Chevrolet sold over 1 million full-size cars back in 1968, and once again, Impala was the king of the castle, accounting for over 710,000 units. The next in the queue was the famous Chevelle, with close to 423,000 units, so it’s not hard to imagine how popular the Impala continued to be in 1968.
The SS obviously attracted the love and money of customers particularly interested in the performance appetite of an Impala, especially as it included special goodies, such as wheel covers and Strato bucket seats.
On the other hand, the SS package could be ordered with any engine option, though it goes without saying that not too many people picked it for the lazy six-cylinder units.
The Impala SS that you’re looking at here was born with a 396 (6.5-liter) under the hood, and the same unit is still in charge of putting the wheels in motion today. The engine starts and runs using a separate fuel source, so it comes in working condition despite spending way too many years in storage.
This Impala SS was recently found in a barn in Virginia, and the current owner says they immediately moved it into dry storage.
A car that’s been sitting for years typically has metal issues, and this Impala is no exception. We have the usual rust suspects, and the floors and the trunk require particular attention. On the other hand, it doesn’t look like the rust went through, so regular patching should do it this time. Of course, any potential buyer should inspect the vehicle thoroughly before committing to a purchase.
This car’s only mission is a full restoration, and given it checks most essential boxes, it’s likely to catch the attention of many people on this side of the automotive business. The working matching-numbers engine is a huge selling point, especially when mixed with decent metal.
On the other hand, we know nothing about how complete the car continues to be today. Old Impalas typically end up serving as donors for other projects, but given that this 1968 SS spent most of its time in hiding locked in a barn, chances are it escaped untouched.