Did they make an SS Impala Convertible in 1963?

[8E45E]

I saw a fully restored '64 SS convertible with the 6 cyl engine. It's the only SS 6 cyl I've ever seen.

Very rare is the 4,000 RPM tach for a 6-cylinder SS.

 

Craig

[poci1957]

I wish I had the time to reply to all the postings, I appreciate the feedback.  i am certain this car is not an SS car, although it does have the original 327.  

 

Hi Steve, just to clarify it is not an SS but a regular Impala convertible.  Also note the 327 was not an SS thing, it was popular in regular Impalas too.  Nice looking car, good luck with the sale, Todd C

[real61ss]

Absolutely, you could order a SS car, and if you took the stock engine it would be a six cylinder.

And as said in the #6 thread by TerryB, one of those Impala SS's are in the current Hemming's Classic car magazine this month and the car is a Impala convertible SS with a straight 230" six.

The above statement about the 6 cyl being the standard engine in a SS does not apply to the 1961 Super Sport. Chevrolet tested the waters in 1961 by building 453 Super Sport cars. This SS package was a available on any Impala body style except the Nomad Station wagon. There are no records to show how many were build on the different body styles so it is certainly possible that a 2 door sedan was built because it was available. However, the smallest available motor was the 348/305 horse. The other available motors were the 348/340, 348/350 and the 409/360. The 409 was also available in any big body style.

Again, the are no records that indecated how many of the 409 motors were installed in which bodies, only that 142 cars left the factory with this motor.

Another point of interest, the Super Sport option in 1961 only cost 53.80 but there was a list of required options that totaled several thousand dollars that had to be ordered before the SS could be checked on the order form., This put the price of these cars in the range with the Corvette which is probably one reason there were so few produced.

[Guest]

The above statement about the 6 cyl being the standard engine in a SS does not apply to the 1961 Super Sport. Chevrolet tested the waters in 1961 by building 453 Super Sport cars. This SS package was a available on any Impala body style except the Nomad Station wagon. There are no records to show how many were build on the different body styles so it is certainly possible that a 2 door sedan was built because it was available. However, the smallest available motor was the 348/305 horse. The other available motors were the 348/340, 348/350 and the 409/360. The 409 was also available in any big body style.

Again, the are no records that indecated how many of the 409 motors were installed in which bodies, only that 142 cars left the factory with this motor.

Another point of interest, the Super Sport option in 1961 only cost 53.80 but there was a list of required options that totaled several thousand dollars that had to be ordered before the SS could be checked on the order form., This put the price of these cars in the range with the Corvette which is probably one reason there were so few produced.

Sorry, I corrected it to after the 61 model year.

Edited March 7, 2016 by helfen (see edit history)

[Guest myold88]

The above statement about the 6 cyl being the standard engine in a SS does not apply to the 1961 Super Sport. Chevrolet tested the waters in 1961 by building 453 Super Sport cars. This SS package was a available on any Impala body style except the Nomad Station wagon. There are no records to show how many were build on the different body styles so it is certainly possible that a 2 door sedan was built because it was available. However, the smallest available motor was the 348/305 horse. The other available motors were the 348/340, 348/350 and the 409/360. The 409 was also available in any big body style.

Again, the are no records that indecated how many of the 409 motors were installed in which bodies, only that 142 cars left the factory with this motor.

Another point of interest, the Super Sport option in 1961 only cost 53.80 but there was a list of required options that totaled several thousand dollars that had to be ordered before the SS could be checked on the order form., This put the price of these cars in the range with the Corvette which is probably one reason there were so few produced.

 

Thanks for backing up my statement on my memory (post #12) of seeing two black 1961 Chevy SS 2 door sedans back in '61 or '62 on Long Island.

[huptoy]

In 1962 had a friend had a 59 with a 283, 3 speed, that ran very very hard.  Upon blowing up the engine due to high RPM,s, he upgraded to a 348.  Six months later he when back to a rebuilt 283 as it would wind out quicker.  The Interstate 80 stopped about 60 miles west of Des Moines.  He would drive the 700 miles from Des Moines to Denver in 9 hours on 2 lane highways overnight.   The interstate speed was 75 MPH and most drove 80 to 85 MPH.  Trust me, he usually ran 100 MPH or more.

 

That said, in 1963 four of us rented a house and one of our weekend house guest had a 63 SS Convertible with a 327 4 barrel & 4 speed.   The other 3 room mates had 62 Chevrolet convertibles.  One had a 327 three speed, the 2nd had a SS 409 4 speed with a 4 barrel carb & hydraulic lifters. 

 

The third had a SS with a 3 speed but the motor was a 409 with two 4 barrel carbs and solid lifters.  That car was unbelievably quick & the tire millage was terrible.  Once on the highway in 3rd gear at 55 MPH, he dropped it into 2nd and floored it to pass a vehicle in a short passing area.  There were 4 in the car, top down, and the back end jumped 12 to 18 inches sideways and a took off like a shot. 

 

People talk about the 409 but most are the version with hydraulic lifters and they were fast for their day.  I believe you had to purchase the SS package to get bucket seats and seat belts were an option.

[countrytravler]

On 3/4/2016 at 7:56 AM, padgett said:

Well the 409 was an opened up 348 and I always thought of it as a truck engine. OTOH with the right equipment (like FI) a 327 will wind to the moon.

Back in the day when autocrossing was more "run what you brung" I had a lot of success with a 67 Camaro 'vert with posi, 4 speed, 4 piston disks in the front, front and rear sway bars, Blue streaks on 15x7 wheels, and a Rochester FI on top of a 275HP 327. Guess today that would be a resto-mod. Back then it was just fast. Used to run with a guy who had a GT-350 and we'd put on a show. Think we broke about everything possible but parts were cheap. There mustabin a squirrel somewhere in my family tree.

1961 409 was a bore and stroke 348. They had core shift problems and that is why only 142? were produced. 1962, the 409 was a totally new block with the same outside dimensions as the 348.

[countrytravler]

On 3/4/2016 at 7:10 PM, John348 said:

 

Not really, common mistake. The 409 was bored and stroked, the 409 has a higher deck then the 348. The 348/409 was no more of a truck motor then a 350 or a 454, which were also used many trucks. The truck 409 has relief's cut into the cylinder walls that lower the compression. Unlike the small blocks where the combustion chamber is in the head, they are a wedge motor and the combustion chamber is in the block

True the W blocks don't like to wind up,

All the W blocks have the same dimension on the outside. No such thing as a tall deck 409. The 61 409 was a punched 348 with the 348 350 HP heads. They had a core shift problem and that is why only 142? were made. 62 was a different block than the 348 but still the same dimension on the outside. You can take a truck 348-409 and interchange any W head combo including the Z11.

[countrytravler]

On 3/4/2016 at 7:20 PM, john2dameron said:

Yes, the 348 was designed to be used in trucks, then was put into 1958 autos.  The 409 was based on the 348 design.  Before the 348 was available people who wanted a Chevrolet truck with a V-8 bigger than a 283 got a nailhead Buick engine.  There is a '57 Chev. fire truck from Maryland that makes a lot of shows and it has a factory installed Buick engine. 

 

Yes, a 327 will wind.  I had a '65 Impala SS conv. I bought new with a 327/300 hp.  The tachometer read to 6,000 rpm and it would go well past 6,000 in second gear.  By the way, it was a 4-speed manual.  It was never my favorite automobile so I kept it less than a year but it had plenty of acceleration. 

348 was on the boards starting in 1955-56. Cars were getting bigger and heavier. The 348 were put into cars before the trucks. There were a couple of 56-57 Chevs with a 348 for testing back then.

 

[bobg1951chevy]

On ‎3‎/‎4‎/‎2016 at 8:44 AM, Steve-V said:

Wondering if anyone can validate there being no SS Convertible Impalas in 1963.  

In '63 the the SS was translated to Super Sedan.  

I have the car below for sale and would like to be honest.

 

Any Chevy gurus can confirm?  

 

I understand this is an old thread, but the thoughts need to be clarified, as to which model(s) would qualify to carry the SS badges.

To begin, in 1963,  the SS option was code " Z03 " on the order form.

SS = SUPER SPORT.

To add the ZO3 option in 1963, the model chosen had to be an IMPALA 2 DOOR OR AN IMPALA CONVERT. 

The IMPALA 2 DOOR or IMPALA CONVERT. model could be a SIX CYLINDER OR AN  8 CYLINDER.

In 1963, a specific engine size was not a prerequisite, in order to have a "SS" IMPALA.

The Z03  "SS" option included:

STEERING WHEEL EMBLEM.

SPECIAL WHEEL COVERS.

SPECIAL EMBLEMS AND MOLDINGS.

FLOOR SHIFTER FOR P.G. AND 4 SPEED ONLY. THREE SPEED STICK WAS STILL ON THE COLUMN.

CENTER CONSOLE, EXCEPT FOR THREE SPEED STICK.

That's it.

Edited July 15, 2017 by bobg1951chevy (see edit history)

[countrytravler]

In 61, you could order an SS in any body style except the wagon. The SS models came with mandatory with heavy duty suspension and Morraine sintered metallic brakes. This is why I question that some SS was converted at the dealers.

 

 

[60FlatTop]

That 230 six would be advertised as the new 3.7.

 

2017 Impala is 3600 to 3800 pounds.

Huh.

 

 

[countrytravler]

2 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

That 230 six would be advertised as the new 3.7.

 

2017 Impala is 3600 to 3800 pounds.

Huh.

 

 

??????????????????????? What does this have to do with this post??????????????????????????????????

[Mike36]

1 hour ago, countrytravler said:

??????????????????????? What does this have to do with this post??????????????????????????????????

Very good question.

[Robert Street]

On 7/15/2017 at 2:58 PM, countrytravler said:

348 was on the boards starting in 1955-56. Cars were getting bigger and heavier. The 348 were put into cars before the trucks. There were a couple of 56-57 Chevs with a 348 for testing back then.

 

Yes, first blueprints of the 348 were dated July 1956 as I recall.  No references were made on trucks at that time. An acquaintance of mine has the original GM blue prints for the 348 and are quite interesting as the design evolved into production. 

Robert

[countrytravler]

1 minute ago, Robert Street said:

 

Yes, first blueprints of the 348 were dated July 1956 as I recall.  No references were made on trucks at that time. An acquaintance of mine has the original GM blue prints for the 348 and are quite interesting as the design evolved into production. 

Robert

My dad was one of the personal when he worked at the GM Tech Center in Warren MI. He also tested the cars and prep them for the magazines and road test.

[countrytravler]

5 minutes ago, Robert Street said:

 

Yes, first blueprints of the 348 were dated July 1956 as I recall.  No references were made on trucks at that time. An acquaintance of mine has the original GM blue prints for the 348 and are quite interesting as the design evolved into production. 

Robert

Could you get copies?? That would be great to share. I have a FB page for the 409s. Come and join. Love to have ya and share stories.

Thanks

Dave

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/406019856199113/?fref=nf

[Dave Henderson]

While we're talking '63's, could anyone use a perfect nos wheel cover as pictured on the SS's?  In my way, it's $20 bucks and postage.
Please pm me.

[countrytravler]

12 minutes ago, Dave Henderson said:

While we're talking '63's, could anyone use a perfect nos wheel cover as pictured on the SS's?  In my way, it's $20 bucks and postage.
Please pm me.

Post pictures. Ill be interested. 

[Dave Henderson]

5 hours ago, Dave Henderson said:

While we're talking '63's, could anyone use a perfect nos wheel cover as pictured on the SS's?  In my way, it's $20 bucks and postage.
Please pm me.

Wheel cover has been spoken for.