Vehicle Description
Everyone loves the Impala SS, but how many cars like this
super-clean 1969 SS hardtop have you seen? Better yet, how many
with a thumping 427 under the hood, and a 4-speed manual cycling
through the gears? Featuring a slick restoration, a killer
red-on-red color combination, and a host of choice options, this
big block 427SS Imp is the ride of choice for the guy who
appreciates true luxury muscle.
Big and bold, this Code 52 Garnet Red Impala is an imposing sight
here in the showroom, never mind barreling down the highway in your
rear-view mirror. Wide, long, and low, it delivers that full-sized
ride that everyone gets nostalgic over and looks pretty darned good
despite casting a shadow the size of a full-sized pickup truck. The
bodywork is slick enough to proudly wear that red paint, which is
the car's original color, and when the Imp was repainted a few
years back they did it the right way without cutting any corners.
Doors fit well, those giant quarter panels are straight, and the
single rub strip that runs along its flanks emphasizes the panel
alignment, which is quite good. Unlike many of these, there's no
vinyl top, which makes the entire car look that much sleeker and
with top driver-quality paint it's a good thing there's a lot of it
to show off. The finish is deep, lustrous, and has a great shine
that's even nicer in person than it is in our photos, and whatever
imperfections that might be found are minor and quickly forgiven.
Simply put, it's atypical for a Big Imp to look this good. Bright
chrome bumpers and a standard SS grille are subtle reminders that
this is still a heavy-hitter, and with triple taillights and dual
exhaust tips out back, there's little doubt what kind of car this
is as it pulls away from you.
Matching red buckets anchor the spacious interior, which is big
enough for the whole family to go out cruising. The vinyl seats
were beautifully reupholstered back-to-stock, as were the matching
door panels, and the plush red carpets that line the floors are the
correct pile and weave for the era, although they're much more
luxurious than anything sown back in 1969. An SS-spec center
console splits the seats up front and houses the most exciting part
of the cabin: the cue-ball topped chrome shifter that manages the
4-speed manual gearbox below. The expansive, full-width dash is
remarkably free of any cracks or weather warping, while the SS
steering wheel at the helm looks sporty and offers an appropriate
muscle car vibe without going overboard. Ahead of the wheel, all
the original gauges, knobs, and idiot lights are in excellent
condition, and the woodgrain accents that run the length of the
dash are mirrored on the door panels, warming things up a bit
inside. Options include factory Astro Ventilation A/C, the original
AM/FM stereo, and seatbelts fore and aft, while the little details
like the kick panels, package tray, and headliner are in such great
shape you can have the confidence knowing that nothing was
overlooked during the build. Of course, a car like this comes with
a massive trunk, which carries a full spare and jack set and shows
off super-solid pans that are the bedrock of this dialed-in
Impala.
You could get a wide range of engines in your Impala in 1969, but
the top dog was the L36 Turbo-Jet 427/390 (if we're not counting
the L72, which was a well-kept secret). It's a period-correct,
LH-coded big block (which makes it the correct motor for a 4-speed
427SS Impala Z24), and my goodness does it pull with a 390 horses,
an impressive 10.25:1 compression ratio, a big 4-barrel carburetor,
and other factory goodies like a hydraulic cam, cast-aluminum
heads, and a forged crankshaft and steel-rods. The engine bay is
nicely detailed, and with chrome valve covers, a matching chrome
air cleaner with '427' decals, and Chevy Orange paint on the block
itself, it's ready to be shown off with pride. Linked to a
numbers-matching 4-speed manual transmission and a practically
bulletproof 12-bolt rear end, it's not content to just be some
standard highway loafer, it's ready for battle. Power steering and
power front disc brakes massively improve the driving experience
(this is a big car, so those options are certainly welcomed), and
the undercarriage is largely original but nevertheless impressive -
still wearing what is likely it's original undercoating on the
floorpans. Factory Rally wheels carry 225/70/15 Cooper Cobra G/T
white-letter radials - the perfect shoes to match the red-hot
suit.
Luxury muscle is gaining a lot of steam these days, and if you like
the full-sized feel with some real power behind it, this Impala
427SS delivers in a big way. Call now!
