23rd Dec 2010, 08:32
Not to argue, but I wasn't thinking of an El Camino. A Caprice has a full frame, rear wheel drive, solid rear axle, control arms up front, north-south V8 layout and could tow up to 5000 pounds (the 70s ones could tow up to 7000 with the towing package), so in reality a Caprice is built the same way as say a Silverado, except the bodies and the shape of the frame. Perimeter for Caprice, ladder for Silverado. And station wagons like the Ford LTD, Caprice etc. had way more in common with the real SUVs such as Suburban, Trailblazer, Explorer, for example than they ever did with any crossover. Now a new wagon is unibody and all that, but anything built up until the discontinuation of the Caprice and Roadmaster wagons was body on frame. Sadly the last body on frame cars now until September 2011, are the Crown Victoria and Lincoln Town Car. Grand Marquis will be done after this month.
23rd Dec 2010, 08:30
You are right about the snooty thing. Seems like us Americans are the only ones who really care what their vehicles are labeled as. I, myself, could care less and never bother to pull out the dictionary to look up terms when purchasing a car. If you call it an SUV, does it magically become a different vehicle?
Oh, and thanks for the laugh today..."SKC" LOL!!!