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Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
8/22/23 12:57 p.m.

In reply to Appleseed :

You wouldn't even have to do that. Unless it's a black and white, it's so anonymous that anyone who would be fooled by a Malibu badge wouldn't know what it was anyhow.

The one that comes to work at FM has dents all along the sides and hoods from perp belt buckles. And it's a black and white. Kinda hard to hide what it really is.

93gsxturbo
93gsxturbo UltraDork
8/22/23 1:12 p.m.
Mndsm said:
93gsxturbo said:

Man this is a car most people completely forgot.  An employee at work has one (Caprice, not an SS) and its kind of cool to see but thats it.  Between the lack of parts and the meh looks, total snoozefest.  

That's what's fun! Totally sleeper town until you hit the loud pedal. 

You know whats a sleeper?  The guy in town with a Suburban with just a wee little drop, a wee little chop, and if you listen close, the sweet sweet whistle of a ProCharger.  

Only clue to anything is a little "clocks out" decal on the back window and the aformentioned cam sounds.  

Suggest the similar formula in an Escalade.  Heck they are already AWD.  Wanna go real nuts?  Limo tint it and gut it.  Pull as much weight out as you can, cage, race buckets.  Now thats a sleeper.  

eastsideTim
eastsideTim UltimaDork
8/22/23 1:36 p.m.

In reply to 93gsxturbo :

Well, now I have one more idea for drag week.

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
8/22/23 5:13 p.m.
93gsxturbo said:
Mndsm said:
93gsxturbo said:

Man this is a car most people completely forgot.  An employee at work has one (Caprice, not an SS) and its kind of cool to see but thats it.  Between the lack of parts and the meh looks, total snoozefest.  

That's what's fun! Totally sleeper town until you hit the loud pedal. 

You know whats a sleeper?  The guy in town with a Suburban with just a wee little drop, a wee little chop, and if you listen close, the sweet sweet whistle of a ProCharger.  

Only clue to anything is a little "clocks out" decal on the back window and the aformentioned cam sounds.  

Suggest the similar formula in an Escalade.  Heck they are already AWD.  Wanna go real nuts?  Limo tint it and gut it.  Pull as much weight out as you can, cage, race buckets.  Now thats a sleeper.  

There's one that's been on drag week that follows that very formula. It's chrome blue and wears slicks at all 4 corners now, and runs something like a 9- but it exists. There's also a twin turbo one built buy this car audio guy I follow- steve meade- makes like 1100... isn't THAT fast because it's also got a mid-sized outdoor festival worth of audio in it- but it makes good sounds. 

Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
8/22/23 8:56 p.m.

The problem I have with sleeper trucks is everyone expects them to have v-8s, and V-8 = performance (no matter the actual output.)

The Caprice looks like a V-6 Impala that's driven by a 65 year old GM diehard.

93gsxturbo
93gsxturbo UltraDork
8/23/23 9:43 a.m.
Appleseed said:

The problem I have with sleeper trucks is everyone expects them to have v-8s, and V-8 = performance (no matter the actual output.)

The Caprice looks like a V-6 Impala that's driven by a 65 year old GM diehard.

Yes and no.  That short cab short bed 2001 Chevy on black steelies with a hater pipe thru the hood?  Yeah people expect that to be fast.

A brand new Suburban in "New Balance" white pearl, on stock wheels, no tint?  No one expects that to be fast.

Now an Escalade?  Especially an 8-10 year old Escalade?  People don't expect it to be fast.  People expect it to be driven around without insurance and with plates from a Nissan Altima.  

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
8/23/23 11:02 a.m.

In reply to 93gsxturbo :

False. Nissan altimas don't have their own plates either. 

earlybroncoguy1
earlybroncoguy1 Reader
8/25/23 8:20 p.m.

There's an '09 Pontiac G8 (V6) near me on FBM for $2500. It looks fine - same silver as my G8 GT - but the seller says the V6 has a rattle and metal shavings in the oil. I'm tempted to grab it just for spare body, interior, and suspension parts.

Or, yank the V6 drivetrain, drop in the 6.8L LS forged stroker I built for my truck, and have some fun.    

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
8/25/23 8:29 p.m.

I hadnt considered the fact that the v6 should be largely the same as the v8 from a non-driveline standpoint. That would make a sacrificial lamb SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper. 

 

earlybroncoguy1
earlybroncoguy1 Reader
8/26/23 10:09 a.m.
Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
8/26/23 10:59 a.m.

In reply to earlybroncoguy1 :

That could donate a whole lotta something something for not a lot of coins. 

Pete. (l33t FS)
Pete. (l33t FS) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
8/26/23 11:10 a.m.

Escalade? Fast?

Someone has a weird idea of "fast" and I am not sure if it is me or you guys.

 

A BGN six good for 8 second quarters in a 3200lb car does not sound very radical.  Pretty plain and asthmatic, really.  Stuff that in a Malibu wagon, maybe with the stickiest tires you can fit on the widest 15" wheels you think you can get away with, with stock looking hubcaps.  No V8 rumble, just a muted low compression six cylinder wheeze.  Paint the intercooler black so it isn't really visible.  Make sure the thing is some barfy early 80s tan or beige-yellow or light greenish gray.  Go for broke with woodgrain if you want, but that may be a case of tryharding.

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
8/26/23 7:32 p.m.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Anyone worth their weight in wooden nickels can spot a sleeper Malibu from a mile away. I love the idea, especially with a regal nose (they look awesome ) fast Malibu's are a known thing. The biggest thing that put me on the Caprice is even dudes that know what a Malibu is may not know what said Caprice is. And it's weird. I like weird. 

 

I do give you bonus points for suggesting a wagon though. Wagon life is best life. 

Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
8/26/23 7:51 p.m.

I am in the passenger seat, and I opened this thread just as we rolled up on a bubble Caprice. I said, aloud, "Man, I miss my old 9C1. I had a lot of fun in that peice of E36 M3." And I meant it.

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
8/26/23 7:52 p.m.
Appleseed said:

I am in the passenger seat, and I opened this thread just as we rolled up on a bubble Caprice. I said, aloud, "Man, I miss my old 9C1. I had a lot of fun in that peice of E36 M3." And I meant it.

I'd go roadmonster. That roof tho. 

P3PPY
P3PPY GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
8/26/23 9:36 p.m.
Mndsm said:

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Anyone worth their weight in wooden nickels can spot a sleeper Malibu from a mile away. I love the idea, especially with a regal nose (they look awesome ) fast Malibu's are a known thing. The biggest thing that put me on the Caprice is even dudes that know what a Malibu is may not know what said Caprice is. And it's weird. I like weird. 

 

I do give you bonus points for suggesting a wagon though. Wagon life is best life. 

Sleeper Malibu? I know nothing of this. You don't mean the old square bodies, I take it

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
8/26/23 9:48 p.m.

In reply to P3PPY :

Yeah, the ones from the 70s/80s, whatever. Same era as a g-body. Used to see em all the time with a nasty sbc huffing a whole dentists office full of nitrous. Usually in various exterior states of disrepair. 

P3PPY
P3PPY GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
8/26/23 10:55 p.m.

In reply to Mndsm :

You, sir, have a way with words. 
I wasn't aware of the Buick nose thing. 

I do love the clean boxy style of those Malibus and the two door Caprices. Kinda like a 69 RoadRunner's lines but without the sexy hips. 
And made of the thinnest, pre-rusted sheet metal ever. 
 

EDIT: I feel somewhat sheepish to admit that I had not connected the dots before that the Malibu is the same body as the Cutlass/Regal. I rode in a few Cutlasses, but only ever saw the Malibu from the outside and had the impression that it was a smaller car. 

ProDarwin
ProDarwin MegaDork
8/26/23 11:11 p.m.

On the original topic... without major mods, which platform is more fun:  Caprice PPV or Taurus Police Interceptor?

 

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
8/27/23 8:06 a.m.

In reply to ProDarwin :

That's an interesting quandary. 

 

Now I've heard tell (and it's early so I have done no research) that there are Taurus ppvs out there that were effectively SHOs. That would mean tt v6 awd. Doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure out why that's fun. 

 

I guess it really depends on what sort of fun you're looking for. In my particular instance, I'd probably err on the side of the Caprice, simply because I want a big slice of American pushrod architecture. Any number of grm alumnus can tell you how those work. In MOST other cases, I'd probably choose the Taurus. I cut my teeth on turbo cars. I get how they work. AWD launches absolutely never get boring. It's kind of a win win, honestly. 

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
8/27/23 8:08 a.m.

In reply to P3PPY :

there's something for your morning coffee. 

ProDarwin
ProDarwin MegaDork
8/27/23 9:50 a.m.

Yeah I was thinking the sho variant.  Someone brought one to the challenge last year right?

I do t know if they are a reliability concern, but it seems like They are a couple mods away from 11s.  Caprice can be made as fast or faster but the mods are more invasive.  I have no idea how either performs on track.

Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
8/27/23 12:16 p.m.

Found this in Oregon. It's not helping.

 

 

https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/ctd/d/crescent-video-2013-chevrolet-caprice/7656235253.html

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
8/27/23 1:16 p.m.

In reply to ProDarwin :

From what i understand, the caprice is a nun carrying a mattress. I know even less about the Taurus. I think youre right and i do believe one did make it to the challenge, though i've been utterly remiss in reading my issues lately. 

 

I know waaaaays back someone (I think car and driver) did a PPV review post 9c1 and p71. I forget how it all shook out, but I know it was the charger hemi (gen1 I think) the caprice PPV and the SHO. I could probably find the article if I tried. I don't think they actually liked the PPV very much. 

Pete. (l33t FS)
Pete. (l33t FS) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
8/27/23 1:20 p.m.

In reply to Mndsm :

Ever drive a Ford Flex?

Congratulations, you've driven a Taurus.

The SHO gets the twin clutch trans but photos are somewhat decieving.  They are very, very large cars, yet somehow also cramped inside.

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