Chevrolet Impala became the first car in the United States after World War II to sell more than one million vehicles in a single year back in 1965.
This was the result of eight years of hard work to turn a new nameplate into a major hit, and in many ways, Chevrolet tried to continue the strategy towards the end of the decade as well.
However, the yearly sales of the Impala started declining beginning in the very next year after this impressive record was set. Turning the Caprice into a stand-alone series obviously cannibalized the sales of the Impala, though the nameplate continued to be a very successful model in the States.
In 1968, for instance, the SS was one of the models spearheading sales, especially thanks to the high-performance engines that were available in the lineup.
The 1968 Impala that eBay seller ramosyards18 has recently listed for auction; however, it comes with a matching-numbers 327 (5.3-liter) under the hood. But while it isn’t fitted with a big-block engine, it still qualifies as a solid restoration candidate thanks to its good overall condition.
This is even more impressive when taking into account the long time of sitting this Impala has been forced to deal with. The seller says the vehicle returns from long-term storage, so the occasional rust makes quite a lot of sense.
Both the floors and the trunk show typical metal damage, but at first glance, everything should be easy to deal with during a potential restoration. But as usual, a full inspection in person is totally recommended, especially given the car has been sitting for so long.
The bidding starts at $7,000, and unfortunately, this seems to be quite an optimistic expectation for an Impala project. Time will tell if the car ends up finding a new home, but if you want to see it in person, you can find the vehicle parked in Vallejo, California.