It might not be perfect, but this 1963 Chevrolet Impala is a classic that can be driven and enjoyed immediately. With a 409ci V8 under the hood, it offers plenty of performance potential and should be entertaining to drive. The owner has decided to part with the Impala, so he has listed it for sale here on eBay. It is located in Westfield, Massachusetts, and there has been a single bid of $19,630 in this No Reserve auction.
The first thing that you notice about the Ivy Green Impala is how straight the car is. The panels show no significant dings or dents, and there is no evidence of previous accident repairs. The doors open and close nicely, and the gaps are consistent across the whole car. The paint is showing some deterioration and lifting, especially on the trunk and the top. The rest of it remains respectable, and it still manages to hold a decent shine. Rust issues are surprisingly minor. There are small spots just forward of the rear wheel openings, along with a little area in the trunk pan. None of these are severe, and they should be able to be addressed with patches. The exterior trim and chrome is all present, and it shows no evidence of damage or deterioration. The Impala was ordered with Soft Ray tinted glass all around, and this appears to be flawless.
I would love to tell you that this Impala is a numbers-matching car, but it isn’t. The 409ci V8 and all of its ancillaries started their life in 1965, but this is still an engine with a lot to offer. It is a solid lifter motor and should be pumping out somewhere around 400hp. All of those horses find their way to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission, while the car also features power steering. With so much power on tap, the Impala should be capable of demolishing the ¼ mile in somewhere around 14.6 seconds. The seller claims that the Impala has a genuine 50,000 miles on the clock, but given the engine change, I don’t feel that this is particularly relevant to this car. What is relevant is the recent work that has been performed. All of the fuel and brake lines, along with all of the hoses, have been renewed. The same is true of the fuel tank, while the Chevy rolls on new tires. The owner says that the vehicle runs and drives nicely, and he supplies this YouTube video. It provides a walk around and also allows us to hear that mighty V8 running. It sounds clean and crisp, with no rattles, smoke, or odd noises.
The Impala’s interior is generally tidy, and there are only a few problems to consider. You can see a split in the driver’s seat, but I think that this could be repaired before it has a chance to get worse. There is also a hole in the headliner, and I agree with the owner’s assessment that a rodent probably caused this. Beyond those two faults, what this interior needs is a deep clean. The upholstery has a few marks and dirty spots, and I believe that a professional would remove most of these.
The dash looks good, but we can see a few other faults that the buyer might want to address if they are searching for perfection. These include a crack in the wheel, along with some wear and fading on the carpet. Fixing the wheel in a home workshop should be possible, while $250 will secure a new carpet set. The dash is original and unmolested. It features a factory AM radio, along with the cool factory tach.
While it is a clean car that could be restored without the need to spend a lot of time or effort, this 1963 Impala is not a numbers-matching classic. That will negatively impact the car’s ultimate value, but this is a car that cops a double whammy. Values have taken a hit over the past 12 months, and while this trend has stabilized, there are no signs that they are heading up again. That leaves potential buyers with a dilemma to consider. If buyers want to take the risk, now could be the time to do it. If values do begin to head back in the right direction, they could be onto a winner. It is a case of risk versus reward with this one, and that’s the choice that will need to be made. I think that values will begin to rise, but without a crystal ball, my belief comes from years of prior experience. I have also been wrong on occasions, so I would always encourage people to do their homework thoroughly before committing their hard-earned cash. With that in mind, is this one that you would be tempted to pursue further?
I’m not a Chevy expert, but didn’t the Mark IV series replace the 348/409 beginning with the 1965 model year?
yes, however the 409 was still available for early ’65 model year, albeit at the lower power levels than the 2×4 heyday it enjoyed in ’64 and earlier.
in Canada you could get a 409 in a Pontiac not sure what year
The 396 was a mid year introduction. The 409 was available at the beginning of 65, but was discontinued around January when the 396 became available.
I like this car, but it would be nice to know if this was originally a 409 car. With a 6000 redline tach, it could have come with a 283, 327 or the low horse 409/340.
https://youtu.be/xKKP_cZuk54
Mid-year 65
’65???
I know of a 65 Impala in a car collection in Iowa that came with a factory 409. It’s the real thing.
It’s amazing how many classics are in Iowa.
Seems I’ve viewed this recently!?
You did. It was featured in this site 12/12/2020.
Steve R
gotta sy it
“she’s real fine my 409.”
saved my pennies, saved my dimes!
(giddy up, giddy up 409)
Love it except for the dog dish/blackwalls.
Well you better not say whitewalls Arby cause that would suck. My dad had a ’64, and the ’62 is my favorite, but I like this one… I would throw a set of Torque Thrust wheels on this, and just drive it and have fun. Price, to me, is VERY reasonable.
Friend of a cousin back in the late 60’s had one basically like this one except it was red. He had plugs on it, open them out and ran it through town with all the big maple trees and that thing would rattle everything within a mile or so of it’s location. I know he ran it at the strip, but having never seen it run I don’t know how well it did.
Before I knew there would be a time
Sorry boys,I owned one and this a 1963 Impala with the 6 taillights on the trunk. The cheaper models had only 4 trunk lights and I also owned a 1965 belaire and except for size they were far from the same car!
The 1965 date I think applies only to the engine and transmission. The headline and all the discussion say 1963 Impala. The 1965 body bears no resemblance to this car…..
It owned a 1963 and a 1965 Chevy and this one is a1963 Impala not a 1965!
No one said the car was a 65! Just the engine is a 65.
Pretty cool but I still like the grandpa looking 62 better.
Ladies and gentleman, the 409 actually came out in late 1961. I’m an old dude and remember seeing a real late ’61 with the 409 and when one of my sisters was Christened, close friends of my parents who became her God parents, had a brand new 1962 Chev. 409, 4 spd rag top. It was white with a black top and I think a red interior. The 409 was available way before 1965. The front fenders had a script which was a large “V” with the cross flags and “409” on top of that.
Hey guys I had a 62/63/64//66 loved them all but would love to own a 58/59/60 next I would trade my Vette even up for a restored classic Impala
The 409 started in 1961 thurough 1965.
I like it,and its reasonably priced compared to so much, and even though not #s matching, so what!,it will be a fun cruising machine, that if someone wants to build upon its already got a big block.
Is the stick original? If not, how close to the original style is it?
Numbers matching or not, just owning and driving this car would be a blast. And I’d drive it, not let it sit.
When I take her to the track she really shines, Giddy up Giddy up 409, need to hang an 8 track in this puppy, and play The Beach Boys
It had me at 409,4 spd. Nothing else matters except being straight helps.
Did they come with an alternator in 1963?
1963 was the first year for alternators on GM cars.
I had a 63,64 now have a 62. All small blocks , 327’s with 4 barrels 4 sp went pretty well . Always wanted a 409 4sp. Impala. Would love to have this car.