The term time capsule is overused, and I know that I probably say it too often, too. But, dang it, sometimes it just fits – this is one of those cases. This 1976 Chevrolet Impala is a ridiculously nice time capsule. And, as you can see, it’s a two-door so hopefully the two-doors-too-many folks will give it a second look. It’s listed on eBay with only 8 hours left on the auction! There is no reserve and the current bid price is up to $12,999! If you have a $13,000 budget and somehow the stars align, you’re in luck! This perfect-looking Impala is located in Woodbury, New Jersey. The seller has a $19,900 price listed in the description but there is no reserve so it will sell for less than that, unless there’s a last-minute sniping-surge.
This is such a gorgeous car, at least condition-wise. I know that a lot of us prefer older Impalas, and this 19-foot long behemoth is almost a foot longer than the smaller-but-still-huge Impalas that replaced it for the 1977 model year. But, come to think of it, millions of people commute with huge pickups every day, so maybe 19-feet isn’t really that long after all. I’m just used to 10-15 foot long vehicles.
The condition of this car is both gor-gor and cray-cray, to quote someone stuck in a 2014 catch-phrase mindset. The seller has included a lot of great photos, you’ll have to check out the auction link at your own peril, especially if you’ve been looking for what could be the nicest example of the last year for the fifth-generation “real” (according to many) Impalas left on the globe. With only 14,534 miles on this baby, it really is as close to being like new as you’ll probably find.
Being selfish, I wish this would have been a red interior, but it’s drop-dead perfect in black, too. The trunk? Like new, as expected. I don’t really see a flaw in this car, even on the many detail photos that are provided by this great seller. Even underside photos, nice! And, speaking of great photos and plenty of them, this seller gets a huge gold star from ol’ SG for providing so many great photos!
As you expected, the engine is of the spoon-and-fork variety, as in you could eat off of this one. Wow. This is a 350 V8 which should have had around 150 hp. By this time, even the 454 only had 225 hp so the days of huge horsepower ratings would be over with for a couple of decades. Have any of you owned one of these last of the big Impalas?
Is it just me or does it look like the doors and front clip are a different shade then the back half? Partial repaint due to collision damage or I really need better glasses.
You’re right Brad, the paint is kinda “Jenkey”. Sorry Scotty, for being “stuck” in 2014.
Exactly my thoughts.
In the 70s, the bodies were made and finished at the Fisher body plant, while the front clip was made and finished elsewhere, the were mated at the body drop. This made it difficult to totally match the metallic colors as the spray angles didn’t match to the flakes of metal were slightly different. You will find it in some 80s GMs as well. The way the flakes lay would alter the apparent color in different lights and angles. I got this info at the GM training center. One of my jobs in service at a Buick dealer was approving paint issues.
Same thing i was gonna say…..paint doesnt look right
It’s not just you. I see the apparent mismatch as well. I’m also concerned because there appears to be some fit issues with the passenger door in the door frame as well. The gaps appear a bit strange.
I had the misfortune of buying one these heaps, it had a 307 in it , gutless wonder! pig on gas! just goes to prove gm forgot how to build cars after 1970 is why there will never be one in my yard ever!!
I believe the base engine in ’76 was a 350 ? The 305 came along in ’77
I was thinking as I looked at this car, what the comments might be? I thought how could you say anything negative about this car, even if you have no interest in it. But the first comment out of the box is, it has probably been wrecked. REALLY! I saw the shade difference too, maybe the photo, maybe the paint on this car is 41 years old and its a metallic silver, or its been touched up “Quien Sabe” I think its a great car and if I could , I would own it wrecked or not, or anything else the experts can find wrong with it
This is one of those cars that I’m glad exists but I wouldn’t necessarily want to own myself. It’s a cool historical piece but it won’t be particularly fun to drive once the novelty wears off. And given the mileage, you wouldn’t want to drive it all that much anyway, much less modify it for acceptable power. So what do you do with it?
I agree the paint looks a little wonky on the photos but that could be for a variety of reasons, ranging from poor factory quality to lighting. Silver was a particularly difficult color back in the day. I would still want to see it in person to be sure it hasn’t been smacked before springing 13 large.
To me that seems like a lot of money and brings up the dilemma of super low mileage cars. If you drive this and enjoy it, its value is going to decrease exponentially. Personally, if I was hot for one of these mid-70s barges, I would get one in the 50,000-100,000 mile range for about half to a third of the money so I wouldn’t have to worry.
The shade difference is the photo. The car is super duper clean! “The experts” LOL! I have owned many cars in my lifetime, this one of the cleanest at 41 years old.
My father had both a 1972 and 1974 Impala 2 door. The ’72 still had operational rear side windows but by ’74 they had become fixed like the feature car. They were both very good cars that rode and drove well. The ’74 went to my brother in 1981 when I gave my dad my four year old F150.
If I had space to store it I’d love to have this one. Just think… a 1970’s full size GM car that the derby crowd hasn’t wrecked. That’s rare.
It certainly appears the rear quarter and the door don’t match. It now sits on Dunlop’s as well. It wasn’t in a museum. Regardless, it certainly is a wonderful example of this generation. I believe the front clip is actually from the Caprice, with a different grill. The sport coupe was discontinued at some point and then the big “B” pillar and a fixed rear window. Take this on the highway and cruise all day without feeling beat up. I am glad I got to enjoy these on the interstate. We had several Impalas. Great cars from a time when things were viewed differently. My view has changed little.
Actually, this was during that two model year window where the Impala got the prior year Caprice’s front end. This has the 1975 Caprice front end. The 1976 Caprice had square headlights. Similarly, the 1975 Impala had the 1974 Caprice front end.
The only flaws in this car were designed-in.
i would say the chances are high that there has been some body work done here. the door gaps on both sides are large and the gap between the top of the door and the front quarter in the 7th picture in the advertisement is unbelievably large for a non-accident car. this was not the era of fit and finish for gm but even to my eyes that gap is a tell tale sign.
still i am amazed at how good this body style looks in light grey. the black interior is unusual as most impalas of this vintage copy the exterior color for the interior (learned to drive on a ’72 green on green on green impala – yuck!)
Amazing.
I had one of these a few years back that a guy gave me for his bar bill. (A couple hundred bucks)
I sold it about a year later for $2800 and thought I was making a killing. Mine was a light yellow with tan interior.
I like this combination a lot more.
As far as the gaps are concerned, it looks to me that it has protectors on the rear edge of the door. Am I the only one who sees that?
Yes it does, took them off. Car is in amazing condition.
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Holy black helicopters!!! WOW… pick pick pick… Plenty of reasons. for shade difference, does not mean that it was a wreck…. Door gaps ARE typical of the era… Everything else points to a nice old car.It is a plain jane Impala with base 350 and auto plus A/C… roll up windows, standard mirrors and no rubber strip on bumpers. The front is definitely Impala, NOT Caprice… Nice old car… Nothing fancy, great entry level car is all… Now land the helicopters… over and out..
Thanks bill d, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Dull then. Dull now. No options, Kmart specs. Yeah, it’s the nicest one left. But they weren’t very nice in that spec. I’ll pass.
It is just a very nice car wish it were mine.
Color difference maybe. Wrecked hard doubt it.
And it’s no different today especially gray cars. Plastic bumper to fenders front and back are almost always way off.
I’m still saying this and a one car garage didn’t get along. Hence the paint work.
Love the condition – hideous car – but a product of its generation – excellent find boys
The only thing I see “wrong” with this beauty is the wonky pinstripe job! It should have been on the body line that runs from front fender to back quarter, just above the door handle. Not as beautiful (IMO) as the 71-73! :-)
I’d rather spend my money on a Caprice for the 1976 model year. More options and better styling plus I can get a damn armrest in a Caprice..Chevy didnt believe in personal luxury refinement in the early 70’s such as a little armrest Chevy would put an armrest in a 76 Malibu coupe but the 76 Monte Carlo had the standard dual flat bench seat and the Monte Carlo was a better seller…Go figure
I agree right side shut lines fender & door are off do not fit good . The front after market body molding does not align in the front either. Right fender removed for paint then poorly put back on…..
I really prefer the 74 caprice with that massive grill, comfy interior, and standard small block 400 (which I thought put out 150 hp?).
This generation Impala/Caprice is simply beautiful when they are in this condition. Whats amazing to me though is just how awful they look when they are tired and worn out. I can see through the rust, wear and tear on many older cars, not these!
I’ve owned 2 1973 impala s at different times during the 80s. Both coupes, and they were both sweet rides. Loved them both and they served me well.
1976 was the final year for the full-size cars having that big GM-Frigidaire A/C compressor.
It is odd to see one without the vinyl top, one without was very rare. My mom had a 1972 Caprice with a 400, and you green haters, yes it was green; dark green with medium green vinyl top and green interior, and I thought it was beautiful. I just never cared for the dash on this car much; much preferred the dash of my dad’s 1971 Ford LTD at the time (which later became mine). The Caprice was the first car we ever had with AM/FM stereo radio, power windows and fender skirts.
Had one, Caprice Classic 350 4bbl Automatic with air, 4dr maroon, maybe 19′ long but it was 6’10” wide across the front bumper. What a ride, it just floated down the highway. The trunk was so big you could hide an SUV in it. Got 25 MPH on the Prairies cruising at about 60 mph.
Sold at $13,099.
Back up for sale at 19.5
I had a 75 tudor It had been wrecked and completely painted an emron metallic brown. It was a terrific car and had about as much trunk space as a new pickup. Mine had cruze as well. Driving across Western Kansas the day before Thanksgiving abunch of years ago in a Volvo which layed down on me. A local towed me into a little town ,I got a room, the next day he came, picked me up took me to his family Thanksgiving dinner. After which he called his friend who owned the 75 Chevy we made a deal and I headed west in me “new” Chevy. Never looking back and never owned another Volvo.
Love it. Here’s my ’71 Caprice 2 door with a 402 I purchased earlier this year. It was partially restored some time ago. The interior was reupholstered to an 80’s velour, carpet color changed, and Buick chrome rallys. The body and chrome on the car is stunning. I’ve put on new tires and Corvette rallys and had the front suspension rebuit. I took apart the dashboard and cluster abd cleaned out the years of what tobacco will do. It needs a new dash pad but as you know, those are big big bucks so for now I’m adding a new dash cover. Next up is restoring the interior to the original Sandalwood color deluxe seat covers, carpet, and headliner. Mine isn’t quite as original as this Impala but it will look better than new when I’m done with it.
Good looking car! Yes, getting that tobacco out is a tough job. Got my mother’s 1984 Oldsmobile after she died and took awhile to get the smoke cleaned off velour seats, windows and dash. Never even tried to get it out of the headliner.
14, 534 miles original, I doubt it, to say the least! A nice shape 114, 534 mile car, st best! My reasons are; no mention of how pristine the interior is and if it still smells new, undercarrige does not present as new, mis matched paint, small dry rot area by drivers armrest, gold cad on brake booster weathered off, coolant bootle aged yellow from repeated use and on and on! I have sat in and driven cars over 40 years of age with under 15,000 miles and they still look, feel and smell new! Pity the purchaser of this car for 13k plus
my mom had a 76 caprice that i inherited. it was a rust bucket because it had a landau roof and rusted at the trim. holes so big you could put your hands thru them. it was also a gas pig with that gutless 350.
Man. I can think of a zillion better ways to spend 13 grand. Like 13 Pintos.
Reminds me of my buddy’s 75 Delta 88 2 door – maybe built on the same body?
Best back seat around for drive-in movie adventures. I would trade my Camaro for his car on those special nights.
I owned a 76 Caprice in the early 80’s. It had all the options and rode like a Caddi. I drove it across Canada and ended up doing a trade to an older lady for her 62 Impala rag top that she was still her daily driver. Wish I still had both !!!!!
My favorite. But way too much money for me.
You guys are funny. Well the ones that said it is not a low mile survivor. I bought the car and the paint is original and not missed match. The pictures do not do this car any justice. For the guy that said it looks like a 114,000 mile car, you are wrong.I doubt you know much about cars, as pictures can be deceiving. Some of you seem like Debbie downers! Love the car!
I read all the comments and couldn’t believe how much automatic negativity many of them contained. But that’s no matter, I am happy you gained a beauty that you are happy with! I just wanted to say that this is an exact match to the ‘76 Impala that I cut my 16-year-old, new driver teeth on and I have such fond memories of the many miles and experiences that I added to it. I wish you nothing but happiness with this car, but wish it was in my own back yard! LOL. Enjoy!
Congratulations! Thanks for sharing your purchase, did they accept the 13k or did it take a little more…???