[bigshrimpin]

MJ - What year? . . . Did you have the tow package? Which rear end did you have? Just trying to gather info . . . and make a good decision.




1991: Roadmaster, Caprice and Custom Cruiser wagons all had 5.0L (305 cubic inch) throttle body fuel injected V8s and TH700R4 automatic transmissions. Roadmasters came standard with power windows and wood panelling, but could be ordered without wood. Caprices were not available with wood panelling and power windows were optional. Custom Cruisers were also not available with wood, but power windows were standard. Roadmasters and Custom Cruisers used a trim piece around the cargo windows and the rear doors that "rounded" the lines of the cargo windows and interrupted the body line. The Caprices did not, and the bottom of the windows from front to back appear uninterrupted. Rear end ratios for all were either 2.73 non posi, or 3.23 for optional tow package cars, with limited slip differential an option only on the tow package cars. Roadmasters and Custom Cruisers featured a retro vista glass roof with a shortened (and, frankly, useless) roof rack while Caprices featured a roof rack that ran nearly the length of the roof. Caprice interior colors included tan, blue, burgundy, and grey while Roadmasters and Cruisers had all but grey. Leather seating was optional for Cruisers and Roadmasters. Third seats were standard in all (but could be deleted) and were all vinyl except Cruisers with cloth seating, which featured a cloth 3rd seat. Keyless entry was available for Cruisers and Roadmasters, but not Caprices.

1992: Roadmasters got the 5.7L (350 cubic inch) engines standard, optional on Caprices and Custom Cruisers. Custom Cruisers dropped the cargo window trim and now featured the Caprice window line. These, I think, are the nicest looking Cruisers, and the only ones that featured both roof glass and the uninterrupted window line.

1993: Cruisers were dropped, sadly. Woodgrain is now available as a Caprice option. Caprices got a wider "chrome" topped side molding. Though interior colors stayed the same, they were altered slightly, thankfully darkening the putrid tan of 91-92. Badging was relocated.

1994: The best change of all: Corvette LT1s are now installed in both Caprice and Roadmaster wagons. The classic 5.7L 350 Chevy small block now sports multiport fuel injection, dual exhaust, 260 hp, 10.5:1 compression that runs on 87 octane gas with reverse flow cooling that kept the heads cool for ping-free high compression operation. Behind all that power was an electronic version of the 700R4 transmission now named 4L60E. Gear ratios dropped to 2.56 base and 2.93 tow package, with positraction optional on the tow package. Both wagons got a simpler fold down seat, new dashboards, Caprice got digital speedometer/odometer, and the Roadmasters got new door panels and different, slightly more useful roof racks. New computers did a great job of controlling and monitoring these advanced engines.

1995: Finally, the "E.T." mirrors are gone, replaced with bigger mirrors that not only provided better rearward visibility, but folded in and provided a better looking body line not interrupted by a mirror. Interiors changed again with minor color differences for the Roadmasters and a totally different seat design for the Caprices. Roadmaster now offers a Limited trim level for the wagon that was previously offered on sedans only. Limiteds feature a different, flatter seat design with lumbar support and power recliners amid lots of other conveniences (like power passenger seat and twilight sentinel) that were optional (and common) on non-Limiteds but usually grouped in convenience option packages. Heated front seats were optional on Limiteds. Like non-Limiteds, leather, alloy wheels, and towing package were still optional.

1996: GM gives up nearly totally on the Caprice wagons. Knowing that they both had a ton of last-year Caprices to produce for police duty and Impala collectors, plus the extra profit that the Buick wagons brought, GM built only 485 Caprice wagons. Both wagons received new computers due to federal requirements. All Roadmaster wagons had new "Collector's Edition" hood ornaments to signify the last year of production.