Need Help Valuing an '84 Caprice Wagon (does not run)

Hey folks,

New to the group and looking for some guidance. My father has a 1984 Caprice wagon that has sat in his garage for 10 years. I want to help him sell it but have no idea whatsoever how much (if anything) it is worth. Unfortunately I do not have any pictures since he is in IL and I am in VA. The body is in great condition with no rust and only a minor dent on the driver side door. It has the 305 V8 with 170k miles. When it "died" a mechanic told him the computer went bad and he just never fixed it and it's been collecting dust ever since. At the time it had new tires, brakes, and shocks. It's brown with the wood paneling sides. The only thing my father ever really took care of was his cars so this thing was very well maintained until the computer problem.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Wondering if it's worth trying to sell or should we just have it hauled off for scrap.

Thanks!

 

Since we are wagon enthusiast here, most here would vote to save it! Unfortunate thing is though, not running just won't bring a lot of money. In said condition it is worth more than scrap price. My answer to your question is based upon my experience with my '83 Caprice wagon which I purchased for $500 with a blown engine. I have never got around to finishing it and really don't want to sell it for the fact that it would probably only bring me somewhere between $500 to $750. Good luck with what ever you choose and who knows, with a few good pictures someone may have a attachment to that particular wagon and you may get more than I think they are bringing. Please don't take this as a insult about your wagon, just trying to give you some helpful insight.
Also puzzled by the diagnosis of a computer problem with the car, they didn't have a PCM or ECU back then for engine management.

***Edit***
I do see where they had some sort of ECM for that crazy carb they run in those years, a feedback carburetor I believed they called it, but it seems to be a simplistic system that could be done away with by a carb swap.

 

If you can get a neighbour or someone near your dad to get some pics up it'll be really helpful. There's a lot of tech info on here so maybe checking out that info to see if someone can help you diagnose a potential repair cost and then see if you're interested in pursuing the repair or not... as was suggested, someone with deep pockets and some sort of sentimental attachment may be out there waiting for it... I know I'd over pay for the right 1970 big body pontiac wagon because there's huge sentimentality... We actually had a '77 Impala that was chocolate brown, loved the rear facing third seat in that wagon, lots of good memories in that one too, so you never know... I'd hate to hear it went to the scrap yard. Gotta be a buyer out there for it... Good luck

 

The Old Cars Price Guide values a non-running but restorable '84 Caprice Classic wagon at about $600 to $800.

In my opinion, the problem you'll have getting very much for this car in its current condition is that cars like this one are not that hard to come by, and someone looking for one can find one that is IN running condition for not much more money than this.

I think you would do yourself and your father a great favor by taking the time to find out why the car doesn't run. Have it towed to a shop and diagnosed. You may not get it fixed, but at least you'll know what it needs. It might turn out to be very little, and you can get it running, and be able to advertise it that way, for not much money.

 

so this might sound dumb but i dont think a bad computer can keep that car from running... if the carb doesnt have power it will just run at full rich. also if the distributor doesnt have an ecm signal it would run at full retard.. you can unplug the distributor 4 wire plug and it will still fire up.. i think you need a new mechanic. i have run those cars with the ecm lying on the floor. before. it is probably a way more simple problem than an ecm.. does it have spark? does if have fuel? if you put the crank on 0 degree mark is the rotor pointing on #1 or #6.. as in is the timing chain good? i have found over the years that people tend to blame the thing that is broken must be the part that they dont understand.. as in what does the computer actually do on this car "i dont know" then that must be why it dont run... btw i have an 84 estate, removed the 305, and installed a rebuilt 400. it still has an e4me carb with a computer controlled distributor still "running the show"..

 

p.s. it is always worth more running if you decide to sell it.. and it is much more fun to cruise if you are not pushing it. just my double pennies i would fix it. and welcome to the forum

 

If you unplug the 4 wire comp plug it will not run without jumping 2 wires on that plug to the dist. I cannot remember exactly I think was the black and green? been a while so not positive on the colors.

Also scrapping at this time will not be the best as scrap has been falling in price.

 

the new 10 yr old tires are basically useless now and should be replaced due to dry rot . all tires have a build date on them and 10 yrs old would be considered unsafe

 

Thank you all very much for all the helpful info. I'll let you know what we end up doing. Meantime if you know anyone in Northern IL who might be interested in the car let me know.

 

Sadly you didn't bother to introduce yourself yet expect help selling a wagon.
At least you are trying to save one. There are a few Illinois members who may be interested.

 

I think this is uncalled for. I think his first post in this thread serves very well as an introduction by him, his connection to wagons, and his interest in being here. So he goes right into some questions about selling a wagon. That's fine by me.

 

Introductions

INTRO's !! and why they're needed

 

I've seen this. The point is, he DID make an intro. It may not be a separate message or thread, but it's still an intro, and nowhere in that link does it say that the intro has to be separate.

What he posted may not meet your standards, but remind us again who died and left you in charge.

 

Sorry, I am not in charge and not here to argue. I am here to have fun and try to help keep things operating the way they should. An introduction is not part of an add to sell vehicles. In fact there are rules saying a member can not sell items until after a certain amount of posts.

 

He isn't selling his car!!!! Did you actually read his post? Let me refresh your memory. Here's his first sentence of his first post:

It's not an ad. He's thinking about selling it, but he's asking for advice. Should he sell it? Should he fix it up? What might it be worth? All legitimate questions that don't actually mean he is selling the car. I presume that when and if he does sell it, he'll put an ad in the "For Sale" section, not in the General Discussion section.

And what do you do? Offer him help? Welcome him? No, you make a rude comment that might very well have the effect of driving him away. Thank you very much. Comments like yours make me embarrassed to be a member of this site because they reflect poorly on all of us. Maybe you're the one who needs a refresher on table manners.