We can’t exactly let Impala Day go by without asking which one of America’s once- favorite is your favorite. I’m not exactly answering the question, but there was a black ’58 Impala coupe like this parked around the corner of our house for a year, in about 1962-1963, that put a spell on me. And although it was already an “old” car by then, I was endlessly fascinated by it. I was really taken by GM’s concept cars of this era, which were generally quite a bit cleaner than the production cars, especially the ’58s. But the Impala seemed to me then the closest expression of a Futurama car in 1958. There was one thing I just couldn’t wrap my head around though:
Why did they give it “bucket seats” in the back, but not in the front? Life was full of these unanswered important questions at that age. But I’m still waiting for a good answer on that one.
1st choice: The ’65. Perfect from every angle. I like the “hanging” taillights. 2nd: ’59 and ’60. Vista hardtop four door for me. Third: the ’62.
For every day drive-ability: 4bbl 283 and stick or a 327 (’62 and the ’65).
I’d take a 283 Fuelie 1958 Impala with 3 on the tree and overdrive or COP floor mounted 4 speed.
A ’69 Impala SS427, in Custom Coupe body, with THM400. Blue, black, red, even light yellow.
Saw a dark green one at a local car show this summer, and hadnt seen one in ages. I only remember seeing pics when it was new.
Or, a 1970 Custom Coupe with 454 and THM400, too. A virtual SS.
Growing up in a Chevy family we were awash in Impalas. When I was three we bought a 1960 Parkwood wagon (I think equivalent to the Bel-Air trim level) and while I liked the space age instrument panel I always liked it better in an Impala (in fact looking at my collected photos from car shows over the years I don’t think I’ve passed by a ’59 or ’60 Impala without photographing the dash and steering wheel with that distinctive emblem and horn ring).
My uncle had a bronze colored ’61, but it didn’t do much for me, and neither did my other uncle’s ’62. My aunt purchased a metallic blue ’63 and that was one of my favorites. The ’64s were too slab sided for me, despite the clean white ragtop owned by one of our neighbors who built them at the old Chevrolet plant in St. Louis. Uncle Frank traded his ’61 for a two door ’65 in metallic green and that one I really liked. Our family upgraded from the wagon to a white, four door hardtop ’66 that was really sharp. Only a 283 two-barrel Powerglide, but I couldn’t wait to drive it. Unfortunately I never got the chance as the valves burned out prematurely, very likely as our friendly neighborhood mechanic insisted on advancing the timing to the point where you could hear the pre-igntion from inside the car. I am not joking. One of my older cousins got a job as an airline pilot and bought a purple ’67 two door SS, with bucket seats and a floor shifted turbohydramatic. Had a 327 four barrel and really ran. The last one in our family was purchased by my aunt. A blue 1968 two door with the formal roofline and black vinyl top. The first one that did not have the skin-burning vinyl interior. By then they had morphed from a sporty appearing full size to a pseudo Caprice. My dad bought it from her ten years later as we had four young drivers at the time and I could have purchased it a couple of years after but I was in my Karmann-Ghia period and not interested.
The Impalas were truly American cars, encompassing both the good and bad of that genre.
We owned several 67′ Caprices over the years. Favorite was a dark blue 396 TH 400. Man could that thing smoke the tires. Recently saw a rather unique original survivor. Medium blue with a 396 4 speed Hurst with front bench seat. Original owner still had it. Ordered that way.
’64 Impala SS. Clean, simple lines. 409 would be a plus. 327/4 speed would do in a pinch.
http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=MN0608-70514