The two best-selling cars of 1965 had to be the Ford Mustang (559,000 copies) and the Chevy Impala (803,000 units). They appealed to different audiences with the youth market going to the Mustang and the family market going to the Impala. But that doesn’t mean the Impala couldn’t be sporty, like this Sport Coupe with a 327 cubic inch V8 and a 4-speed manual transmission. Located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, this Chevy is available here on eBay where the opening bid is for $20,000. But no one has bitten yet, perhaps due to a minimal description and only five photos.
Chevrolet would go on to build more than one million full-size cars in 1965, including Biscaynes, Bel Airs, Caprices, station wagons, and the ever-popular Impala. The Sport Coupe was likely the best-selling body style, making it one of the most attractive automobiles to come out of Detroit that decade. Engine choices ranged from an inline-6 up to a 396 big-block V8, with the 327 being a good middle ground. We don’t know if this is a matching numbers car, but you could get a factory 4-speed in those days.
It appears as though the seller has owned this Chevy for about three years, and it’s driven mostly on the weekends. The claimed mileage is 134,000, so the odometer must be on its second time around. It’s said to be a good-running vehicle that sports a new set of tires on Rally Wheels (didn’t they come out in 1967?). Too bad there are no pics under the hood. And, is it just me, or does the car look to be higher off the ground in the front?
The body and paint look good enough, though there appears to be a blotch in the center of the hood. If the finish is original, then it’s mighty nice for being 60 years old. What we see of the interior looks more than adequate, suggesting this could be a turnkey car for your own weekend outings. But little else is known about the Impala, which is also camera-shy.
Prime low rider material.
Your usual intelligent comment
Well Jack(off), I suppose that is one way to say you don’t completely agree with Taco.
Gracias Señor Jack!
De nada señor Taco. Que más te puedo decir? Estoy siempre en contra con la gente que quiere modificar nuestros clásicos
Wow I love this car. Not dented, not rusted, chrome is straight, good interior. Looks like it needs nothing and I don’t mind the paint damage on the hood. There’s a lot of good on this car!
CT Dave
It’s a beauty all right. I’d drive that every day.
Yeah. Real nice car. That shifter boot looks like it belongs on the floor of a Peterbuilt
Big block coil springs?
Possibly..and that splotch on the hood says past carburetor fire. Still, the car looks very good.
No engine pics. Thing’s riding awful high with a supposed 327 sitting in the bay. I’m I wrong?
There’s a good reason Chevy sold a million full-size 65s. They took an already-popular model, updated everything and made it even more attractive. As far as this car goes, even with its flaws here and there, I’d be proud to own it.
What year did they use in “Supernatural”, a 67? Of course that was a four door HT. Still, a sharp car, but why would they use that and not one like this? Of course, through those 15 wonderful seasons they had many a person in the back seat, and a two door might have been cumbersome. I bet the producer had one like it in high school, hence the choice. Just a wild guess, but as good as any other I reckon.
My guess is that they used a four door because the car was featured in a lot of scenes with passengers, making it easier for them to get in and out of the car.
The ’67 four door hardtop had classic coupe lines.
In the mid 70’s my oldest two brothers junked one of these in the same color. It had no motor or tranny but it had 327 badges on the fenders and the console with the 4 speed pattern in it still between the bucket seats. I would guess that it had title issues and someone bought it for the motor and tranny and sold the body to my brothers. A lot of great cars got squished back in those days for maybe 20 bucks a ton
It’s not hard to understand why Chevrolet sold so many Impalas (around 1.1 – 1.2 million, when Impala SS and an unknown number of wagons are included). They were low-priced cars that did not look like low-priced cars. This one looks to be a very nice, driver-quality car. There are a few curious details, though. It’s wearing Impala SS trunk trim, and it appears nearly all the finish has worn off the steering wheel, but for some reason, the steering column is also black.
The Impala is sitting pretty “proud” all around, not just the front. First thought was new springs, but that’s not it. Looks like suspension is old, if not original. Nice car though. Needs the trunk finished after someone replaced the pan and I’d source some correct wheel covers and pinstripe whites and get rid of the rallyes and RWL, but personal choices aside, it has a desirable drivetrain and looks to be in decent condition to clean up while you drive and enjoy it.
They came with 409’s also! I had one with a four speed and A/C. There are pictures of the engine, 327. Ad says $20,000.00 or best offer over, IE: No reserve. I like it and I am watching it.
Interesting. I thought that they came with the 6, the 283, 327, and 396. It makes sense that the 409 would also be available since they introduced it only a few years earlier.
The 409 was only available during the early year model run.
IMO this is the pinnacle of Chevrolet’s design team, and even better in the convertible version. I was never a Tri-5 guy and they did what all US auto manufacturers did to the 65 in the 66 and later versions of this body style…they had to make changes that detracted from the beauty of this design. I’m no M-B fan, but at least they kept a nice body style for a number of years without obvious changes (was it the 156 body..early 70s 250 sedan?). The 66 took away the lovely 3 round rear lights and the 67 looked bigger and cheaper. The 65 was perfection and they couldn’t let it alone. Ford did the same thing with the gorgeous 67 in 68…made a mess. SMH. Who approved it? Just dumb.
Ooops, I meant the 57 Ford ruined with the 58 version.
I’ll take the raised stance anyday over that lowrider west coast crap,just me. Loved this body style and the 6 taillights. Had one with a factory big block when I was a young man,many years ago. Good day
I like the proud stance on this solid looking 1965 Impaa SS. looks solid and I would prefer this look compared to that west coast low rider vibe. Had a big block 65 SS Impala when I was young and that was a long time ago. Rest in Piece John Kraman from Mecum auctions. Good day
Remember a 65 SS reef turquoise convertible on my paper route that I always thought was the coolest car in town! Irony considering Dad was local Olds-Cadillac dealer! I still love those triple bullet taillights.
I live in LC and would like to see your car.
Jim
5756352072
(I GOT MY PHONE NUMBER WRONG THE FIRST TIME.
Taco(‘s) and CERVEZA ! :)
Very nice car!!! There are engine pictures on the e-bay add.
I absolutely adore ’65 Impalas, and this one has a lot to like. In my opinion the 300 horse 327 was one of the best non “high performance” motors made and when paired the an M -20 4 speed even a big car like this would scoot pretty good. If I had this car I would buff it out, take a few inches out of the suspension (not low rider inches), definitely keep the Rally’s, and maybe strap a Sun Super tach on the steering column, and presto, you have a pretty neat weekend cruiser,
I don’t think that is the original trunk lid. The trim doesn’t match the trim on the rear fenders and when I enlarged the photo, it looks like it says Impala SS.
Don’t know about the trunk (didn’t see what you saw), but the hood sits kind of funny on the left side and it has that strange paint defect in the middle (someone suggested a carb fire….maybe). It does stand tall overall for some reason…incorrect coil spring replacements? Oversize shocks? Auction appears over with 0 bids.
I am a little, no a lot surprised that no one submitted a bid on this. While 20K is a little much, it is a pretty nice car, and it is infinitely better than many others that are listed on BF.
I noticed that also, it is an SS deck lid.