There are times when mere words don’t seem to be enough to do justice to a classic car. That is the case with this 1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible. It has just come off the back of a meticulous restoration, and its presentation is stunning. It raises the bar still further by featuring a Tri-Power 348ci V8 under the hood. It is set to go to a new home, so the owner has listed it for sale here on eBay. The Impala is located in Bee Spring, Kentucky, and while the bidding has reached $56,499, that figure remains short of the reserve.
We talk about the “wow” factor with cars here at Barn Finds, and this Rio Red Impala has it in spades. The paint shines as beautifully as you might expect on a recently restored classic, with not a chip or mark to be seen anywhere. The Black power top is faultless, while the panels are laser straight. Fender skirts and a Continental Kit help the Impala stand out in a crowd, as do the original wheels with spinner hubcaps and wide whitewall tires. The owner has restored or re-chromed all of the trim, and it sparkles exquisitely in the sunlight. The original owner ordered the Impala with tinted glass, and this appears to be flawless.
I haven’t mentioned rust to this point, and this is for a sound reason; There isn’t a spot to be found anywhere. The panels are as clean as you could hope to find, and the Impala’s underside might rate as even better. There are a couple of paint chips on the floor, but that is the only evidence to suggest that the vehicle has seen any action since the restoration was completed. There isn’t a spec of surface corrosion to be spotted anywhere, or so much as a trace of dust or dirt. There is no evidence of fluid leaks from the drivetrain, while the dual exhaust is shiny and new.
Just when you thought that the news couldn’t get any better, we open the hood so that you can take a peek into the engine bay. Once again, we find an aspect of this classic that comes perilously close to achieving perfection. However, this isn’t merely about appearance because this Impala has the muscle to back those looks. The king of the engine range in 1958 was the 348ci Tri-Power V8, and that is what we find here. Chevrolet bolted this 280hp monster to a Turboglide transmission that feeds the power to a Posi rear end, while the Convertible also features power steering and power brakes. This Impala is a luxury car, and Chevrolet never claimed that it aspired to be a muscle or high-performance vehicle. However, in this configuration, it should be capable of storming the ¼ mile in 16.6 seconds. That was nothing to be sneezed at in 1958. The engine bay is loaded with all of the correct components, clamps, and accessories. These make it look like it is ready to be driven off a showroom floor. The owner doesn’t indicate how well the Impala runs or drives, but given the recent restoration and overall presentation, it would be hard to imagine the news being anything but positive.
Regular readers will be aware of my feelings about interior trim on modern vehicles. I have often stated that I wished that manufacturers would be more adventurous with their current offerings. With a few notable exceptions, buyers find themselves confronted with a veritable ocean of Black and Gray trim and interiors with virtually no character or soul. That is one of the many reasons why I am so passionate about classic cars. This Impala hails from an era when manufacturers were competing fiercely for the buyer’s dollar, and they searched for ways to make time spent with their potential new purchase a special and memorable experience. It is why companies like Chevrolet developed tri-tone interior trim, and that’s what we find in this Impala. The pale gray, pink, and black cloth stand out boldly against an interior predominantly trimmed in red vinyl. Once again, we are confronted with an aspect of the Convertible that looks factory fresh. There is no evidence of any wear or flaws on the seats or door trims, while the same is true of the dazzling carpet. The dash shines like a new penny, the lenses on the gauges are clear, and the markings are bright, and the beautiful wheel exhibits no wear. A pushbutton radio occupies its rightful place in the dash, as does the original clock. Take a look at this interior and tell me that you wouldn’t feel special sinking back into those seats as you cruise down the road with the top down. I know that I would.
I was going to say that this 1958 Impala Convertible would suit a Bow-Tie enthusiast seeking a turn-key classic that they can enjoy immediately. However, I believe that is being too specific. I don’t think that you would need to be a Bow-Tie enthusiast to appreciate this car. If you are passionate about your classics, there’s every chance that you will love this one. I don’t know if there is any such thing as a perfect restoration, but there are cars that will go close. This Impala is one of those vehicles, and I am not ashamed to say that I will envy its new owner. In my mind’s eye, I can see them rolling down some country road on a sunny day with the top down and the wind wafting through their hair. The big question is, will you be the person that I will be envying?
I hate it when I’m financially embarrassed.
To help me fund this heavenly model you may send your donations to my GoFundMe account at BR-549. Any contribution over $1,000 will get an autographed picture of me sitting in my new beauty!
Sweet looking ride. Would be great to put the top down and get some wind through the hair.
I am a Blue Oval guy, but its impossible not to love the condition and looks of this car. The ’58 always gets overlooked because of the Tri-Fives, and this one is truly amazing. I do have a couple of problems however, the continental kit and the fenderskirts, they ruin this car, the lines just don’t flow right for me. Keep it like it was built originally, aside from that, beautiful vehicle.
Amen on the skirts and continental kit. My first car was a ’58 Impala hardtop in red/white, and it had the exact same interior, which, as the author notes, is pretty awesome. On the other hand, the Turboglide was an awful transmission (mine had Powerglide, also not good), as evidenced by the lackluster performance specs for a pretty potent engine.
The ’58 Chev,,either you loved them( me) or hated them( Tri-5 lovers) It was a radical departure from what was previously seen. I had a ’58 Del Ray 4 door, every stop was a conversation. Beautiful cars.
In another segment of “Howard’s Pet Peeves” dept., at auction today, every ’58 Chevy coming down the pike HAS to have tri-power. Like Hemi’s and 454 Chevelles, just wasn’t so. Fact is, of all my auto shenanigans, in “Pressboard Heights, USA”, I never remember seeing a tri-power anything. 2, 4 barrels, maybe ( on big heavy Chryslers that needed them) but never a tri-power. Proof positive, it’s those buzzwords that add a slew to the price.
Love the car ,hate the continental kit.
For some reason, people just insist on ruining perfectly beautiful cars with those stupid Continental kits!
I don’t really like the swim step aka continental kit. But guess what sports fans, they’re not welded on, the fender skirts come off even easier. It’s like not wanting to buy the perfect house because you don’t like the dinning room table that they have staged in it.
THE nicest vehicle on here on in quite some time…..love the 58 Fat Bottom Girls.
In my 72 years on the planet, I’ve never seen a car yet that benefitted from the addition of a continental kit. They’re an abomination and a blight on the landscape.
Thankfully, their removal is usually straightforward, followed by a quick trip to the dump, leaving the world a better place.
Amen!
Nope, nope, nope, I ain’t gonna buy it. I would forever want to change it to match the car I owned by in the mid 60’s, a triple white example. This is nice, really nice, but it ain’t triple white ….. in fact, it ain’t white, or white or white, so … yeah, no, nope, nope, nope, I ain’t gonna buy it.
Note: I would be happy to take it off your hands, seller or remorseful buyer, but I ain’t gonna buy it unless you change it to triple white.
Note: Mine is no more, it caught fire on a drive from Daytona Beach to Penna. following a spring break trip. Down in one day, all the way back to Virginia, then the fire!!
There was never a white interior on a Chevy Impala from the factory until 1964. White top, white body, but NOT a white interior.
Up to 80K! After the 55,56,57,era the 58 Chev. sure was a whole horse of a different color, really nice car though.
I always liked the red interiors of the 1957 and 58’s which seemed special like this one.
Nice car, but the restoration was not done 100% correctly. The c. kit is a repro–originals have painted rings, not chrome. The wheels on all 58 Bel-Airs (the Impala WAS a Bel-Air in 58–non-believers, look it up!) were painted argent silver regardless of body color, the front ‘gravel pan’ below the grille was matte black–never body color, the skirts are aftermarket additions best relegated to the recycling bin. Beautiful Impala convert which someone did to their taste, not necessarily the ‘correct’ way.