Posts Tagged impala ss
Finding treasure in Georgia!
65 Impala SS
Here we are again… heading out on a road trip to pick up an original 1965 Chevy Impala SS with an original 327ci engine rebuilt, original interior and body, SS VIN number… oh might I add, all the original documents proving OG status, as well as, being in the same family since birth? It’s approximately 8:30pm Saturday night and we have a 8-9 hour drive ahead of us – wheeeww – lets go over our checklist:
1. Red Bull / Monster (for driver) – check
2. 5 Hour energy drink (for passenger) – check
3. Road Map / GPS – check
4. Tunes – iPods – check
5. Petro – check
alright everything’s checked and we’re on the road again! The night flew by and at 6:15 am, we reach our destination. Not much time for sleeping as we had to meet the seller by 10. I can’t lie, I probably got about 2 1/2 hours of sleep due to the fact that 1 1/2 hours was me sitting in bed thinking about this gem we were going to see.
The next morning was exhausting, we had no sleep and knew we had a long ride home ahead of us, but we weren’t going to let the small details get in the way of us buying our 65 Impala SS. It took about 30 minutes to find the sellers house and we introduce ourselves and got all the formalities out of the way…. and frankly got down to business.
“Now that’s CHERRY”
A million thoughts ran through my head – was this car going to be another dud? Was this guy truthful on the phone or did we leave out any details when asking the “right” questions? What is this ride going to look like? I hope he doesn’t say something like… oh, the Impala I described last night was sold earlier this morning, but we have this one in it’s place…. please don’t say anything like that, please.
We walked up the driveway into his garage and there it was, I felt like Richard Dreyfuss and Ron Howard in American Graffiti – now that’s CHERRY, I can definitely dig this ride.
63 Impala SS with a 409 Brings $70,000
63 Impala SS 409
Well the Mecum auction has come and gone, and we saw some great cars roll through the auction block. One that caught my eye was a 1963 Silver Cortez, Chevy Impala SS convertible with the original 409 engine that sold for over $70,000. This was a pristine looking car but the fact that it was convertible with a rare original 409 engine is what brought in the big bucks.
There was eight engines available to power the Chevy Impala back in 1963, ranging from four versions of the small-block V-8 and three of the famous high power 409s. Chevrolet also introduced the Z-11. This was a 427 cid V8 based on the existing 409 but featured a smaller bore and a longer stroke. It made close to 500 bhp but was only available to factory approved customers through Chevrolet’s RPO (Regular Production Option).
The 409 was available in a tuned down version with 340 bhp and was also available with an optional Power-glide automatic transmission. But for the enthusiasts, Chevy offered the 409 with solid lifters and a single four barrel carb good for 400 bhp and a solid lifter 409 with two four barrel carbs good for a whooping 425 bhp.
This infamous engines popularity grew and the “hit single” produced by the Beach Boys called “409,” referring to the Chevy’s power engine, became an iconic song for Chevy owners.
There was approximately 153,000 Impala SS made in 63 and 16,900 came with the 409 an even smaller number of those were convertibles.
There is no doubt that the 63 Impala SS convertible is a desirable car but i would have never guessed it would be worth over $70,000. Don’t get me wrong, if I had that type of money I would have one sitting in my driveway right now that I would spend more time with then my wife *just kidding honey*. I guess in all collectible markets if you have that one of a kind item, then anyone with a large checkbook will stop at nothing to call it his or her own.
To learn more about the 409 V-8 engine check out this article at HowStuffWorks.com.
I also have a ton of photos from the Mecum action that you can see here. Mecum Photo Gallery
The End of an Era – Impala SS is Dead!
2010 Impala SS - R.I.P!
2010 marks the end of an era, General Motors has decided to kill off the Chevy Impala SS, and Cobalt SS Sedan. I have to say, it’s kind of better sweet for me. Although the last two generations of the Chevy Impala SS weren’t loved by many, the SS badge has a special place in history and in our hearts.
GM hasn’t officially announced the retirement of either car but because of GM’s online ordering guide it’s being assumed. There are no order codes for either the Chevy Impala SS or Cobalt SS Sedan for the 2010 model year.
Chevy will only offer the Impala in LS, LT and LTZ models. The Impala’s top engine choice now will be a 233 horsepower 3.9 liter V6. and will retain its four-speed automatic transmission.
So my fellow SS lovers, do you think the death of the Impala SS is a good move for Chevy?
Loading ...Future Classic: 94-96 Impala SS
Posted by chevyss in Future Classics on April 23rd, 2009
96 Impala SS
What does it take for a car to become a classic? Is it the rarity of a vehicle, custom desired modifications, or maybe just a high profile name that can make a car a classic? A classic car should be able to stand the test of time… The same way your favorite movies as a kid could 30 years later bring the same joy to your son or daughter. And a large part of what defines a Classic is the fans who toil and sweat to keep Classic heritage alive. From one generation to the next they play a significant roll in keeping that legacy going.
I believe the second generation Chevy Impala SS can pass that test. With its brute, yet sleek body style, and LT1 V8 engine, what kid 30 years from now wouldn’t love to have one?
Chevy brought back the second generation Impala SS in 1994. This was the first four door ” Impala SS,” and was only available in black (previous Impala SS models were either coupes or convertibles.)
Chevy made sure that it lived up to its heritage with a 5.7 liter LT1 V8 engine that produced 260 Horsepower and ran 0-60 in 7.1 seconds. In the first year of production we saw about 6,000 Impala SS made. Read the rest of this entry »
So we came back empty handed…
63 Chevy Impala Super Sport
I was thinking back on a trip me and a friend took recently to Indiana to look at a Numbers Matching 1963 Chevy Impala Super Sport on the web. We knew this SS probably needed some work, but we decided to take the gamble and fly all the way from Florida. Other than running into some scheduling problems with the owner of the vehicle the traveling and trip itself didn’t have any speed bumps.
-
Resources
Vote for us at TopMuscleCars.comFlicker
