1965 was a banner year for Chevrolet. They introduced their new full-size cars and the machines sold like hotcakes. Chevy set a sales record that year which hasn’t been beaten since. The Impala was enormously popular, especially as a two-door fastback coupe like this one. Sadly, the passage of time and location has not be kind to this car, which does appear to have a forlorn 396 under the hood. The seller describes it as a parts car, sitting in a yard in Seagoville, Texas (southeast of Dallas) and available here on Facebook Marketplace for $2,100.
As the Dinah Shore jingle went, “See the USA In Your Chevrolet” was never truer than in 1965. Every Chevy dealer must have been putting in swimming pools that year given how many cars they were selling. More than 800,000 Impalas saw new owners in ‘65 and better than half of them were coupes. And you could get just about any drivetrain combination in them you wanted, including the 396 cubic inch/325 hp V-8 which saw installations exceed 55,000 units.
The seller’s 1965 Impala would appear to be one of those 55,000, assuming the engine is original to the car. However, the beast appears to have spent so much time outdoors that the dirt, mud, and pine straw are up to the wheel covers. Which is a pretty good indication of rot throughout the underpinnings of the car. So, the seller calling this a parts car is probably accurate because a restoration would require the kind of funds that Jack Benny had in the bank.
The front clip of the car was replaced at some point, no doubt due to an accident, which would also make you suspicious of the car’s condition. The fenders now wear 283 badging instead of 396. There is a big dent in the roof, probably where some heavy branch fell out of a tree. Because of its location and inability to move, most of the photos are of the driver’s side and it’s hard to tell about the rest. We’re told that all the trim is there.
We only get one bad picture of the interior, so its condition is also an unknown. The seller says the car has its original bucket seats and console. There appears to be a lot of stuff stored inside the Impala, whether or not it’s actually related to the car. I wish we knew more about the yellow Gremlin parked next to the Impala.
At this point, the 396 may be the only saving grace here, but you have to wonder if it’s the reason the car was parked outdoors so many moons ago. If it even ran back in the day, it could very well be frozen at this point. So, if the engine is the attraction for dragging this car out of the muck, plan on a rebuild. We’re not told what transmission came with the car, but we assume that it’s still there, too. If this car was a garage queen, its resale value might be in the mid-five figures because of the 396. If the seller had only known the potential of what they had when this one was put out to pasture.
I’ll be dipped…………..this has Vice Grip Garage written all over it…..
the link don’t go to the posting
From excitement to disappointment. This once new Impala at the dealership, a gleam in someone’s eyes, longed after by the poor fellow that had to make do with a six cylinder Biscayne, the proud new owner driving this, their new car home, this once stunning and rare car now reduced to weathering near a dilapidated fence and left to rust and sink into the ground.
How sad.
Unfortunately back in the day this happened because who knew what cars were going to be worth. If I had a clue then I’d be a rich man
You and many more of us car guys!
A kid I once knew had a 65 Impala and had been in his family for years. Claimed it had 285,000 miles. Which everyone was surprised. He drove it in the shop class and the right side frame rail behind the drop off was dragging the ground. He said the left side was already gone. This was in the early 1980’s. Knowing his car seeing the rims sunk into the ground this is a parts car for sure. Not sure the hype. Even with a 396 it wasn’t a race car. It is still a huge car…….parts car
So your saying it was his car?
Ran when New.
Off to West Virginia
OMG LOL good luck
I bought one of these new…I think about $35-3600 sticker price. It was a nice car….dark green 4 speed 396.
Seems like the only sure thing is some of the trim pieces and small stuff. The rest of it is scrap metal with some chance of upside.
I sure hauled a lot of concrete to Seagoville back when I was driving a mixer. Saw a lot of old cars rusting away in some field or back yard. A good friend of mine was police chief (rest in peace I,D. Smith) a great man who helped bring the city into a great place to live.
This poor car has passed its day of grace and now sadly is not much more than a parts car.
God bless America
396 transplant perhaps … the crossed-flag callouts on the fenders scream small block! Still a sweet ride before it became neglected.
WHy antone would let an SS impala with big block deteriorate like that is way beyond my comprehension. I collected many CAdillacs years ago. Those that were outside were always up on blocks, windows closed and convertible tops were covered.
Can someone please clue me in? It is my impression that a “Barn Find” is found INSIDE of a barn! I’ve seen “Carport Finds,” “Lean-to Finds,” “Pasture Finds,” “Wrecking Yard Finds,” “Backyard Finds,” “Side of the House Find, “Garage Finds,” “Bottom of the Lake Finds,” “Basement Finds,” and the like. Q: Has ANYONE here found an “Attic Find?” Asking for a friend!
Almost phorgot to mention… Looks like a Gremlin in the background which, in my opinion, would be worth more moolah!
A 396 Impala is a great car plenty of motor to movecthis car around but the neglect that this car was put through will not make it a restorable car!! It’s a sad sight in my eyes!!!
This is a parts car?????? What part???
tail lights?
Gonna fix it up some day. Brain dead people amaze me. Yeah what part?