The Impala Super Sport was introduced as a limited-run performance car in 1961. In 1962, the emphasis shifted from muscle to style and sales skyrocketed. Enough so that the Impala SS became a series of its own beginning in 1964. This ’64 SS appears to be the real deal, has a 283 V8, and was restored about 10 years ago. In beautiful condition, it’s in Pompano Beach, Florida, and being offered by a dealer here on eBay where the bidding has reached $20,388, but the reserve has not.
Except for the first year, you could get virtually any Chevy engine in an Impala Super Sport, even an inline-six. The seller’s car has the 283 workhorse V8 under the hood and it appears to be stock. It’s partnered with a Muncie M21 4-speed manual transmission that could be a change from new, but we’re not told. The indicated mileage is 40,000 but considering that a restoration was done a decade ago, that could be 140,000 or the starting point once the project was completed.
About 155,000 Impala Super Sports were built in 1964, a 50% increase in just two years. The VIN seems to check out as this being a factory SS, including all the appropriate badging and the bucket seats with console. Known changes from factory specs are the addition of an aftermarket stereo system and vintage air conditioning with R134E refrigerant.
The body and paint look extremely nice. But the way the car is sitting, it may have been lowered when the restoration was undertaken. This Chevy has no doubt been pampered since all this took place as the work looks as though it was finished yesterday, not in 2012. Given this automobile’s condition and modifications, how high would you go to take this Impala home?
Obviously, this site sure stirs up some ghosts for me, like the bicycle post, but my 1st girlfriend just out of HS, her name was Cheryl, and she had a bronze ’64 , 2 door Impala similar to this. It was her dads car, not a SS, or a 4 speed, bench seat, it was a big car. She was just a little thing, and had to sit on pillows to drive it. She traded the car in on a Datsun 1200. It was going from one extreme to the other. That’s what happened to so many of these cars, with the gas crisis, and influx of Asian cars, all these big cars were traded, and since nobody wanted them, adorned the “back row”, eventually being junked, and the motor went into a Nova. Again, great find, I’d gladly take a Powerglide these days,,and I wonder whatever happened to Cheryl?
Nice car, except for that steering wheel. Someone put it back in the cheesy conversion van from which it came.
4 speed and AC 283 ? Odd
That is after market A/C
Quote: “It’s partnered with a Muncie M21 4-speed manual transmission that could be a change from new, but we’re not told.”
The 4-speed wasn’t offered with the 283 — you had to step up to at least the 327 for that. So yes, it’s a change from new.
No, those light duty Saginaws did not show up until 1966 In late ’62 through 1965 you got a small counter shaft, aluminum case Muncie. If it has a iron case, somebody changed it.
Don’t know about ’64 but a weird friend of mine ordered a ’67 Chevelle conv. with a bench seat and a 283 4 speed. He bought the 4 gear since he didn’t know how to drive 3 on the tree. (He learned driving a Coke truck one summer, a job his well connected dad got him.) At the time I had a new ‘9 impala with a 3 speed and I had to teach him how to shift it.
Back in 68 I bought a 67 Malibu with a 283 , 4 spd ,buckets and a console. It had manual steering and brakes and had just come back to the dealer after a 1 year lease. According to the salesman it was leased by a travelling salesman who ordered it that way to get better gas mileage.
Already gone!
OK, I know I may sound like the party pooper here however there are some issues to point out.
First, trunk floor has been patched with plain sheet metal as it’s missing the OE profiles – no biggie as it’s invisible under the mats. Next, lower dashboard is crudely painted to say the least. Seller has been kind enough to provide us with 62 pics yet none of them shows cowl tag which would reveal what tranny it was born with; 4spd = ‘L’ in the accessory group 2. Judging by the incorrect pedals I suspect it started life as a PG car. It’s a lowly optioned SS so it’d be surprising if 1st owner opted for the 4spd. Unless collar or column is swapped it cannot have been a 3spd. The AC conversion is not the prettiest I’ve seen. It’s definately dropped up front and there’s very little room left for the front end to move freely – almost looks like RH adjusting sleeve+ idler arm has scratched frame already, and coil looks like it’s been heated. The PS control valve, slave cyl and hoses look suspiciously clean; these always sweat and there are obviously droplets on the ground under this clean assy. And then the fuel routing/filter location is not a very clever solution…
I like the car and particularly the Saddle interior however it will require improvements to make it a safe ‘pala
Spotted one of those old school coil blocks in the back. The ones that would come out if you hit a bump really hard.
Good catch😁 You know; I like how the front sits low but any alterations to an X-frame’s ride height can (and should) be done with drop spindles and a set of quality springs to ensure sufficient suspension travel and preserve geometry… That’s not even expensive and quality parts are easily available
Sold, $24,883.00. I hope the new owner had a chance to read all of the above comments before making that last bid!
Nope, no sale. Reserve Not Met.
Where do you find that info? I look at the ebay ad and all I see is “Bidding has ended on this item”.
Gordo, You have to click on the picture of the item for sale and it opens up to the original auction page.
From there, it will tell you what the Current (Last) bid was and if it was Sold or Reserve Not Met.
I’m not sure why they can’t just put that information on the main page.
PRA4SNW Thanks for the instructions, now I see it and yes, strange they don’t put it right up from on the first page.
I would have rather seen a chain steering wheel on this almost lowrider.
And a “Love Machine” window.