Vehicle Description
This 1966 Chevrolet Impala convertible is one of those cars where
the more you look, the more impressive it becomes. How impressive?
How about a dialed-in 396 big block V8 under the hood? How about a
thorough restoration to original specs with an unusual yet killer
color combination? How about a solid set of options? Yeah, it just
keeps getting cooler.
We'll get to the powerful 396 V8 in a moment, but is there any car
that better qualifies for the term "sleeper" than this big green
ragtop? Luxurious, sure, but nobody's going to expect all those
thundering horses under the hood, and that was probably the
original owner's intention. The Tropic Turquoise paint was
refinished with the rest of the car not long ago and while it's a
bit unusual, the shine is spectacular and the metal underneath is
very straight, which is highly impressive on a droptop with this
much real estate. As a life-long car of leisure, this wasn't some
ragged out ragtop before it was restored, and the quality of the
work is visible everywhere you look on this lovely car. Gaps are
tight, the panels line up as they should, and details are sharp,
all hallmarks of craftsmen who excel at their work. The big chrome
grille and matching bumpers shine bright up against the green
finish and except for the crossed flag emblems on the front
fenders, it doesn't do much advertising that it's one of the
baddest of the bad when it comes to full-sized luxury.
Like they say, if the green is for the money, well, the gold is for
the honey. One of the car's more unusual aspects is the Fawn gold
interior, which is original spec code 859 according to the cowl
tag. Like most long convertibles, it's a bench seat car with a
column-shifted automatic transmission, which emphasizes this
Impala's cruiser roots. As well-restored as the rest of the car,
the interior is eyeball-popping at first glance and delightful in
the details. Correct materials and patterns are on the seats, door
panels, and carpets, and the factory gauges are still in place,
augmented with a trio of aftermarket units underneath to help keep
an eye on the engine's vitals. Options include Power steering and
power brakes, and power windows, but the best option of all may be
the factory A/C, although it will need some service to get it back
to tip-top shape. It also carries a relatively rare factory AM/FM
radio in the dash, but unfortunately, it too is not currently in
working order. The power convertible top is a vinyl unit in good
shape and the color works great with the Tropic Turquoise finish
and Fawn interior.
But the real reason this car is such a killer find is under the
hood, where it carries a ready-to-go torque monster 396 V8. With
good horsepower and strong pull for this big Impala, it makes this
full-sized ragtop move like a welterweight Camaro. Presented pretty
much just like it would've been in 1965, it features a Quadrajet
4-barrel carburetor atop a factory style intake, and the black
snorkeled air cleaner that sits atop the Chevy Orange block looks
just right. This car keeps its low profile only until you turn the
key. Stock exhaust manifolds feed the dual exhaust that barks
through factory replacement mufflers in such a way as to warn
pretenders that they shouldn't even try. As long as you're looking
around underneath, take a moment to admire the nicely detailed
floors and chassis, and powder coated factory-style wheels with
Rally wheel covers and 225/70/14 white-letter Goodyear Eagle
radials.
Documented with restoration photos, maintenance records, original
owner's manuals, and an original warranty card, this is one of
those cars that makes everyone do a double-take when it cruises
down the thoroughfare. Call today!