If there is a potential drawback to writing for Barn Finds, it is that I keep coming across classic cars that I long to park in my garage. If money were no object, the garage in question would have to be the size of your average shopping mall parking lot. This 1967 Impala SS 396 is a case in point. It is an amazing and unmolested survivor that should offer impressive performance levels. It is remarkably well preserved, which is no surprise since it has a genuine 17,000 miles on its odometer. It is also a classic that needs a new home, so the owner has listed it for sale here on eBay. It is located in Kingston, Massachusetts, and the owner has set a BIN of $57,000 for the SS. It seems that I’m not alone in my feelings because seventy-five people are watching the listing.
Quite how this Impala has managed to accrue such a low mileage with fifty-four years under its belt is unclear, but the car is as original as the day that it rolled off the showroom floor. It has never received any restoration work, but its Madera Maroon paint still shines beautifully. It isn’t perfect because the owner identifies some checking on the hood and the tops of the front fenders. The rest appears to be in good order, while the same is true of the Black vinyl top. The panels are laser straight, with no dings and dents and no signs of any rust. The chrome shines as impressively as the paint, and it is refreshing to see that its owners have resisted the urge to fit aftermarket wheels. The original steelies wear their correct hubcaps, and they are wrapped in a new set of BF Goodrich tires. The glass appears flawless, and you can’t help but think that this SS would turn heads on the street or at a Cars & Coffee.
The Impala is a numbers-matching classic, and its drivetrain accentuates the original owner’s desire to place performance front-and-center of his purchase. The engine bay is occupied by a 396ci big-block that pumps out 325hp. Getting that power to the rear wheels falls to a four-speed manual transmission, while there is no power steering or power brakes to sap the precious horses. This is a car that should be capable of reducing the trip down the ¼ mile to a memory in 15.6 seconds. Proving that it isn’t a car with a sole focus on short bursts of acceleration, that 396 should run out of breath with the needle nudging 126mph. We’ve seen our share of low-mileage survivors over the years, but when you dig into the listing text, you find what helps this SS stand apart from the crowd. It has a genuine 17,000 miles on the clock, which is exceptional for a vehicle of this age. However, the owner claims that he has just treated this Impala to its first tune-up since it rolled off the line, taking it to the next level. He fitted new plugs, date-coded plug wires, a cap, points, and a rotor. He also decided to replace the heater hoses and lower radiator hose. He has retained all of the original components and includes them in the sale. He doesn’t indicate how well this classic runs or drives, but if it is in keeping with its overall condition, it should perform both feats as well as it did in 1967.
If the exterior of this survivor is impressive, the interior is more so. The original owner ordered it with black vinyl trim, bucket seats, a console with the shifter poking through for the four-speed, and a pushbutton AM radio. Describing the condition as “showroom” would not be stretching the truth. The upholstered surfaces are spotless, with no evidence of wear or physical damage. The dash is superb, while the bright trim items shine beautifully. The carpet shows no evidence of wear, and it has also avoided any fading problems. I do not doubt that climbing into this car would feel like slipping back in time to 1967, and I can’t see that as being a bad experience.
This 1967 Impala SS 396 is not perfect, but that doesn’t prevent me from wanting it parked in my garage. It presents exceptionally well for an unrestored survivor of this age, and the drivetrain and interior add to its desirability. The BIN is right at the top end of what you might expect to pay for a pristine example, and for some people, the few flaws could raise questions about the price. However, the minor cosmetic defects are more than offset by the originality and the incredible odometer reading. Seventy-five people are watching the listing, and I won’t be surprised if one of them hits the button. Of course, you might decide to beat them to the punch. If you do, I will envy you.
It’s wonderful and rare when someone 54 years ago knew their way around an option sheet! Fantastic car, The only hit is the grandma 396 but at least it’s a big block. Oh if they had only checked just one more box on that option sheet:
L72 425hp 427……….
@ Steve Weiman……Your referencing the L72 as an available option in ’67, is incorrect. As far as big blocks in ’67, only the L35 & L36 were listed. NO L72s made it into ’67 Chevy’s.
At least eleven 4-bolt main blocks were made with the proper ID marks for full-size Chevrolets.
“…there is a single, short paragraph in the bulletin that seems to casually mention, oh, by the way, the re-introduction of the L-72: ‘Special high performance Mark IV engines (425hp) cast-iron heads released as a regular production option (L-72) on Chevrolet series. Present indications are that the material will be available on 4-3-67 at the engine source.’
Translation: You can now begin accepting orders for L-72-equipped full-size cars through the standard ordering process and expect them to be delivered some time after April 3.”
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/one-of-1967-chevrolet-impala-ss-427
You are incorrect. 14 B-body Impalas made it out of the factory the first week in January 1967 before they only were installed in the corvette
If I was in the market for another old muscle Chevy, this would be it, but not at $57,000. I know they’re not building them anymore, but this isn’t a Chevelle SS L-78, it just isn’t.
Nailed it.
A ton of ask for this car. It does check a lot of boxes. But for most people searching out vintage 1960’s era rides, there would be many more vehicles at lower prices before this would be in serious consideration.
No It’s nicer =]
Had a black factory order special one of these with a 375 horse 396. Beautiful car, great driving car unless you were coming off the line from a standing start. Worst wheel hop of any muscle car I ever owned.
Love this car! You would have this kind of money in restoring one to this level. They’re only original once.
Actually more money than that. I am not sure about the $57K BUT I do know they are only original once, how many more like this one to you have to choose from??? (low miles, nice options, original = NOT many) and FINALLY someone put away a NICE COLOR that is NOT GREEN!! ( I like green but, well , you know).
Beautiful, but even if I were a younger man and in the market, I would never pay this kind of money for a 50 year old car. Goes against common sense, and in the near term economic reality, no economic sense at all either. Hope the buyer can afford the hit that is to come.
Well what’s a sentence spending that kind of money on a new car? As soon as you drive it off a lot you lose upwards about 20%! Buy an old car take a hit on money, maybe. But you know what happens? They bounce back. But then with the ever-shrinking value of the dollar: 52,000 can’t buy what it did yesterday! So why not buy a piece of yesterday and makes more memories tomorrow! We have along with others in the barn and it is a real barn, a four-door 1967 Bel Air with 22,000 miles! Dad bought it back in 1982. Also got a four-door hardtop Impala. White with blue interior and barn with a 327 power guide combo. can anybody say supernatural clone? Have a couple of 63 Impala ragtops. One I can’t remember the miles and the other one has 72,000 miles on it. Owned it since about 1985. It’s kind of scary how many cars like this there are out there.! The 67 hardtop coupe extremely nice looking car and probably near to being a class of its own!
they bounce back
It only has 17,000 miles because with manual steering and brakes, this car is probably a chore to drive in anything other than a straight line..
Beauty. Would be scared to drive it, a shopping cart might dent it!
I love to read all the excuses on why they would not buy this car. In reallity they do not have the money. I have a few of these big block four speeds and everyone was expensive, to buy or build so 60 grand in this market is realitive cheap. I would buy this over a new truck or other daily transportation. I know it is not the type of car to use to go get milk, or sit outside the town house. This is for the collector who enjoys cruise night, sunday drives and car shows. And some one will gladly pay that coin. Life isn.t fair but we all made choice of what we would become, but I do not belong to this site to hear your problems
I love looking at cars, and I like to hear others opinions about the car, not listen to the whiners complain about their lot in life.
Morley
It’s so refreshing to see your comment. Very honest. I hope that someone else with the same attitude buys it. It’s a time machine.
Nice car, who cares if its a 396 or 427. Its unmolested!
I never understood the small snorkel on that air cleaner for 396 Cu in @ 325 ponies!
Beat still my heart!!!
I well remember the days without power steering, love the car, but at 82 wise years of age, only P/W will do me now.
Worth every cent of the BIN!
Beautiful car !!!!! Always amazes me how many people like to pick things apart just tells me they cant afford it and try to criticize rather than compliment !!!
Great Car amazing condition . Hope you find an appreciative buyer !!!!Good Luck I’ll be watching this one for sure
Yeah cry babies with No money. No ps. WAWWW. While watching Mecum yesterday idiots were paying $100,000 for 68 Broncos. For my money, this was GMs best year ever quality wise so I would have $43,000 plus this car. I will take this.
👏🏽 Nicely stated Morley Brown. It’s all about the cars for myself as well. Continue to innovate not duplicate…
For more than half my life, a ’67 SS427 sat across from a playground half a mile from my house. It was bright red with no ghastly vinyl top, and of course it had the better-looking 427 hood, but otherwise very similar to this car including the 4-speed. The owner, who bought it new, pulled it out in the spring and put it away around Labor Day. In between, he would sit on his porch swing and smile and laugh when people attempted to purchase it. He turned down $12,500 in 1989, badly-faded paint and all–but no rust and no interior issues, original right down to the full wheelcovers. I never once saw the car in motion.
I did open the hood once and the dual-snorkel air cleaner said Turbo Jet/425HP. There was also a Tonawanda Engine “Built with Pride” decal on the rear window that I’ve never seen before or since. It also said “427/425HP”. It was a chrome foil decal with black overlay and *looked* original. If it was the real deal, it’s one of approximately 11 L72 full-size cars built in 1967.
I last saw the car in 1998 or ’99 through the garage window, and have never been able to find out what became of it.
Everyone of these (& there were only 7) L72s referred to here were “for-export” motors or marine use. As for a decal or a decal attesting to the alleged existence of said drivetrain…anybody can attach any kind of decal they so desire.
@ Paul Bellile…..
That’s false info. Only 7 specific L72s were produced were manufactured in ’67. ALL were for export or marine application. The only L72 EVER available in a Stingray was in 1966.