1960 Chevrolet Impala Hardtop

*SOLD*

We took this car in on trade a few weeks ago, so I've been driving it this spring (well, until it snowed last night--ugh!), and I'll tell you that it's hard not to feel like a million bucks behind the wheel. About a mile long and covered in bright Roman Red paint, this car is the opposite of subtle. I like the look of the 1960s better than the '59s mostly because of the simplified front end. It's a 10-year-old paint job that's holding up quite well and the car has a few upgrades and a recently rebuilt and detailed 348 with Tri-Power. The red and white paint is quite nice with only one or two little areas where chips were touched up, but you really have to look for them. Fit of the doors, hood, and trunk is excellent and everything closes without a slam and it's almost completely devoid of squeaks and rattles inside, suggesting someone took their time with it. It's a Tennessee car, so there are no patches or panel replacements in the body (the floors have a few small patches, most notably in the spare tire well), and the workmanship throughout is quite good. And as you know, chrome can be a staggering expense and there's a reported $25,000 wrapped up in the brightwork on this car and all of it remains in first-class condition.

The two-tone red and white interior was done more recently and shows quite well. It's not 100% correct (it should probably have cloth inserts) but it looks period-correct and the vinyl is a lot more durable. This isn't a show car anyway, so I don't think anyone will pick that particular nit, especially since everything is so nicely done. Excellent door panels, firm, comfortable seats, and new carpets make it feel fresh inside and the airy hardtop bodywork keeps things bright inside. The gauges were rebuilt and are in excellent order, the original AM radio works, and the steering wheel was restored; only the clock appears to be non-functional. The trunk is nicely finished with gray mats and a full-sized matching spare radial that's never been used.

This is a real 348 car, upgraded from the original 4-barrel to factory-style Tri-Power when the engine was rebuilt two years ago. It's completely as the factory did it, including the air cleaner and triple carburetors, and it runs superbly. I'll vouch for the fact that when you push through that little spot of resistance in the throttle and open up all six barrels, things start to happen in a real hurry. Proper Chevy Orange paint, an original-style generator, and reproduction hoses and even tower hose clamps make for a show-worthy engine bay. The car has been upgraded with a modern power steering box and a TH350 3-speed automatic transmission in place of the original 2-speed PowerGlide, both of which are nearly invisible modifications that pay big dividends in roadworthiness. The underside is not detailed for show but has been undercoated and features a recent dual exhaust system with glasspacks, so it has that vintage hot rod sound that a lot of guys seem to appreciate in a car like this. The bright Coker whitewall radials have less than 1000 miles on them and are fitted to wheels that were restored at the same time.

This is a really nice car that I enjoy driving a lot. It starts easily, idles smoothly, and sits in traffic without getting hot. It'll cruise all day at 75 MPH and the gentle burble of the big V8 is hypnotizing. It also includes a fairly large cache of spare parts, including the aforementioned PowerGlide and 4-barrel induction system, as well as about a dozen boxes of various spares. I don't take in many trades and I'm very picky about where I spend my own money, but this car was so nice it was impossible to resist. Asking $32,900 and we're always open to reasonable offers. Thanks for looking!

Still available and still gorgeous! New price of $32,900.

*SOLD* Thank you!