The first time the Impala nameplate got to see daylight was in 1956 when it smiled in front of the public in the form of a concept. It didn’t take long for General Motors to push the Impala into mass production, so in 1958, the car went live as the top-of-the-line version of the Bel Air.
The overnight success convinced the parent company to go even further with the Impala strategy, so in 1959, the nameplate was promoted to a stand-alone series. Known as the second-generation Impala, the 1959 model year continued to share most of the parts and the design with the Bel Air.
For Chevrolet, however, the Impala was the new superstar. This strategy worked like a charm, so in 1965, Impala became the first car in the U.S. to sell more than one million units in a single year (after WWII).
Someone on eBay has recently listed what looks to be one of the most solid 1959 Impala projects we’ve seen lately. And despite requiring rust repair, a new engine, and a transmission, the car is ready to sell for big bucks, as the top offer is already at $75,000.
Based on the photos shared by seller customcyclesltd, this Impala indeed looks rather solid, and what seems to catch the attention of most bidders is the convertible part. Everything is there, the owner claims, so most of the restoration work should be focused on the metal and the interior.
A 1959 Impala in this condition is indeed pretty difficult to find, but on the other hand, the selling price is totally shocking, especially given the engine and the transmission are no longer there. While a mint-condition Impala in tip-top shape and restored to factory specifications could sell for double the top bid, it’ll certainly be interesting to see how high the price goes in the last hours of the auction.