The Impala nameplate came to be in 1958 when Chevrolet introduced it as the top-of-the-line Bel Air, while a year later, the company decided to release it as a stand-alone series thanks to the surprising initial success recorded by the car
Originally offered only as a 2-door hardtop and convertible, the Impala was available with a choice of three engines, starting with the 235 (3.9-liter) Blue Flame six-cylinder in the Bel Air lineup. The base V8 was the 283 (4.6-liter) Turbo Fire, while the top option was the 348 (5.7-liter) Turbo Thrust.
While we don’t know if this Impala was born with a six-cylinder or a V8 under the hood given the VIN code hasn’t been provided, worth knowing is there’s nothing but fresh air in the engine bay right now.
This is because, as you could easily guess after simply checking out the photos in the gallery, this Impala looks like it’s been sitting for quite some time on the side of the road, so most likely, the engine ended up on another car.
On the other hand, it’s hard to tell what else is missing, so while this Impala is a restoration candidate that could end up being worth a small fortune, it still requires a thorough visual inspection to figure out just how much money, time, and effort are required to bring it back to a mint condition.
eBay seller ginadylan says a full restoration is the only way to go anyway given the condition of the car, and indeed, this Impala comes with plenty of rust, so be ready for some serious patches in the trunk and on the floors.
But at the end of the day, this first-year Impala still deserves a second chance, especially because it’s the one that gave birth to a nameplate that eventually became the number one model in Chevrolet’s lineup. The bidding starts at $4,000 and there’s no reserve.
