Vehicle Description
Almost 20 years after it went out of production, the Impala SS is
still cool. With perfect specimens trading hands for well over
sticker price, they're one of the most stable Chevrolet investments
you can make. And if you're just looking for a clean one to drive
and enjoy, you won't do better than this clean, unmodified 1996
example.
Wearing its factory Dark Gray Green metallic paint (yes, that's the
factory name), you can see how straight this Imp really is.
Original sheetmetal, straight doors, and very little road rash all
contribute to this car's preservation. Having spent its life in the
warm, dry southern US, it's very clean underneath with the factory
paint now some modest signs of living in the sun, which is probably
inevitable. From the blacked-out grille to the unique quarter
windows, to the body-color 'Impala SS' badges on the quarters, all
the unique Impala features remain in place, giving it the same
imposing, sinister look it had when it was new. And even though
it's coming up on 25 years old, it looks quite presentable overall;
not perfect, but offering a heck of a bargain at this price. The
color is hard to reproduce in our studio, but this on eis correct,
don't worry, and it's impossible to mistake these big cruisers for
anything else on the road. When they styled this one, they got it
exactly right.
Gray leather was your only choice in an Impala SS, and like the
exterior, the upholstery in this one is nicely preserved showing
careful use, but no issues. The leather on the driver's seat
remains supple with a few "comfort marks" but no split seams or
damage, and everything works as it should. The carpets are original
so they're showing a few minor signs of age, and they're protected
by floor mats that will keep things tidy. The SS offers a full
array of instruments, but somehow the instrument panel's lens has
gotten cloudy, so it should either be polished or replaced,
something that'll remove years of age from the car's appearance.
The back seat looks almost completely unused, with cavernous
legroom and cool embroidered Impala SS emblems on the seat backs.
And, as a full-sized American rear-wheel-drive sedan, you know the
trunk is positively cavernous, offering correct mouse fur mats, a
cargo net, and a spare tire with its own cover.
The Corvette-derived LT1 V8 under the hood is one of GM's best
powerplants, and this one shows just 55,713 original miles so it
runs quite well and will probably continue to do so for quite some
time. Making 260 horsepower in Impala guise, the big car moves like
a machine half its size. With meticulous maintenance by just two
owners, you can buy this one with confidence, too, and know that it
is mechanically excellent. The engine bay is exceptionally clean
given the car's age and mileage, with factory-style equipment used
throughout; there are no questionable aftermarket mods. The 4-speed
automatic transmission shifts like it should, and it rumbles
through a dual exhaust system that is neither too loud nor luxury
car quiet. Most remarkably, this car has not been modified in any
way, which is not only easy, but extremely popular with Impala SS
enthusiasts. 4-wheel disc brakes are powerful and live behind some
of the most beautiful factory-issued alloys ever made, which show
no curb rash and wear relatively recent 255/50/17 performance
radials.
If you've been looking for an SS to drive or to serve as the
foundation for a custom build, this is an awesome choice at a great
price. Call today!
