Subjectively speaking, I would suggest that 1972’s full-size Chevrolet B-body cars were the last of those endowed with an attractive, balanced appearance.
While the ’71 and ’72 editions, such as today’s find, a ’72 Caprice coupe, are considerably larger than their ’65-’70 predecessors, they aren’t straddled with ugly, railroad tie-sized, federally mandated front bumpers as found on the ’73 and later model year editions.
Also, the heavy emission control business hadn’t yet completely taken over so there was still some spryness to their forward motion. Looking like a time capsule, this Fort Worth, Texas domiciled top-level Chevy is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $10,600 with the reserve not yet met.
Chevrolet continued to follow its established hierarchy in ’72 with Caprice at the top, the volume-selling Impala following, and the BelAir covering the budget-minded end of the buying spectrum. Not officially listed was the dowdy, entry-level Biscayne – starting in ’71 it became a fleet-only member and I bet I haven’t seen more than four or five.
Caprice was available in a two or four-door hardtop body style as well as a station wagon known as the Kingswood Estate. Total Caprice output for ’72 reached 178K units. Oh, and that elusive Biscayne model that I mentioned? About 20K came off of one of about seven different Chevrolet assembly lines – more than I would have thought.
The seller mentions that this Caprice has experienced a respray and it certainly looks fabulous! It did wear fender skirts but they have been removed (good move!) and are included in the sale. Another deviation is the inclusion of the RPO P02 wheel covers.
Having first made an appearance as a Corvette option, they were available on the Caprice as well. The glass, vinyl top, chrome, and stainless trim all appear as you would expect on a car that has experienced such little use. Not surprisingly, this Chevy has been garaged during the seller’s seventeen years of ownership.