Sales of Chevrolet’s Impala indeed declined in the late ’60s, but this nameplate continued to dominate the company’s full-size market performance anyway.
Impala was still the number one full-size model in 1967 and 1968 as well, despite the GM brand trying out different strategies (including for the SS version, that is).
I don’t know about others, but the late ’60s Impala are particularly intriguing, especially from a performance perspective. The focus on big-block engines increased, despite Chevrolet still selling lazy six-cylinders for people who wanted an Impala to go shopping.
Our example here is just as enticing as all the other 1968 Impalas, and yet, nobody seems to be willing to give it a second chance. That sounds harsh for a car this great, but even so, this Impala has so far attracted zero interest.
The car’s failure to generate excitement isn’t necessarily surprising after having a look at what happens under the hood. On the other hand, it might be a shock, especially when taking into account the selling price.
Let me start with the obvious and tell you this is a project in absolutely all regards. The car has been sitting for a long time, but the metal condition seems to make potential customers walk away. The seller themselves admits there’s rot in some key place, such as the lower fenders. The floors and the trunk don’t look good either, so be prepared for a lot of work on this front.
The 327 (5.3-liter) engine that was originally fitted on this Impala from this factory is still there. The bad news is the V8 is currently locked up, possibly from sitting, so bringing it back to life is going to be quite a challenge, even for professional mechanics. If anything, you should use another 327 to restore the car if you really believe this is possible.
The 4-barrel engine is quite a loss for a car this old, though the owner tries to make up for the locked-up engine by claiming that everything is there. In other words, it’s a project that’s still complete, so in theory, if you somehow resolve the engine problem, you could get it up and running pretty fast.All its massive problems have made this 1968 Impala an iconic car that nobody wants.