The same day I shot the Follow-Up pictures of the 1971 Mustang Grandé, I saw these two old soldiers just down the road. Despite slush and mud puddles from the melting snow, I just had to stop and check them out!
Odd to see a genuine 1962 Impala in rough shape like this. These hardtops are very popular nowadays, especially as fake 409s in Resale Red. Check out those early ’80s Monte Carlo “checkerboard” alloys!
Inside you could still see most of the Impala trim, albeit in rough, faded shape. But other than the radio, most of it was still there.
The Blazer behind it was also interesting, a circa-1975 model from the looks of it. Those are even scarcer these days, as plenty of early Sixties Impalas are seen at the local cruise-ins and shows. The Blazers? Not so much. Oh well, at least these two tired old CCs have each other!
Not sure how serious the rust is on the Impala or how easy it would be to salvage it. The Impala’s sagging ass is a bit of a surprise, is it missing its engine? My ex. Caprice Estate and other vehicles develop a sagging nose after decades of service not the other way around. Though perhaps this Impala used to haul a bunch of cargo.
The easiest answer would be – the trunk is full of j…ummm… spare parts.
I spent enough seat time in one of those 62 Chevys (red interior, even) that I would pass. I’m only 5-11, thus not tall enough to comfortably see over the steering wheel. Maybe the Blazer. Let’s see, where did I put that old can of Bondo . . . . . 🙂
I’m surprised the Impala is where it is, those are starting to pick up in value… One would have expected it to have found a loving home already.
Maybe the owner suffers from Barrett-Jackson disease. Or else they’re still looking for a round tuit, as in “I’ll fix it up when I get a round tuit.” 🙂
I suspect it had been recently unearthed from somewhere. It had an old-style IL plate on it, which was phased out in 2001-02.
Teddy: rear tire is almost flat, may be engine-less. That could account for the sagging rear.
…particularly if the engine is in pieces in the trunk.
There’s a ’62 Impala 2-door HT in very similar condition about 10 blocks from my house. It’s SUPER rusty, so it might be beyond saving, but people do tend to bring these Impalas back from pretty far gone…there’s a chance for it, I guess.
You can crush the 62 if you want. Nothing there.
The blazer is interesting. Too old for smog inspections here in Texas and a 350/350 combo would make it outlive me.
The engine is probably in the trunk. If it is mostly surface rust, it is restorable, if you wanted to spend the money. Parts are available. But unless you could most of the work yourself and do a lot of fabricating, it would cost more than it would ever be worth to do a total restore. However, just doing a mechanical restore, and driving it as a “patina” car, like I did with my ’64 Fairlane, would not be so bad. It would be nice to see it on the road.
As for the Blazer, I really have no interest in that. I would like to have a short bed 2 wheel drive pickup of that vintage.
Going by the view of the front, I’d say the K5 is a 1979. The last year of the round headlamps and first year where the chrome trim surrounds the indicators underneath. Had a ’78, myself.
The 61-64 Impalas are so wildly popular and have such cross-generational and cross-cultural appeal that they sell EVERYTHING for these cars. Even replacement floor and roof panels, as well as all the glass. This includes the four-doors and wagons.
From here, both look like they’re not too far gone to save. Especially surprising given the plow blade on the Blazer!
Dad’s first car was a ’62 Impala, albeit a sedan.
A buddy of mine in Ct. found an Impala like this in similar . maybe worse shape and brought it back to life in less than one year including serious rust repair .
It had a 235 & three on the tree , now it has a big V-8 of some sort , looks sharp and goes like a bat out of hell too .
The Blazer is nice , most of those rusted out years ago , even in the desert .
-Nate