After seeing Impala’s sales going through the roof in 1965, someone at Chevrolet had the less brilliant idea to turn the Caprice into a stand-alone series for the model year 1966.At some level, the GM brand tried to turn the Caprice into a major hit using the same recipe that worked for Impala.
Two years after it smiled in front of the audience as a concept, Impala was promoted to a production model as the top-of-the-line 1958 Bel Air version. The early success of the car convinced Chevy to start selling it separately, beginning with the 1959 model year.
As such, the company believed the whole thing would also work for Caprice. After Impala sold more than 1 million units in 1965, the series waved goodbye to Caprice, as this model tried to make a name for itself under its own brand. Caprice sold relatively well, but Impala’s success started going down. And the declining trend continued towards the end of the decade.
Sure enough, Impala continued to be a head-turning machine. This 1966 convertible is here to prove this, as it’s a true SS that still flexes the original matching-numbers V8 and the typical issues.
Let’s start with the bad news. An amateurish repaint performed many years ago shows its flaws, but the original paint is still visible on the driver’s door. The metal still looks good despite the obvious problems, but it is worth knowing that the Impala now comes with incorrect front seats and without a driver’s door panel.
The good news starts with the 327 (5.3-liter) matching-numbers V8. Given the Impala was parked in the late ’90s, the engine no longer runs. However, it does turn over by hand, so in theory, bringing it back to life is totally doable. The engine is paired with an automatic transmission.
Despite the rust damage that’s clearly visible in the provided pics, this Impala comes with intact glass, a rot-free frame, and an original trunk pan and quarters.
It’s not hard to figure out where this is going. The SS would make for a great survivor should someone have the time, resources, and skills to restore it. On the other hand, it’s not a secret that such a project isn’t necessarily aimed at inexperienced restorers, as a car like this isn’t only a rare find but also an icon that could be worth a small fortune.