Vehicle Description
1961 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe
The term "bubble top" is defined as a plastic top to an automobile
that is rounded in shape. It was coined due to cars of the early
1960 era having expansive rounded and curved front and rear glass,
giving the visual that someone blew air into the interior and
expanded the glass in an outward way. A bubble if you will!
Let's dial in 1961 on the way back machine and don our Wayfarers as
we are going to arrive in the land of cool. A wonderful 1961
Chevrolet Impala just dripping with space age styling, wonderful
paint, and a correct new interior. Garage kept as part of our
consignor's collection and faithfully maintained with receipts
spanning the past 18 years of ownership and a 348ci tri-power
engine, lots of brightwork, swept back antenna, and bubble glass.
I'm pulling up to my butterfly winged roof mid century modern
house, right in the carport with open block styling. Call me a baby
boomerang!
Exterior
Bleeding cool cat looks, and bathed in Roman Red, no expense was
spared on the polishing of the numerous trimmings. Grille, bumper,
front quarter trimmings, polished rocket like spears with white
inner contrails doubling as the slightly expanding side trimmings,
and a swept back antenna, you just cannot go wrong with this early
60's looker. Gaps are near perfect and certainly no rust is seen
within 5 feet of this cruiser. Window trimmings are framing
perfectly preserved bubble front and wonderfully sloping rear
glass. A side view is showing a moving cruiser even when it stands
still in the studio! On back, a styled V for the trunk line, and
then the triple taillights, which was to become a permanent feature
on Impalas to come. A shiny 2 vertical bar adorned bumper stretches
across the bottom and dual exhaust peeks out from behind the rear
rear tire. Thin wide white wall tires have a red ring just inside
the whitewalls and have polished wheel covers with a black and
white checkered and red fleur de lis crossed flag behind a 3D
chevron. I'm crusin' in long and low, wide chromed bubble top early
60's style baby.
Interior
Award winning from the swing of the doors, where you'll find yards
of red vinyl swooping through the doors with a chrome trimmed
delineator between the panel and a silver smooth central panel and
a buttoned tuck and roll upper sill. Shiny cranks and the red vinyl
covered armrest are here too and on the armrest's end is the paddle
actuator. Inside more yards of red and white vinyl for the bolsters
of the split back front bench and solid rear bench. These chairs
have more red with black striped pattern for their broadcloth
inserts and present just in near perfection. The red painted metal
dash creates a deep eyebrow over top of the long thin speedometer.
A strip of ribbed aluminum stretches across the middle of the dash
and houses some knobs and pulls along with gauges and a clock right
out of the Jetson era. Just below are more chrome knobs and slides
for the heater controls. A snappy curved A pillar frames the curved
glass and comes to rest just before the doors on the dash. A
beautifully preserved center drilled, and ribbed steering wheel
holds the Impala logo along with more crossed flags and with a red
and white rim fronts the dash, and red carpeting floods the floors
and is just two fingers from your lips kissing perfection. Same
holds true for the headliner which is ultra clean white vinyl nice
and tight.
Drivetrain
Under the hood in a satin black engine bay a GM orange/red block
and W-shaped valve coverings that specs out as a 348ci V8. While
our consignor states that this is original, the stamping pad has
been machined down leaving it blank. It is topped with not 1, not
2, but 3 2-barrel carburetors, and is backed up by a 2-speed
Powerglide automatic. A 3.08 rear axle is on, and all is looking
just fine under this hood.
Undercarriage
Independent coil springs for the front and a 4 link with coil
springs for the rear and upgraded power disc brakes in the front
and rear power drum brakes. Floor pans and rockers are solid and
have a healthy undercoating covering them along with a few areas of
surface rust on the frame and suspension. The dual exhaust has
glass pack mufflers, and the pipes appear to have been recently
installed.
Drive-Ability
One of the few cars when you get in and not only IS it definitely
cool, but it makes the driver look that way as well!! Magical. As
was the operation of this car with great acceleration, smooth bias
free panic stopping, and good handling. Even the radio works but
the horn, wipers and heater blower do not.
A real looker taking advantage of that early 60's styling,
influenced by the dawn of the space age and the dusk of the 50's
fins in heavily chromed and stainless format. A real looker
especially from the side, snazzy red and white for the interior,
deep red dash, and a cool 348ci V8 under the CHEVROLET badged hood.
Honey, you may want to tighten your bandanna. I don't want that
bouffant hair to get messed up.
VIN DECODE
11837L199069
1-1961
18-Impala V8
37-2 Door Sport Coupe
L-Los Angeles, Assy Plant
199069-Sequential Unit Number
TRIM TAG
06E-5th Week June Build
STYLE 61 1837-1961 Impala 2 Door Sport Coupe
BODY VN25598-Los Angeles Body #
TRIM 873-Red & White Cloth & Vinyl
PAINT 923A-Roman Red
ACC EZW-Tinted Glass, All
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 650 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia
on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is
www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914.
Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the
vehicle in person.
