Vehicle Description
To be OFFERED AT AUCTION at Auctions America's Auburn Spring event,
May 11-13, 2017.
Chassis No.
01837N238213
Estimate:
$ 48,000 - $ 52,000 US
When it came time to redesign the Chevrolet Impala after its first
generation, the bowtie brand brought things into the modern era
with a new X-frame chassis and a lower, wider body. Allowed to run
free from the Bel Air for the first time, the Impala leapt out of
showrooms across America to buyers enamored with its hunkered-down
looks, six and eight-cylinder engines, and high specification
level.
This 1960 example still swathed in its factory-applied Shadow Gray
paint offered here was among those that probably didn't sit for
long at L.R. Cooke Chevrolet in Lexington, Kentucky. Optioned up
with an automatic transmission, a 348-cid V-8 with a four-barrel
carburetor, and power steering, it has the go to match its sporty,
upmarket style. But this particular 1960 Impala's first owner
ticked more than a few option boxes, adding a continental kit,
front and rear bumper guards, dual rear deck antennas for its AM
radio, and, befitting a car sold in often sweltering Bluegrass
Country, exceptionally rare factory air conditioning.
Today, it remains nearly untouched, a true example of a time
capsule classic. Its red and white houndstooth interior shows
minimal evidence of wear with its racy steering wheel and full
complement of gauges looking factory fresh despite being more than
55 years old. Outside, it features correct tall whitewall tires,
well-preserved chrome trim, and even its original dealer badge
festooned above its 1960-only round tail lamps. Even its cargo area
shows limited signs of use. Desirable touches like period oil
change tags on one door authenticate its originality, making it an
ideal candidate for both enjoyment and continued preservation.