Chevrolet Impala dominated the full-size market in the United States in the ’60s. Its launch in 1958 as the top-of-the-line Bel Air version put Chevrolet back on the map, and the GM brand decided to express its gratitude by allowing the Impala to spearhead its full-size strategy in the home market.
The Impala rapidly became the pioneer of big Chevrolet introductions, including the famous Super Sport package. The Impala received the SS in 1961, with the sporty upgrades later making their way to other models in the lineup, including Chevelle and Nova.
Impala sales peaked at over 1 million units in 1965 when Chevrolet’s nameplate became the first car in the US to reach this milestone after WWII. The yearly sales started declining slowly in the second half of the decade due to a series of factors, including Chevrolet cannibalizing Impala’s customer appeal with other competing models. For example, the Caprice, which was integral to the sales record reached in 1965, was promoted to a stand-alone series in 1966, therefore eating up Impala’s share.
However, the late ’60s Impalas remain highly desirable, and someone on eBay recently posted a very intriguing project online.
The 1967 model comes from Canada, and eBay seller scorpius5111 says they purchased it from the original owner. It still flexes a very good shape, as the car spent the last 23 years in a garage. It rolled off the assembly lines with the famous 283 V8 under the hood, and the same eight-cylinder unit is still in the car, starting and driving properly.
The odometer indicates a little over 75,000 miles, and the seller guarantees they are all original.
It’s not hard to determine this Impala needs a complete restoration. It already exhibits the typical problems, including rust in the usual places, such as the quarter panels and the trunk, but the damage doesn’t seem critical. Potential buyers should put it on a lift to inspect the undersides, but the solid metal shape suggests the decades in storage were spent in a garage with reduced humidity.
The car requires the typical repairs it’d received during restoration, including new carpets, new brakes, a repaint, and seat fixes, but otherwise, it looks like a solid candidate for the job. It’s unclear if any big parts are missing and whether the car retains the original setup, but buyers should discuss these details with the seller if they are committed to saving it.
The battle for this Impala is already underway, but the top offer couldn’t unlock the reserve. The bidding has reached $5,400, and without any specifics on the reserve, we’ll have to wait and see if the car finds a new home by the time the auction ends in six days. Buyers can see the car in person in Kings Park, New York
