Tearing Down A 1971 Chevy Caprice - Fat Stack Part 1 - Detroit Muscle S10, E1

New 2023 episode! Tommy and Joel kick off a new project, a 1971 Chevy Caprice. They search through a big-body boneyard to find the inspiration to help separate this car from stereotypical b-body builds.
00:00 - Intro
00:45 - Boneyard Inspiration
05:10 - Project Overview & Drag Strip Testing
10:14 - B-Body Teardown
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PARTS USED IN THIS EPISODE:
Advantage Lifts: Backyard Buddy
More Info: pntv.us/pn_pt_21476_63c01d6e6afe6
The Industrial Depot: Tools, Hardware, Shop Supplies

[@PowerNationTV]

More 2023 episodes: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKfOq4CgeceAZqM

[@yusufmummy2717]

Can you found me a 71 Chevy impala convertible

[@maughan6957]

You sir are a funny ass guy..... That cone got nervous and fell over... Lol it's to early to laugh that hard man. You guys keep going man ur doin a fine a job.

[@top5donktexasbuild309]

This message is for power nation!! I'm in Texas we just seen your episode today on TV, we want to buy everyone of the 71-76 Impala and caprice that was in the field on the episode!!! Please reply or message me so I can can call or even come meet to buy all of them we have cash in hand!!!!!!!! Thank you!!

[@stacydixon1723]

Were the Boneyard at ???

[@lewishill-zx2rb]

Pay the respect forward @powernation & call it a DONK for the culture that it represents!!

[@tobiaslewis8921]

Usually I don't comment on these videos but just know there's a serious divide here and it's just MY OPINION that this car just like many others and Sports Teams affects people differently. I don't doubt that this will be built tastefully and hopefully everyone will appreciate the quality of work done in the end. I'm just truly happy to see it FINALLY GET the attention it's deserved for years. Carry on POWERNATION make us proud.

[@mitchf1508]

I had a 71 Ford LTD 2dr hard top as my first car. It had the 400 2bbl white with black interior. It was Grandpas car and he sold it to me for $1. That thing would "one wheel peel" all day long, if you wanted to! Always wanted to hop it up, just funds as a 16 year old kid back in 1980 was hard to come by! Dreams of dropping a 429 CJ in it, dual exhaust, slotted mag wheels and the biggest tires that would fit with air shocks... That would have been the best high school car for sure!

[@rick7858]

Cool! I am in the middle of restoring my 71 Caprice! Though I am going for a stock restoration, with factory 402 big block with a street cam and efi for driveability

[@chriscatarcio2983]

We all thought they'd be around forever. 71s are the bomb.

[@KYoss68]

You're making me miss my Caprice. I had one almost identical to this. 71, Sport Coupe, with lighter green metallic paint and bumper overriders front and back. The rear overrider was this cool inverted "U" shape I always liked. Had the 396/402 top ended after the nylon teeth came off the timing chain gears, rebuilt the TH400 and put a flowmaster dual exhaust in it and it sounded badass and was faster than it looked with the improved breathing. A young guy offered me more than I thought it was worth so sold it to him 😁 But 25 yrs later now and I wish I'd kept it.

[@jinnij.caiman]

I love Tommy’s quick Southern wit. He’s been doing this show, with many different names for so long. I remember the mullet bowl cut.

[@donalddosch1656]

Man, I'm so glad to see you guys rescuing an old land yacht. I wish you guys would keep it original, however. We need to preserve these older vehicles as they were built. There's more than enough resto-mods and there are far fewer of these family cars/luxury cars being rescued than the muscle cars or the cars similar to muscle cars. But I know that just isn't cool enough for most people. Good luck with the project. It would be nice to use platforms like this to teach kids in HS shop class how cars used to be built and how we maintained them.

[@opal943]

All power! No donk!

[@engine22emt]

71 Impala /Caprice one of my favorites

[@RexCars1]

Great Car to start with.. " PLEASE "... don't make it a * Donk Machine *.. already Plenty of those to go around... This car has such a Great Look.. Really no need to * Bling It Up ".. Thanks... I'm All In for BIG POWER though... If you guys can keep it Under The Hood ?? Even Better.. Carry On

[@JamesBlue28]

It's already a Donk. A donk is a 71-76 Caprice or Impala. Has nothing to do with the mods.

[@tonyheitsman4728]

Can't wait for the next episode!

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

I love GM B-Body cars. My favorite is the 1977-1990, but the older ones are great

[@jefffixesit60]

Glass storage tip: put any curved glass on a padded stand with the convex side down (outside of the windshield down). I watched two guys sweat bullets while successfully removing the rear bubble glass from a '65 Barracuda, only to helplessly watch it slide off the cart and shatter on the shop floor when nudged by a compressed air hose. Try finding another one of those next time you're hunting B-body Chevy tail/stop housings!

[@karlsmith2570]

I'm looking forward to seeing how this project turns out

[@dancampbell4400]

Love me an old gm big body lots of memories in those cars! Excited to see the project progress and for the new season, love all the powernation shows but detroit muscles my favorite 👍🏻

[@paulimpala6960]

I have a 1971 Impala with a LS1 motor love the hell out of it!!

[@JamesBlue28]

For clarity, and only because I see it being mentioned, this car is already a Donk. A Donk is a 71-76 Caprice or Impala. The mods that cause so much division (big wheels, candy paint, subwoofers, etc) aren't what make a car a Donk.

[@dancampbell4400]

Finally somebody said it 👍🏻

[@robwwhit3453]

I've owned a 72 Impala Custom since 1976 and is only ever ben referred to as a Impala or Caprice by any one I've ever met.

[@JamesBlue28]

@@robwwhit3453 They don't call them Donks where I'm from either. The term has become popular though and that's what it means in that car scene.

[@c0wb0yTV]

cool ass project fellas i cant wait to see what you guys do to this monster machine

[@KH102695]

Looking forward to this project!!

[@Sir.VicSmasher]

Excited for the new full size build, 🤞 you keep it contained under the stock style hood.

[@dw8840]

I always wondered why those vents existed on the trunk lid. Thanks for the explanation. I will say though on removing body bolts, to use a penetrating lube on the bolts for several days prior to taking them out

[@aaron62877]

Definitely good advice in the penetrating fluid. Every project I've done I start with a couple of pressure washes followed by several days of hitting everything with penetrating fluid.

[@kansas_off_grid]

Hell yeah fella's, great car for the build.

[@GMCTIM]

Years ago I bought a caprice that's had been on fire, pulled the motor & trans, scraped the rest ! One of the best motor I've had ! 👍🏻

[@ACF6180T]

There,s not to many of these that sit outside all the time in this condition ! & this must have been built on a Tuesday as they say ! She really is in great shape , & I remember as a kid MPC had a kit of one these , But I think it was a Impala that was a drag car , & had a teardrop hood on it ! & the molded plastic came in red ! & yes I bought one , & I painted the hood flat black with a gloss black interior . But the 67 ,, & 71 Caprice were always my favorite along with the 77 coupes ! Thanks for the video POWERNATION.

[@dsw1079]

I'd be in love with it just the way it was.

[@jaysonschor]

Anybody remember Tommy from Xtreme back in the day. Legit mullet and all! Lol

[@trebormcfarland8708]

I love that y'all are giving the B-body platform some attention, I just picked up a 66 bel-air sedan about a year ago and I've been looking for some inspiration while I save up for some parts and take stock of what I've got

[@johnmcdermott8523]

71 Caprice coupes are elegant, have admired them since new!

[@tonykemper8896]

Damn y'all got a Ace!! nice find! can't wait to see how it turns out!

[@williamcap2236]

Nice my first car was a 71 Impala custom coupe 350/350

[@calvinevans8305]

I drove one of those Battle Cruisers back in the 90s. It was a 1973 Caprice 4 door with the same color interior and paint. We called it the mean green machine because my dad had a dual exhaust with glass pack mufflers installed after the catalytic converter gave up. Lol It ran so strong after the exhaust was swapped out that it became a fun car to drive. I later found out that it had a small block 400 two bolt main engine when I checked the numbers on the block.

[@robertpoudrette4483]

Catalytic converter on a 73???

[@gmzx3]

'75, I think

[@calvinevans8305]

@@robertpoudrette4483 It might have been a 74. It was a California car.

[@calvinevans8305]

@@gmzx3 it weighed 4,800 pounds . Maybe it was a 74.

[@persistentbc6889]

Bout time! 🔥🔥🔥

[@billclisham8668]

The two door Caprice/Impalas were always a favorite demolition derby car of mine. While it was still big it was shorter than a 4 door or wagon and could turn tighter and fit into smaller areas. My best build secret for them was to use a convertible frame when possible because it was fully boxed and thicker metal and made those thing really hard to bend! Out of the 222 derby cars I ran probably 100 of them were 2 doors.

[@chriscatarcio2983]

What a waste.

[@OldGriz708]

@Chris Catarcio Not a waste at all. I made good money with them and had a great time doing it.

[@19chucki74]

Down here in Atlanta, we call them donks. Might be like that everywhere else. My cousin and couple of friends have owned 1971-76 Caprice hardtops and four doors, and they look damn good. Can't wait to see how Fat Stack shapes up to be!

[@cnev3824]

i had a 71 impala custom during high school when i met my wife im interested which direction this build goes mine had a true ls6 in it that i bought with 373 gears posi headers and duals big girl would blow off them new fox bodies in 79 makes me want to do another one

[@PapiDoesIt]

I'm so glad somebody is going to build one without making it a low rider or jacking it up with goofy gigantic rims.

[@opal943]

I'm with ya!

[@dirtysoufracing6029]

It's getting big wheels 26x12 racing rims

[@dirtysoufracing6029]

Wheels being made now

[@ValueTimeShawn]

Who’s jacking them up nowadays… they squatting on 24 Daytons or 3 pc 26s

[@kclefthanded427]

Definitely deserves a second chance

[@TheWalkmanRotation]

I've had about 30 71-76 Impalas and Caprices. I have a 1972 402 big block 2 door Caprice now. The prices have gotten insane. The days of them being 800 cars you could find everywhere are long gone.

[@76fordjunky]

74 impala has my favorite front end

[@bobbymeyerti9300]

Grandma gave me one of those back in the 80s and it had a 400 small block in it🤯... grandpa ordered it with the high-performance small block... we stuffed it in a 63 nova🌟🌟🌟... that was a super powerhouse of a small block😱😱😱 and as far as I know??? that car is still driving around in California somewhere🤣🤣🤣

[@markwagner4909]

I have had several caprices 70, (2) 73, 74 and a 79 wagon I loved each one 3 of them were convertibles

[@jeanlawson9133]

Nothing like doughnuts in the parking lot with a 70's Impala..... like a jet ski on land....😜 Those bumpers can be changed... I have done many... Especially the big bumper Nova.... usually a simple bolt on with the earlier bracket... I have even done a 73 Nova left everyone scratching their heads....

[@Boomkin316]

the 1930- 1973. Tommy knows best.

[@Bugholeexcalibur]

Painting this in some bright orange would definitely turn all the heads.

[@iq6840]

Excited for this one!

[@memeAlexcheramie]

3:04 that car looks like it’s seen some things

[@davidpayne4315]

I remember the town I grew up in had these as police cars and a fire chief car

[@SGTJDerek]

I miss my Pop's '69 Impala, my cousins '70 Impala my '70 Caprice. Mine amd Pop's were white, black interior with 350/300 Horse engines. Mine was a 3 owner car. Original Owner to my Father-in-law on to me. My cousin's was a 2 Owner. He bought it from our Great Aunt's estate. He hung the tail out on a gravel road one night but forgot about the 1 lane Bridge and those old boats don't go down one of those sideways.

[@neilchilders5442]

Cut the bumpers down into bumperettes and show off the whole grill

[@seanfattireguythomas2994]

God for bid leaving any car as a survivor other than the top this car was good to go . Let’s put a bunch of Chinese parts on and say it’s so much better

[@TeamJesus515]

We had the same cup holder in our Caprice 🤣

[@75impalaca91]

Man I wish tommy would sell me some of his cars. He had a huge stash of prime derby cars and some looked good enough to maybe restore.

[@robertwest3093]

It's a sad day when a 1966 Chevelle sits in a junkyard in that condition. 😬

[@mattv8919]

67

[@KurtBenning]

Wow!

[@JPVolvo]

Had a 75 lesabre convertible, loved how hude it was and how little space there was inside lol

[@johnpisciotto7115]

Ahhh dont butcher that car!!!

[@christopherflynn5359]

Grandparents had a 69 caprice with sb 400 and that car would get down!!!

[@johnsheetz6639]

My favorite song about this type of car is where I'm from from trick Daddy.

[@Guns_N_Gears]

I'd love to see a race with this boat against the RoadKill boat🤘🤘

[@mightymikethebear]

It will definitely be a better looking car than almost anything Roadkill has built.

[@clevelandmaker386]

I hope they don't tear up that car

[@josiahisrael2740]

wow! I absolutely HATE I sold my 71 years ago!

[@marcosplanas1831]

I have a 75 Chevy Caprice Conv with matching numbers 400 4 bbl quadrajet. Oil leaks going on so it’s decision time whether to do a rebuild with a mild cam or LS 5.3 hmm

[@ozahmed4523]

It looks great without the bumpers! Put some big diameter tubing instead for the Resto Mod look. 🔥

[@matzrat5006]

Gonna build a Big Bowtie Speed Boat, all right !

[@iketheranter9126]

Someone Please do a 1979 Caprice Classic 2 door !!!! Please !!!

[@larryw5429]

Powernation guys go on and build some drag and drive sick week cars. Would make for some good content and bring some advertisement and viewership!

[@TheLTD_]

I’m still waiting on the Mercury Grand marquee to come back up..

[@z28jones]

the only true donk. whether its got big wheels or NOT

[@lesotwell3561]

We had one of those 71 4 door 400 4 bbl when I was a kid she was as a good old girl. Until my brother trashed it 😢

[@teemeaux3830]

24s with minor rear squat please

[@timjackson5555]

Growing up you could not even give one of those away hardly.

[@Barker-pu7ix]

Hop that 400 up

[@scottmay3620]

hooptie love

[@jtsgarage2999]

i have a rust free low mile 1989 2 will drive gmc c1500 ill trad for that for

[@mr.staypuft4658]

I need to know where that junkyard is

[@kennethbode2017]

should be fun

[@kenwilbourn7246]

It’s a whole donk culture out here and it’s not derby cars. It’s 1000-2000hp $200,000 cars. Even hoonigan, and Murda nova from street outlaws built one. Y’all need to catch up

[@dancampbell4400]

8:18 “850 horses, trick suspension, mile deep paint” sounds like they’re well aware of donk culture and it’s exactly what they’re building

[@matteblackexterior]

these are older episodes so I’d imagine this was before they went up in popularity.

[@johnsheetz6639]

I saw one in Panama City when I was growing up called the family jam airbrush trunk thumping like hell! And you can hear cams slapping hard in that!

[@ericlee5778]

There's* you need to catch up on your grammar. Donk's are a joke in the real racing community.

[@zachschaefer1369]

​@Matte Black Exterior this is the most recent season....

[@Final_Boss_Racing]

Did these have the LT-1 in them?

[@werideBuicks225]

I'm in the Detroit area and looking for someone to repair and polish my rocker panel stainless steel. Do you have any suggestions ??? Thanks in advance

[@fredkelso1089]

GM did not pioneer that type of ventilation, Chrysler corp did, cant remember what year and was to clear out cigarette smoke, it was called flow through ventilation, at least it was a better idea then their permanent antifreeze

[@gmzx3]

Our 65 Ford LTD had it but you controlled it with a dash knob that actuated a vacuum driven door in the rear shelf ot trunk. When used with the heater, floor vents or windows, air flowed easily through the cabin. I don't think that lived on for future models.

[@leerespass4716]

Some of those cars for sale??

[@thaworld134]

Where is that junkyard at

[@testosteroneinc.3800]

Hope they don't ruin it with hood-rat rims. 🧐

[@robrich29]

Where is that salvage yard? Does anyone know ?

[@Laurens_Monstrosity]

Any one know the name and location of the yard they were looking at all the different models. I need original parts. @powernation

[@mattv8919]

how fast was stock 1/4 mile please

[@robwwhit3453]

1/4 mi 16.8 to 17.0 400 small block stock. I had one with headers, intake manifold 600 Holley and shift kit, it ran 15.4 @ 89 mph.

[@jolynedrover1768]

Please don't over do it and wreck a nice clean original car like you did to that poor Cutlass

[@frunerf]

Curious what you paid for it?

[@davevirag5423]

😻👍

[@Texasmule]

Somewhere deep down south in the comments, there's a guy that wants to put 44"in rims on this car :)

[@testosteroneinc.3800]

A future doctor, astronaut, or policeman? 😉

[@parramorecrewautorestorations]

A 70 would have been a much better car

[@hafablake3599]

DONK????

[@dukeallen432]

Another car being ruined.

[@matteblackexterior]

I want to see these guys take a very boring fed car that is very unpopular and red swap it

[@edwardmohr5798]

A DONK it will be, Power Nation style!

[@danielserrano591]

date

[@stacydixon1723]

Not tru it called big rims racing they maken 1300 hp and more donk master and etc made the big rim racing seen mane stream yall need to do ya research more

[@danielserrano591]

junk shop

[@bretz71]

5000 pounds. NOT. Try 4300 tops, 🤡's.