1969 Impala: 1200 miles

[Frank DuVal]

Not just GM, I saw an Aspen/Volare in the Waverly Motors showroom (so big it could hold two cars!). I discussed it with the owner who said it was common, and then we went to discuss DeSotos, and why he hadn't been getting any to sell since 1960. Great talk.

 

When mom was looking at 1975 Impalas, we found one with factory side molding only on one side.🙄

[STEVE POLLARD]

I spoke with a friend of mine that lives near the location of this auction.... the junk yard is huge and he has some very low mileage vehicles, all being sold off thru Mecum....

 

 

 

Steve

[George Smolinski]

21 hours ago, 8E45E said:

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

Am I the only one? This Biscayne is a ‘69, NOT a ‘68. Evidently, old Bob didn’t know sh— from shinola about big Chevys. One of my pet peeves- so called “experts” in magazines, at dealers and especially at the auctions spewing misinformation like it’s God’s honest truth.

[8E45E]

45 minutes ago, George Smolinski said:

Am I the only one? This Biscayne is a ‘69, NOT a ‘68. Evidently, old Bob didn’t know sh— from shinola about big Chevys. One of my pet peeves- so called “experts” in magazines, at dealers and especially at the auctions spewing misinformation like it’s God’s honest truth.

The interior caption is obviously a typo.  The main text clearly states 1969.

 

Craig

[TerryB]

I often wonder about the dilemma of buying an ultra low mileage car like this.  It’s the mileage, not the options, that make the car unique.  If it was a factory original 1200 mile SS427, 4 speed with bucket seats in most any color, the motor option would be a big player in the value too.
 

 With low mileage as it’s only claim to fame, it’s easy to take away from that uniqueness by simply driving the car.  When the car has 12,000 miles on it will it loose a big part of its value?  if you replace age deteriorated parts with NOS or reproduction parts will the value drop?  I don’t know but it would be interesting to track market values on cars like this one as they change ownership over the years.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

 

We, as car folks, get some weird thoughts.       This low mileage car should be preserved!   Would be a sin to drive it!      Find an old car in the "barn" ?    Clean it up and drive the wheels off of it!     Same car, 40 years apart, maybe?

 

  What a great "hobby" we have.  

 

  Ben

[TAKerry]

Terry, thats an age old question, now! I dont think this particular car will loose a lot of value by casually driving it. In my geographic area, a local show every couple of months, a trip to the ice cream parlor and a fill up and you'd still only be putting 200 miles or so in a year. Like you said, its not a high value car as is and the low miles is a selling point. But I think this one can be enjoyed a bit, sell it and let the next guy worry about. 

[Ed Luddy]

5 hours ago, TAKerry said:

Terry, thats an age old question, now! I dont think this particular car will loose a lot of value by casually driving it. In my geographic area, a local show every couple of months, a trip to the ice cream parlor and a fill up and you'd still only be putting 200 miles or so in a year. Like you said, its not a high value car as is and the low miles is a selling point. But I think this one can be enjoyed a bit, sell it and let the next guy worry about. 

The amount of time and money involved in re-commissioning  this to "driver" status and then putting 7-8,000 miles on it minimum would make for an enjoyable time. It's gonna leak a lot of every fluid onboard. Tires, hoses, brake components, etc. To me then it's worth more than present condition even with up to 9,900 miles showing on the odometer........which I still don't put any faith in.

[STEVE POLLARD]

Just an update.......

 

[Hudsy Wudsy]

I worked in the lube bay of a Chevrolet dealership when this car was new. As I recall, this was a very popular color. I remember seeing Chev trucks with GMC horn buttons.

[STEVE POLLARD]

It's back on the market....

 

 

 

[rocketraider]

I was afraid that car would end up in the hands of a flipper.

 

Can about promise it will leave the US.

[TAKerry]

Not sure why people look at a 'flipper' like they stole the candy from a baby. Its called capitalism. A zillion people had a chance to buy this car when it was auctioned off, one guy did and now hes selling it. If he gets the asking price then so be it. No one is forcing anyone to buy it. I see no difference than a dealer buying used cars at dealer only auctions and then selling them for a profit.

[kar3516]

On 7/31/2022 at 4:12 PM, sfair said:

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.

In 1983 I bought an original matching numbers 1970 Nova SS 396 375 hp 4 speed car with 3.73 12 bolt posi.  It had 350 engine emblems on the fenders.  The previous owner said he installed them before he showed the car to his insurance agent.  Said it saved him a considerable amount of money.  The car is long gone but I never forgot that one example of how incorrect engine emblems get installed 

[Frank DuVal]

2 hours ago, TAKerry said:

Not sure why people look at a 'flipper' like they stole the candy from a baby.

The people do not like when a "flipper" steals a car at a very low price and then reaps a high profit, such as offing a very low price to a widow or fellow club member. This is clearly not the case here. As you say it was advertised in a world wide market, everyone had a chance.

[8E45E]

4 hours ago, TAKerry said:

Not sure why people look at a 'flipper' like they stole the candy from a baby. Its called capitalism. A zillion people had a chance to buy this car when it was auctioned off, one guy did and now hes selling it. If he gets the asking price then so be it. No one is forcing anyone to buy it. I see no difference than a dealer buying used cars at dealer only auctions and then selling them for a profit.

What makes it unfair in Canada is if a dealer buys it to resell, he MUST charge sales tax (GST) on it, where a private seller does not.  There should be no reason a dealer has to charge the 5% tax on it, as taxes were already paid on it when it was first sold new.

 

Craig

[TAKerry]

5 hours ago, 8E45E said:

What makes it unfair in Canada is if a dealer buys it to resell, he MUST charge sales tax (GST) on it, where a private seller does not.  There should be no reason a dealer has to charge the 5% tax on it, as taxes were already paid on it when it was first sold new.

 

Craig

In my state (MD) we pay taxes (6%) on the car via license plate registration, regardless of how many times the car has been sold and taxed before.

[joe_padavano]

6 hours ago, 8E45E said:

What makes it unfair in Canada is if a dealer buys it to resell, he MUST charge sales tax (GST) on it, where a private seller does not.  There should be no reason a dealer has to charge the 5% tax on it, as taxes were already paid on it when it was first sold new.

 

Craig

How is that the dealer's fault?

[TAKerry]

To reiterate on my previous post, its not the seller paying tax, its the buyer.

 

I for one would not pay the current asking price for this car, but I am sure there is a collector of low mileage cars out there that will pay the premium. 

[EmTee]

Low miles notwithstanding, it's still an Impala.  The current asking price is quite aggressive.  The person who buys this car will be someone who had an attachment to a similar car in their youth and will justify paying a premium by reckoning that restoring a similar car to that condition will undoubtedly cost more...

[8E45E]

2 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

How is that the dealer's fault?

Where did I say it was the dealer's fault?

 

Craig

[joe_padavano]

20 minutes ago, 8E45E said:

Where did I say it was the dealer's fault?

 

Craig

This whole thread has devolved into dumping on the "flipper" dealer.

[SC38dls]

If he paid for it and has the title he can do whatever he wants to with it. If it sells for that price he’s one hell of a salesman. If it sits forever and doesn’t sell but rust away he’s an idiot. I would not even bother to look at that car at that price but that’s my right. This is a country with individual rights so enjoy it 

dave s 

[Marty Roth]

On 7/31/2022 at 5:08 PM, John348 said:

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

 

On 7/31/2022 at 4:59 PM, 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! 

Saving up for my fiance's engagement ring in mid-to-late 1968 and early 1969, I worked a second job with Anchor Motor Freight, at the Linden, NJ GM Buick-Oldsmobile, Pontiac (B-O-P) assembly plant across from Linden Airport on US-1. On e of my assignments was to drive cars off the assembly line (called the "Gate") and into lines to later be transported to another lot across the highway (another assignment) to be loaded onto transporter semi trucks.

 

The number of errors was not astronomical, but there surely were some notable ones:

1. The Electra with no linkage between the gas pedal and the carburetor

2. The Olds 98 with no steering wheel

3. A Pontiac where the shift lever came off in my lap

..... and several more over a period of time.

 

Those were quickly pulled off the gate and moved to a quick-repair area

 

Later, moving a group of cars to the other lot behind the airport to be loaded on the trucks, other anomalies were also noted, but those would be be addressed by the receiving dealership.

[STEVE POLLARD]

30 minutes ago, Marty Roth said:

Those were quickly pulled off the gate and moved to a quick-repair area

Marty - what was the old saying, "Don't buy a car that was built on a Monday or Friday "   lol

[Marty Roth]

12 minutes ago, STEVE POLLARD said:

Marty - what was the old saying, "Don't buy a car that was built on a Monday or Friday "   lol

Steve,

 

The brand new 1982 Buick Century Limited I bought straight off the lot must surely have been started on a Friday, damaged, and repaired on a Monday. 

The hood and trunk Metallic Silver paint was "mottled", 

The electric radiator fan/relay worked when it felt like it

Multiple other issues ensued, and the local dealership was of little help

[STEVE POLLARD]

20 minutes ago, Marty Roth said:

Multiple other issues ensued, and the local dealership was of little help

Marty - Years ago while working at IBM, there was a new employee that started, he previously worked on the line at the Chevrolet Plant in Tarrytown, NY. He told me if I was to buy a new car, I was to order it as to compared to buying it off the lot. He said that those cars that were special ordered were tagged as they went through the line...more attention to detail was given. Not sure how true this was. I order a new truck in 1994 from another manufacture.....had engine issues with less than 20k miles on it.

[Marty Roth]

2 hours ago, STEVE POLLARD said:

Marty - Years ago while working at IBM, there was a new employee that started, he previously worked on the line at the Chevrolet Plant in Tarrytown, NY. He told me if I was to buy a new car, I was to order it as to compared to buying it off the lot. He said that those cars that were special ordered were tagged as they went through the line...more attention to detail was given. Not sure how true this was. I order a new truck in 1994 from another manufacture.....had engine issues with less than 20k miles on it.

Steve,

 

During my earliest IBM days within SDD at the 705/706 building complex in Poughkeepsie, the January - March 1967 road salt was so severe that I left my "good" car in Jersey and drove my 1960 Valiant V-200 beater back and forth to my apartment in Pleasant Valley, and then back to Linden on weekends. Rusty trunk floor quickly ensued.

Being transferred to the Time & Life Building in Mid-Town Manhattan for the next year+, commuting was by Pennsy-RR, Express bus, or carpool so there was no need for a newer car, even after being reassigned to a Wall Street project. next, headed to New Orleans in March, 1969, I special-ordered the 1969 Pontiac Custom"S" based on the Tempest, without the LeMans "Frou-Frou" but including several GTO items, Power Disk brakes and steering, F-41/F-40 suspension, Posi-rear, extra foam in seating, upgraded Hydra-Matic M-400?, Pontiac (not Chevy 350), 4-bbl V-8 with 6 qt oil capacity, dual exhausts, Rallye clock, interior upgrade, and several more. I wasn't able to get to FRamingham, Mass for the build, but was told by a friend at the plant that it was flagged for "Spec Attention" alllll the way through assembly. The Poncho spent many years here in Big-Easy, Ft Wayne, Richmond, VA, and back to Cajun Country, many of them either rallying and/or pulling boat and car trailers. at well over 400,xxx miles we gave it to a friend who for unexplained reasons abandoned it in coastal Florida and (he) was never heard from again. The car sat in a compound yard for years until the local Sheriff's office contacted me, offering it back to me at no storage charge. Instead, I gave it to the deputy there who was restoring a GTO and needed the dash, mileage minder speedo, low-fuel light, clock (still functional !) driveline (still smooth and with great oil pressure without ever being rebuilt after more than 400,xxx miles), and some other hard to find original parts. We had replaced the windshield with a 1970-spec version with the imbedded radio antenna.

 

Yes, some special order models appear to get priority treatment.

Mine thought it could live forever.

Edited November 17, 2022 by Marty Roth (see edit history)

[STEVE POLLARD]

46 minutes ago, Marty Roth said:

During my earliest IBM days within SDD at the 705/706 building complex in Poughkeepsie,

email sent Marty

[STEVE POLLARD]

On 7/29/2022 at 3:34 PM, joe_padavano said:

The heavy surface rust under the hood suggests that it has not been stored in a climate-controlled environment

I just saw the pictures of the bottom side... rust

 

[TAKerry]

I would almost expect as much, def would not give the asking price with that mess!