The Impala was already the best-selling car in the United States in 1963 – it reached this historic milestone in 1960 and continued to lead the market for the next 10 years, so the new model year was supposed to fuel the excitement for Chevy’s full-size lineup.
Chevrolet sold over 1.57 million full-size cars, and the appetite for V8 engines increased significantly, with more than 1.1 million units rolling off the assembly lines with eight-cylinder units.
The Impala was again the king of the GM brand’s castle, as it accounted for approximately 832,000 units. This means that one in two full-size Chevys was an Impala.
The Super Sport also became more popular after its shy debut in 1961, with Chevrolet now offering it as RPO ZO3. Over 153,000 Impalas left the factory with the SS package.
Enter this 1963 Impala SS whose past years came down to living in a garage.
eBay seller sg_us_s2bhppg explains that this Impala was recently pulled from a garage where it was parked in 1988. You can tell the car spent the last decades in hiding, as its condition isn’t the best. I won’t comment much on the metal’s condition, but it looks like someone has already jump-started a refresh, albeit the work was abandoned somewhere along the way.
The interior sports a debatable work. The owner explains that the interior was done before the car was parked in storage, so it somehow makes sense that it looks so outdated. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some people actually liking the cabin, and that’s alright, as such things are always subjective.
The SS tags are still in place (the cowl tag is missing), and you still get the bucket seats. However, one of the most important parts is missing: the engine.
This Impala comes without a powertrain, likely because someone got the engine and the transmission to use them on another Impala project. This isn’t the end of the world, as an Impala with such modifications can always qualify for a restomod or a custom build if you have another engine in the house. The missing engine also makes the car more affordable, albeit I think that the first thing you should do is see this Impala in person to make sure everything is restorable.
The owner wants to let the Impala go for $5,500, and this sounds a bit too ambitious considering its shape. However, they also enabled the Make Offer button, so if you’re interested in the car and have another deal in mind, contact the owner to discuss all the details. The Impala is parked in Medina, Ohio, and considering the missing engine, you’ll need to find transportation to take it home.