The Chevrolet Caprice was a series of cars produced between 1965 and 1996. The Caprice twice earned the Motor Trend Car of the Year award and is widely recognized as a classic American car. Restoring one of these will take time and a large workspace. With the right tools and equipment, however, even the novice car fan can restore a beat-up Caprice to its former glory.
Acquire the owner's manual for your specific Caprice. The owner's manual will detail each step for taking the car apart and show all of its components. It is an essential guide to restoring the Caprice. Subscribe to car magazines to make yourself more knowledgeable about how cars work in general.
Strip the interior of the Caprice. Take out the steering wheel, seats and dashboard. Remove all of the carpet and discard it. Check the interior for any rust and remove it with sandpaper or a power sander. Reupholster the seats using a Chevrolet reupholstery kit. Replace the carpet, using carpet in the original color.
Strip the exterior of the car. Check for any missing or broken parts and purchase these online. Remove any rust with sandpaper or a power sander. Store all of the components in a safe place so you can access them easily when needed.
Remove the engine using an engine hoist. Check for any missing parts and purchase these online. A number of websites specialize in supplying Caprice parts. Use a toothbrush to remove large debris from the engine. Cover all electrical parts, the air intake and the carburetor with plastic bags so that no water can get in, then wash the entire engine with soapy water. Rinse it with a garden hose. Replace all broken or damaged parts with the newly acquired ones.
Paint the exterior features of the Caprice the original color. Buy the paint either from a garage or online. If you do not have previous experience painting cars, have it painted professionally in a garage.
Reassemble the interior of the Caprice. Reinstall the seats, dashboard and steering wheel.
Reinstall the engine using the engine hoist. Refer to the owner's manual to correctly rewire the engine and all electrical parts to the car, including headlamps. This is the most complicated step in the reassembly process, so take your time.
Rebuild the exterior of the car, including tires and wheels, hood and other newly painted exterior components.
