare to find.
Just some additional information.
Paul Winvoies
There were 32,062 full size cars equipped with 4 spds. Of those, 1595 were M21's and another 2 were M22's. Now, all big blocks with 4-spds included a tachometer. All tachometer cars with 4-spds and gauges included a clock in the console that replaced the manifold gauge, which is pretty rare to find.
Just some additional information.
Paul Winvoies
How many of those 32.062 were the 4 speed Caprice, as asked by the poster ?
I would doubt very much if 32,000 full sized had 4 speeds. By that time few full sized had 4 speeds as that type of buyer bought a chevelle or Camaro.
My info. says 17% of the 412,600 Chevellls had a 4 speed, dosen't mention the full sized car.
The number is correct, M20's were available with 283's through 427's. The reporting is not granular enough to breakdown by specific models in this category, hence the total for full size Chevrolets.
Paul
As far as 66 Chevelles go, there were: 78, 046 Chevelles produced with 4-spds. That's M20 + M21 + M22.
Paul
As far as the gauges, in the Caprice the option A51 included bucket seats, gauges and the lower dash pad, there were 37,421 Caprices ordered with A51. The Impala SS could also be ordered with the gauge package, that was option D59.
Paul
When you got a 427, 4-Speed in a '66 Impala with a Bench Seat, was the Clock eliminated?
Someone asked me that the other day and I wasn't real sure on it.
No a universal clock was installed on top of the dash, same thing if you ordered the U16 tach with an automatic with console and you didn't have gauges.
Paul
As an example Paul
My 66 Chevelle specs 327 Cu.in. 275 HP 4 spd M-20 Gauges knee knocker tach console buckets,,all original Malibu.