Vehicle Description
SUMMARY
Professional, ground-up restoration completed in 2008
350 cubic inch Chevrolet V8 / .030 overbore / Dressed as a 327
cubic inch V8
Muncie 4-speed manual transmission
Super Sport interior / Modern audio
Mostly original sheetmetal / DuPont paint
15-inch Rally Wheels
Sale includes restoration photos
Introduced in 1958 as Chevrolet's first foray upmarket, the Impala
proved GM's volume car juggernaut had the strength to be all things
to all people. It was the ride your upper class neighbors enjoyed
and, like the original Bel Air, it wholly embodied the time of its
creation. With that in mind, the restoration of this awesome third
generation hardtop involved a frame-off mix of nostalgia and
convenience that created a better-than-new cruiser. Amenities like
a massaged 350 and fun Muncie 4-speed make this the perfect car for
fun drives, while classic lines, a fresh interior and miles of
Tuxedo Black paint are sure to keep collectors happy. If you're
looking for a spectacular classic that's road ready, show ready,
and just plain ready to go, this bold bowtie is a whole lot of
metal for not a lot of money!
BODYWORK/TRIM
Restored back in 2008 by Mooresville, North Carolina's Precision
Paint and Body, this impressive Chevy displays rich DuPont 2-stage
that simply glistens. Its present owner, missing the black-on-red
Impala he piloted during his youth, located the car in August of
2003 and promptly commissioned a ground-up rebuild that included a
new frame, a new hood and small patches to solid, original
sheetmetal. That metal needed those supplements because bent horns
and a buckled bonnet, sustained during a small front-end collision,
marked too much of an asterisk on an otherwise quality rebuild.
Yet, since that collision happened in the hands of an otherwise
responsible owner, the car had been properly shielded in a Winston
Salem barn from the worst of North Carolina's relatively moist
weather. Today, better-than-factory fit perfectly centers hinged
pieces that move freely and close with a solid thunk. And those
thunks are bathed in rich Tuxedo Black pigment that's been buffed
to a spectacular shine.
Chevrolet's third generation Impala is a stylish piece that, with
its absence of excessive chrome, suggests GM had officially left
the tailfin-induced bender America enjoyed throughout the '50s. At
the front of this sleek showboat, a fresh stainless grille hangs
four halogen headlights and small amber parking lamps between an
ornate Chevrolet crest, a blocky "CHEVROLET" script and a guarded,
wraparound bumper. At the top of that grille, subtle hood spears
lead the eye to tinted glass that's cleared by bright wipers,
sealed in straight frames and reflected in familiar bowtie mirrors.
At the sides of that hood, engine-turned, SS-specific trim founds
bold "IMPALA" scripts beneath traditional cross-flag emblems and
"SS" quarter badging. Opposite that trim, correct door handles and
ornate fender louvers perfectly complement an angled antenna and an
optional fuel filler shield. And at the back of the car, a
stainless-trimmed, engine-turned valence hangs six familiar
taillights between a second Chevrolet crest, a small "CHEVROLET"
script and a second guarded bumper.
ENGINE
Pop the hood and you'll find 350 cubic inches of Chevrolet small
block that is dressed to appear as a 327. And thanks to a .030
overbore, it creates roughly 320 horsepower. Revs spike when an old
school, single-snorkel air cleaner floats wind in to a coated
Edelbrock 4-barrel, which feeds a Chevy Orange intake. At the
perimeter of that intake, cast iron heads seat painted, 327-branded
valve covers over restored, cast iron exhaust manifolds. Behind
those covers, a Delco-Remy HEI distributor shoots spark through
Accel Ferro-Spiral Race Wires with the help of a fluid hydraulic
cam. At the front of that cam, a traditional V-belt twists a large
pulley fan between a rebuilt alternator and Gloss Black shroud. In
front of those ancillaries, an old school radiator funnels water
through pliable GM hoses and reproduction tower clamps. The
builders certainly focused on details, as a Delco-topped battery
and correct master cylinder complement stainless fluid lines and a
neat GM Optikleen bottle. And, despite being a thoroughly modern
piece, the Chevy Orange mill looks right at home in the car's
glossy engine compartment.
DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION
One look under this sturdy cruiser reveals a solid X-frame chassis
that's just as ready for the road as that reliable 350. Torque
meets the pavement through a proven Muncie 4-speed, which spins
what appears to be a factory-spec rear end. A restored double A-arm
front and 3-link rear suspension benefits from fresh Monroe
Sensa-Trac shocks. That suspension is turned by a familiar Saginaw
gearbox and slowed by big drum brakes. Exhaust creeps from the
aforementioned manifolds to throaty Flowmaster mufflers. The body's
rust-free floors are coated in a traditional layer of Satin Black
paint, which appears to have seen little road time since car's
detailed restoration. And all that old school Americana rolls on
15-inch Rallies, which spin 235/70 Kumhos around stainless trim
rings and red-detailed Super Sport spinner caps.
INTERIOR
Covered in a monochromatic sheen, this Chevy's brilliant interior
has been restored to factory-fresh condition in virtually every
way. The SS-specific front bucket and rear bench seats feel newer
than the car's 53 years would suggest, and present just as well now
as the day they rolled out of the upholstery shop. At the base of
those seats, color-keyed floor mats protect like-new carpet. At the
sides of those mats, pleated panels hang correct chrome handles in
front of simplistic armrests. At the front of those panels, a
painted dash, dressed in rebuilt telemetry, centers a correct Delco
radio above modern Sony audio controls that command a
glovebox-mounted CD player. At the base of that dash, a stylish,
SS-specific console centers a chrome Hurst shifter in front of a
small, lockable storage compartment. In front of the driver, a
chrome-trimmed steering wheel laps a column-mounted tachometer. And
behind the passengers, a fully restored trunk features a correct
jack and full-size spare.
OUR SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION
Restoration photos
With a clean restoration, fully sorted mechanicals and more style
than pretty much anything on the road, this fully-sorted Impala
literally defines the term "strong value". After all, when was the
last time you saw this caliber classic for under $80K? Talk to us
now and make space in your garage later - this Chevy won't wait
around!