The Chevrolet Impala was first produced for the 1958 model year and continued to be produced continuously until 1985. and afterwards made two more trips, from 1999 to 2020, and from 1994 to 1996. That’s an amazing streak spanning ten separate generations and more than 50 years. It makes sense why the Impala is such a famous car.
The nameplate is also one of the most sought-after vintage pieces. Though instances from the late 1960s and early 1970s are also quite desirable, the ones from the late 1950s and early 1960s are highly prized. I love the second generation (1959–1960) big-finned automobiles, but I really like the 1961 and 1962 “bubble top” Impalas.
On the other hand, no roof layout beats the convertible in my book. Sure, it’s not quite as practical as a hardtop, and it’s more difficult to maintain, but early Impalas look darn sexy with a soft top rolled behind the seats. Drop-tops are also much rarer than other body styles.
And that’s precisely why I get excited whenever I see an early 1960s Impala convertible getting rescued after years of neglect. Just like YouTube’s “Iron City Garage” recently did with a 1962 ragtop.
This Impala was discovered in a garden in New Jersey after being off the road for several decades. Although the exact date of its parking is unknown, it appears to have been there for several decades. However, it has been owned by the same person for 40 years, so it’s possible that we are looking at a restoration job he never had time to complete and drive.
The reason I call it a “restoration project” is that he had a lot of extra parts for the vehicle. Some were bought as replacements, and some were taken out of the Impala some time ago. I am referring to inside parts, lights, trim, and even a fender. It’s true that the owner never restored one of those rigs.
But is this Impala worthy of a complete makeover? Well, it’s not one of those super-rare 1962 versions worth a ton of cash in Concours condition, but it’s a solid project. It’s not so far gone to be dismantled for parts, but it’s not the kind of classic you can restore and flip for a profit. It’s more of a labor-of-love type of thing that needs an Impala convertible fanatic
Although it lacks the ideal SS model aesthetic, it does have several intriguing features. First of all, it’s a V8 vehicle. Secondly, it has the popular red interior that everyone is obsessed with. Furthermore, despite having a front bench seat when it was first manufactured, it now has two buckets from a 1963 Impala. That’s a nice surprise, a cool update, and possibly a decent place to start for this drop-top to become an SS clone.
How uncommon is this Impala then? Since Chevrolet sold 75,719 convertibles in 1962, it’s not exactly rare. The drop-tops, on the other hand, are much less common than other body types. Cabriolet output was less than 11% of the 704,900 Impalas that the business produced in that year.