They say the Impala was slowly but surely losing customer appeal in the early ’70s, but the nameplate launched in 1958 continues to be the main sales engine for Chevrolet’s full-size lineup.
The car was now more expensive, with a $3,012 price tag for the base four-door sedan, while the station wagon could be had for at least $3,589 when ordering the nine-passenger configuration.
Chevrolet used the same approach as in the previous model years and offered a plethora of options and colors. Air conditioning was available for at least $363 (depending on the Impala version you ordered), while power front disc brakes were still an option offered for $64 extra.
The Impala’s base engine continued to be the lazy six-cylinder unit with 155 horsepower, while the base V8 was a 350ci unit rated at 250 horsepower.
The Impala in these photos rolled off the assembly lines with a 350 V8 under the hood. eBay seller biscaynecars says the owner bought the car new in San Diego with factory air conditioning and power disc brakes but eventually decided to replace the engine. They made the worst choice, as they dropped the more powerful V8 and installed a 250 straight-six.
The owner eventually abandoned the car (I wouldn’t be surprised if the lazy engine was the reason), and the Impala has been sitting in storage since the late ’80s.
It’s now a project fighting for restoration. It comes with the original California title from the ’70s and exhibits the typical rust suspects. It has metal damage on the front fenders and quarters. The floors and the trunk pan might be clean, but the owner says they didn’t remove the carpets, so a thorough inspection is recommended before making an offer.
The Impala no longer runs, but this isn’t a surprise, considering it spent the last decades in storage. It needs a complete restoration, with the interior also requiring reupholstering despite everything still being in place.
It’s hard to put a price on an Impala that was born with a potent engine and eventually relegated to a lazy six, and the owner knows they can’t expect to make a fortune with this car. They posted the Impala on eBay with a $2,000 starting bid, but they also enabled a reserve and a $3,000 Buy It Now price. Nobody has entered the race to take it home, and I think the reserve’s value is close to the BIN price, so a $2,000 bid won’t be enough to secure the car.
The car will require transportation, and if you want to take it home, you must travel to Fall City, Washington. The digital fight will end in approximately 10 days, so you have enough time to inspect everything in person before making an offer.