This is a heck of a project for someone with some talent and a love for Chevy SS’s’s’s’s… This is a 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS and it’ll need a chunk-o-work, as you can see. But, for you resto-mod guys and gals, this one is probably for you. It’s listed on eBay with a day left on the auction and bids reaching $4,800 so far. This one is located in Ortonville, Minnesota – and I’m very jealous of that great garage/shop!
$4,800 for a black (formerly Ermine White) Impala SS?! What gives, SG? Well, it’s funny that you should ask. You know that loud, oily thing under the hood? Those spinning things that usually smell like gas and go vroom-vroom when you step on that long, rubber pedal thingy on the driver’s side floor? Yeah, that thing is missing on this car, unfortunately. Let’s all breathe a collective sigh and try to move on. Hey, hopefully we all have our health, and it’s the weekend.. and (I’m trying to think of other positive things)..
But, on a positive note, look at the body on this car! It’s in fairly nice condition. I would definitely bring it back to bone-stock spec, sans the original numbers-matching oily thingy.. but there’s a lot of goodness here despite the missing engine. You can tell that there’s been bodywork done on this one, but if you can’t find replacement parts for this car than, dang it, you’re just plain lazy! You can probably find the OEM air for the tires for these cars, just about every part and piece has been reproduced aplenty. Some parts of the car look really good and overall it does look like a solid example that’s from Arizona, according to the seller. It was made in Southgate, California so hopefully the rust is at a minimum.
More positive notes here, the interior looks much nicer than the body does. You can see the cracks on the dash and a lot of things that “need replaced”, as the kids say in 2017. Those cord-velour-like seats don’t look original, but the seats do look good front and rear. The carpet had to have been replaced at some point. The next owner will most likely strip this thing like (insert un-pc phrase here) and totally redo the interior anyway, after fixing and coating the floor and putting down some Dynamat. You can see that there is an automatic transmission – that was originally a two-speed-slip-and-slide, or officially, a Powerglide, which is sitting in the trunk. The rustier-than-what-I-would-have-thought-an-Arizona-trunk-would-look-like trunk.
Here’s the holier than thou hole in this dream car. This car had a V8 according to the numbers “14” being the second and third digits of the VIN. It could have been the base engine, a Turbo-Fire 283 V8 with 195 hp (that would be my guess), a 250 hp or 300 hp 327 V8, or, the one that everyone wants: a 409 V8 with either 340 hp, 400 hp, or 425 hp! Talk about vroom-vroom! Remember when car companies gave all sorts of cool options like that? Dang. How would you restore this car? White? Black? Automatic? 4-speed? Original-spec? Resto-mod? Low Rider? So many choices, so little time.
Not a big chevy guy, but always liked the looks of these cars, I think just to be different I throw a crate 5.0 in it, just see the reaction at local show
I agree. Something simple and stupid that will definitely get up and go.
Badgews a 283. I agree Bmac rebuild with a crate motor.
Crate with a cast iron Powerglide, and a shift kit, man!
P.S. Save on paint and just primer it with high build after sand blasting the whole thing. Chuck the seat covers and get reproduction covers. Oh, and use black primer!!!! ;)
Bob
A ford 460 with a little work could shoot that car right doen the road. Or even a 427. Big block for the ungodly torque see if you can get the fron tires weightless for a few seconds off of every stop sign and light.
Transplanting a ‘Ford 360’ into an Impala is an abomination worthy of excommunication for eternity, and grounds for a public lynching, or at least banishment from car blogs forever. Clearly, even the suggestion could be considered as ‘profanity’, or ‘political antagonism’, and a ‘personal attack’ against orthodox GM adherents like moi. ;)
Bob
4.3 and a 5 spd. out of an S-10
would shock em. Just saying😎
I’ve seen many 64 SS’s over the years, and even owned a couple. I have never seen cloth seats in any, so I agree they are likely not original. These bring back fond memories as I had a convertible when I got married. I would love to have this, but with all that’s needed to bring this even to stock condition, it’s already past what I’d be willing to pay.
Great write up…crazy people pay crazy prices. This poor puppy is destined to be further bastardized. But without the original mill what good is it to the original nuts like myself?
A Chevy LS Series small block V8 would look right at home under the hood. .
Chain link steering wheel, dingle balls, and a blue drivers door, and VOILA, Cheech’s “Love Machine”. ( the other ’64 was too nice)
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/UIS-Cropped-550×196.png
My sentiments exactly! LOL
Good call. I have one of those little chromed chain wheels.
Homer Simpson had one too.
https://matthewpury.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/7f12_005.jpg
Diesel anyone?
Perfect tribute to The Love Machine.
Purchased a 64 Impala SS for a winter rat many years ago for $125 and drove it for 2 years before selling. The body was perfect but it had a small hole in the passenger side floor and it burned a lot of oil. Wish I could have kept it.
I agree with John M an LS would be the best bang for the buck. Although an 09 is tempting if you have deep pockets however in the real world i’d probably build a 350hp 327 and dress it out to look like a stock 250 or 300 hp motor make the car look similar to the red & white car listed earlier and drive the wheel’s off off it. just saying
Located in Minnesota,land of year round salt on the roads.
Hey! We get a break from the salt in June and July.
Straight 6 with open pipes, daytons and dingleballs
All aluminum 409 boys! Shock the world!
My 1st (real) girlfriend just out of high school(’72-’73) had a car just like this. ( and like the other ’64), only not a SS. She was just a peanut of a thing, got it from her dad. She had to sit on pillows and it always looked so odd, this huge car, and this little peanut driving it. I just remember it being one of the most lack luster cars. 283, 2 barrel, powerglide, idiot lights, no carpet, bench seat, just a basic, BIG car. Then the gas crisis hit, and she traded it for a Datsun 1200 2 door.