1969 Impala: 1200 miles

[STEVE POLLARD]

I've seen this over on Hemmings web site, I'm not sure about the mileage.... but the dash, steering wheel and seats look mint ! I asked for pictures of the bottom side, but I have not heard back yet. What do you guys think ?

 

 

 

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/chevrolet/impala/2600308.html

 

 

 

 

 

[TerryB]

First question- Emblem on fender says 327ci, air cleaner says 350ci?  The 350ci was an optional engine.  Need to see the build sheet or other documentation.

 

Mecum is in Harrisburg PA this week.

[STEVE POLLARD]

LOL.....Terry, I didn't even noticed that - good eyes !

[joe_padavano]

Cool car, but...

 

First, this is an auction, so it will go for stupid money.

Second, while I believe the low mileage, there are a few questions. The air cleaner is one. The weird angle of the inside door handle on the passenger door is another.

Third, it's a low-end stripper car. No A/C, manual drum brakes, crank windows. And while I personally like the color, it isn't easy being green.

And low mileage aside, the absolute worst thing you can do to a car is to not drive it. The heavy surface rust under the hood suggests that it has not been stored in a climate-controlled environment.

 

Having said all this, about three years ago I bought a 1985 Delta 88 with 5,100 actual miles on it. The car was bought brand new, driven lightly for the first year, then the owner passed away. The car sat in a climate controlled warehouse for 30 years. The seller installed new tires, converted the A/C to R134, then sold it. The car really has driven like brand new, but I've had to replace rubber parts. Fuel hoses started leaking, as did the rear wheel cylinders. Expect similar problems with the soft parts here. And the fuel system will not be ethanol-compatible, so expect to have to replace parts there sooner rather than later.

[Frank DuVal]

7 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

Third, it's a low-end stripper car.

No, if it was, the fender emblems would say BISCAYNE! An Impala has lots of features not found on the Biscayne, and some features not found on Bel Airs. Things such as insulation and upholstery can not be upgraded between models. Such as this car is a 2 door hardtop, and Biscaynes do not come in that body style.

 

Yes, it is a low option Impala. 

 

How many 1969 Impalas even had the disc brake option? I've never worked on one. Manual brakes work just fine on these cars. Unless you have leg issues, like most everyone has today, since no one needs to actually step with some force on a brake pedal anymore. 

[joe_padavano]

8 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

No, if it was, the fender emblems would say BISCAYNE! An Impala has lots of features not found on the Biscayne, and some features not found on Bel Airs. Things such as insulation and upholstery can not be upgraded between models. Such as this car is a 2 door hardtop, and Biscaynes do not come in that body style.

 

Yes, it is a low option Impala. 

 

How many 1969 Impalas even had the disc brake option? I've never worked on one. Manual brakes work just fine on these cars. Unless you have leg issues, like most everyone has today, since no one needs to actually step with some force on a brake pedal anymore. 

I wasn't talking about disc brakes, just power drum. I bet you can count the number of manual drum Impala's built that year on your hands. As for disc brakes, by 1969-70, GM was well on the way to making discs standard on full size cars. For example, in the 1970 model year, power discs were standard equipment on every full size car that Oldsmobile built.

[TAKerry]

One of those cars that you would have to look over in person to determine the accuracy. Looks fairly honest in the pics. My question, why would someone spring for triple A if they dont drive the car?

[EmTee]

Shift quadrant says it's not a Powerglide.  Does that factor into the 327/350 question?

[rocketraider]

I think THM was available with all V8 engines in the B cars. Powerglide seemed to be more common with the 327. The aircleaner lid could have been replaced for whatever unknown reason over the past 50+ years. I did notice the front valance panel is bowed upward a bit.

 

With a car like this, history and provenance is everything.

 

My Mama's 69 Sport Coupe was equipped like most big Chevrolets in small town and rural areas were back then. It came with 327-2bbl, PG, PS, manual drum brakes, AM radio, heater, full wheelcovers and little else. Not even a clock, and it had the standard cloth seats. But it was a step up from the 1965 Impala it replaced, which was a six cylinder 3-speed with only a heater and AM radio.

 

It also came with a pesky windshield leak noted the first time it got caught in rain. Dealership kept pumping sealer into it and it still leaked. Me parents finally made them put a new windshield in it (after the leak had ruined the seat and carpet) and they found that the butyl sealer primer had apparently never been applied to the glass and pinchweld at the factory. So it never sealed properly. Chevrolet zone rep said it was amazing the windshield never blew out of the car.

 

They got new carpet and front seat out of that too.

 

I would love to find another Sport Coupe but as many were made they seem to have disappeared from Earth. When it comes to 69-70 big Chevys looks like no one saved anything but Custom Coupes and convertibles.

[STEVE POLLARD]

9 minutes ago, rocketraider said:

My Mama's 69 Sport Coupe was equipped like most big Chevrolets in small town and rural areas were back then. It came with 327-2bbl, PG, PS, manual drum brakes, AM radio, heater, full wheelcovers and little else. Not even a clock, and it had the standard cloth seats

My parents got their Sport Sedan in the fall of 1969... the 1970's were out, so this sedan was sitting in the back row.... 327-2bbl, PG, PS, drum brakes, AM radio. It was a white body with a black vinyl top and black cloth / vinyl interior with no A/C. We found out the following year on our summer vacation to the Jersey shore why that car was in the back row.... that car was SO hot to ride in, even with all the windows down. That was the last black interior  car my parents would ever purchase...lol

[TerryB]

I found out about the curse of black vinyl interior with my 1973 Chevelle SS.  No A/C and the back windows did not open.  Can you say “oven”😀?

[rocketraider]

The 69 was replaced by a triple black 1974 Impala Sport Coupe. Loaded compared to the 65 and 69, with power disc brakes, AM-FM radio and rear defog. Even had factory air, where the earlier cars both had Sears hang-on units.

 

The folks didn't like the factory A/C. Being used to the full recirc Sears units they said the factory air just didn't cool well. I'm sure triple black paired with the VIR A/C system had something to do with it, but the 1969 car was Glacier Blue with black interior and no vinyl roof, and the Sears unit would freeze you out even on 90° days.

 

That was the last dark interior they bought too!

[1937-44]

 I had a red 1969 Sport Coupe as well. AM radio, heater, manual steering, drum brakes, full wheel covers, black vinyl  interior with a 327 Turbo Hydromatic. It came close to 20 mpg whether I was around town or on the highway. According to the man I bought it from I was the third owner (father in law was a traveling salesman, 2 nd owner drove it 30-35 miles one way to work every day and assumed it had over 100,000 miles on it when I got it in mid 70's. I drove it to Maine, Louisiana, Florida and many places in between till the third member rusted out for the second time and the reinforced frame started weakening again. Ohio loves it's road salt.  It was a great runner and would run circles around the 1970 (350) with powerglide and later the 1970 (400).

[jp1gt]

When I had my shop, a customer had one the same color with a 427. He used it to pull a travel trailer. We had 2 chassis dynos and power timed a lot of cars.

[rocketraider]

Looking at the silver dash outline trim I think the miles may be accurate. Being the wash boy for every vehicle my folks owned once I was big enough to do it, I remember that dash being kinda fussy to clean. And since the windows were often open or cracked in summer, and we had a long gravel driveway, a lot of dust found its way inside.

 

Anyone notice the car has the engine mount recall straps? That recall came in 1971 when this car was two years old. Wonder what the mileage was when those were installed?

[EmTee]

1 hour ago, rocketraider said:

Looking at the silver dash outline trim I think the miles may be accurate.

And the steering wheel looks perfect.  Those always cracked somewhere on the top half of the hub - where you could never NOT see it...

[John348]

The fender emblem mistakes were somewhat common. The nose clip was painted and assembled at Chevrolet, not Fisher Body. I had seen it before.

[Frank DuVal]

But with the nose clip being assembled by Chevrolet, you would think they knew by the broadcast sheet what engine was going it it! 

 

Interesting, Joe, full sized Buicks did not get disc brake as standard until the 1971 model year. 

 

16 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

I bet you can count the number of manual drum Impala's built that year on your hands.

So far with only three respondents we are close to a hand of them! A few more and we can have both hands accounted for. I guess you never lived in the country? Or worried about another $50 on the sticker price? For an option that was not needed? Even Buicks in the LeSabre line had power brakes as an option. I'm sure there were not that many manual brakes sold, but, more than two hands worth. In 1970 Estate Wagons there were at least 26, as that many were built with 3 speeds on the column! Ha!😁

[joe_padavano]

7 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

But with the nose clip being assembled by Chevrolet, you would think they knew by the broadcast sheet what engine was going it it! 

 

Interesting, Joe, full sized Buicks did not get disc brake as standard until the 1971 model year. 

 

So far with only three respondents we are close to a hand of them! A few more and we can have both hands accounted for. I guess you never lived in the country? Or worried about another $50 on the sticker price? For an option that was not needed? Even Buicks in the LeSabre line had power brakes as an option. I'm sure there were not that many manual brakes sold, but, more than two hands worth. In 1970 Estate Wagons there were at least 26, as that many were built with 3 speeds on the column! Ha!😁

Manual brakes were standard equipment on Olds full size cars until the 1970 model year. The column shifted three speed manual was the standard equipment trans in the Delta 88 through the 1971 model year. And apparently those hyperbole HTML tags aren't working. 😉

[8E45E]

12 hours ago, rocketraider said:

Anyone notice the car has the engine mount recall straps? That recall came in 1971 when this car was two years old. Wonder what the mileage was when those were installed?

I saw an NOS kit in Portland a few years ago.

[Ed Luddy]

20 hours ago, TerryB said:

I found out about the curse of black vinyl interior with my 1973 Chevelle SS.  No A/C and the back windows did not open.  Can you say “oven”😀?

A lot of people still prefer black interiors in leather or vinyl. I could never understand that especially in a convertible. I know a few guys that took out the white "parchment" interiors in 68-70 Chevelle convertibles and replaced them with black.

[Ed Luddy]

I find it very hard to believe in 1960's odometers.

[8E45E]

21 hours ago, rocketraider said:

I would love to find another Sport Coupe but as many were made they seem to have disappeared from Earth. When it comes to 69-70 big Chevys looks like no one saved anything but Custom Coupes and convertibles.

There are a few exceptions, especially if it has a big block.

[joe_padavano]

18 minutes ago, Ed Luddy said:

I find it very hard to believe in 1960's odometers.

The odo is just one piece of the puzzle. Careful inspection of the rest of the car will either corroborate or disprove the mileage. This isn't rocket science.

[Guest]

 About the "original" Milledge, maybe true.

 I once sold a motor cycle that was 60 years old and had only 23 miles on it. I had owned it for 35 years and bought of the original owner.

 The tits were still on the tires.

[rocketraider]

28 minutes ago, 8E45E said:

There are a few exceptions, especially if it has a big block.

Read the text and you'll realize why talking with Bob always felt like you were talking with an old friend.

[John348]

9 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

But with the nose clip being assembled by Chevrolet, you would think they knew by the broadcast sheet what engine was going it it! 

 

Frank by the point the clip was ready to drop on the car, it was pretty much built, and the engine was already in it when the frame came down the line. They built over a million cars a year, they did make mistakes. 

Edited July 31, 2022 by John348 (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

It is very suspicious to me to see pictures of a low mileage car that is not on a car trailer. Most of those finds are fresh in the driveway. The advertising copy gets started before they start the car. I look at cars for sale and the trailer mounted ones make me wonder if the guy made it to the bathroom before he started taking pictures. And then I end up the The Rodeo Song stuck in my head for the rest of the day. ( Glad I saw it after church).

 

Fifty years ago I can hear them at the Chevy dealership: "Can't you move that lizard green strip job? The new models are out. A couple farmers just sold some land for that new housing tract. Can't you push it on one of them with a cash deal?"

 

My '80 Electra is a white strip job that was sold in February 1961 at $1,000 under sticker. I know the story.

[TerryB]

4 hours ago, Roger Walling said:

 About the "original" Milledge, maybe true.

 I once sold a motor cycle that was 60 years old and had only 23 miles on it. I had owned it for 35 years and bought of the original owner.

 The tits were still on the tires.

I bought one that sat for 30+ years that had 300 miles in it.  Owner bought it to ride into the woods to go hunting.  At the time of purchase that was not legal.  The 600 mile dealer inspection card was still in the owners manual.

[STEVE POLLARD]

12 minutes ago, TerryB said:

I bought one that sat for 30+ years that had 300 miles in it

Terry - I still have my Suzuki DS100 that I purchased new in 1979... I used it for two summers , then it went into my parents basement because I got my first auto. The bike probably has 300 miles on it... I got it from my Mom a few years ago, still covered up like I left it in 1981.....

 

 

[TerryB]

The bike I bought was a 1970 Yamaha Enduro 90.  Seems the smaller displacement bikes didn’t get run through the mill like the bigger ones did. Great looking bike!

[EmTee]

I want to know more about that '66 Pontiac in the background...  We had one just like it when I was a kid. 

 

[rocketraider]

 

4 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

 

My '80 Electra is a white strip job that was sold in February 1961 at $1,000 under sticker. I know the story.

 

Time travel machine?

 

Still the coolest GM ads ever.

[TerryB]

Typo intervention time😀

[sfair]

16 hours ago, John348 said:

The fender emblem mistakes were somewhat common. The nose clip was painted and assembled at Chevrolet, not Fisher Body. I had seen it before.

A good friend of mine was given a brand new 1967 Malibu by his dad.

It said this on the front fender:

It had this under the hood:

 

 

 

We had so much fun with that car.

[Harold]

17 hours ago, John348 said:

The fender emblem mistakes were somewhat common. The nose clip was painted and assembled at Chevrolet, not Fisher Body. I had seen it before.

I toured the GM Lordstown assembly plant with my dad late in 1966 when the Camaros were being introduced.  A black painted nose dropped down to be installed on a silver Camaro.  The line stopped, alarms went off, and the silver/black combo car was pushed off the line.  Mistakes did happen! 

[John348]

7 minutes ago, Harold said:

I toured the GM Lordstown assembly plant with my dad late in 1966 when the Camaros were being introduced.  A black painted nose dropped down to be installed on a silver Camaro.  The line stopped, alarms went off, and the silver/black combo car was pushed off the line.  Mistakes did happen! 

And those mistake are the ones that were visible, just imagine the ones nobody saw!

[60FlatTop]

1 hour ago, sfair said:

A good friend of mine was given a brand new 1967 Malibu by his dad.

It said this on the front fender:

 

That's a whopping big 3.7 liter in today's world.Big time bragging rights for Lincoln and almost Cadillac.

[intimeold]

A lot of us have seen mismatched, or wrong fender emblems; on GM cars of this era. 

 

Speedometers are so easy to manipulate on these cars.

 

I think the build sheet, would clear up the emblem and air-cleaner sticker difference.

 

I good thorough inspection; would be required for me to lay any money down on this car.  

Edited August 1, 2022 by intimeold (see edit history)

[Ed Luddy]

10 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

The odo is just one piece of the puzzle. Careful inspection of the rest of the car will either corroborate or disprove the mileage. This isn't rocket science.

I agree. From the 1st pic the right rear quarter panel looks like it's just been clear coated?

 There's lots of  clues one can chase down in person. I'm not a buyer but I do like these cars. Not the prices so much. After just selling a 1968 Pontiac Grande Parisienne 396 for mid teen's CDN dollars this one is not even close. Sorry folks, not buying that odometer!