1994 was an interesting year. That was the year the Buffalo Bills lost the Super Bowl for the fourth year in a row, the O.J. Simpson controversy began to unfold on television, it was the 25th anniversary of Woodstock, and it was the year this 1969 Chevy Impala was parked in a barn and forgotten. This one-family transport has now been rescued from its slumber and put back in running condition, with the paint job and a seat cover being the main casualties. It’s all cleaned up and waiting for its next owner in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and available here on craigslist for $8,600. Thanks again, Pat L., for finding this one for us!
The fourth generation of the Chevy Impala (1965-70) was the car’s heyday for sales, which would include the restyled 1969 models. The front bumpers now wrapped around the grille and the taillights would be horizontally mounted in the rear bumper. Ventless front windows were used on all models and the cars used a new “power vent” system featuring openings in the instrument panel that were similar to A/C outlets. There was also a new 350 V-8 engine, although its predecessor would still be available that year. The 2-barrel was good for 255 hp, the 4-barrel 300 hp.
As we can piece things together from the seller’s ad, the original owners put 91,000 miles on this car and then parked it in a barn where it sat for 26 years. Once it was finally pulled out of its resting spot, it was thoroughly cleaned up with a number of services performed or parts replaced: new tires, new brake cylinders, new battery, and a tune-up. We’re told the car runs like new now and could be driven anywhere.
The dark blue paint, which still has some shine but otherwise ready to be resprayed, is worn on a body that is said to be rust-free. That’s surprising for an open-air barn in the humid Carolinas. The interior looks pretty good with the only known flaw being an issue with the front seat that is not revealed in a photo. This Impala has power steering and brakes, but no factory air conditioning.
Hagerty puts top dollar on a 1969 Impala at $20,000 or so, but that’s for a 2-door hardtop in better condition. 4-doors don’t seem to command the same kind of money. The seller may be optimistic on his price as a quality paint job will take the investment into five figures. That being said, this could be a fun barn find to have.
I think the price is on the high side of reasonable, I would want to go over the car with a fine tooth comb before I pay that for it.
A reupholstery kit for the front seat is easily attainable, Maaco can do a decent driver quality paint job. It shouldn’t take much, if as described, to make it into a decent, affordable driver quality toy.
i love old 4dr cars and 4dr stationwagons.
This car is a bit unusual as most were light green with the matching interior. I have found several in that color.
15×7 rallys and white walls would look great on this example.
Definitely need to look at the trunk pans, the back window likes to leak water down into the top of the inner wheel wells and then pool in the corners underneath the trunk mat.
The 350 engine option in 1969 was a 4bbl, 255 hp was regular gas, 300 hp was premium. Either way, a good engine. Standard V8 was a 235 hp 327 2bbl.
By the way fellow Barnfinders, I am logging out tonight. I am going away for a while tomorrow. I will be back in about a year or so. It was a pleasure to get to know you all, learn from you all & do some bench racing. I truly look forward to doing it again after my return to civilization. Some of you I am even planning on meeting face to face, and I look forward to that too. I wish you all a wonderful, peaceful year! May the Coronavirus disappear while I am on hiatus.
Godspeed wherever you are going!
Read my email, Steve.
Prison or jail? I hope it’s prison, jail is brutal.
Have your Mom get ahold of me if you need anything buddy. See you afterwards for sure.
Will do Gregg. Thank you.
I will email you once I am back in the real world. 3 hours to go. My nerves are shot!
Best of luck Stevieg, sounds like a bum deal to me. Hang in there Brother. Looking forward to your return. Take care, Mike.
Good luck and take it easy, Stevieg.
I’ve enjoyed your commentary and Barn Finds will not be quite as entertaining.
– Dennis
It cleaned up ok, but all I see is maybe a $6K car. It still needs work we can’t even see. It’s no SS, no Caprice, no convertible. it’s the one bodystyle Chevy built more of than any other: a pillared 4dr. sedan. Common as dirt.
It’s significantly overpriced. Though rare, the 4 doors aren’t particularly desirable. Since the seller only included pictures of the car when wet and none featured areas prone to rust, I’d be skeptical about the rust free claims, especially since it’s shown being dragged out of a dirt floor carport. It’s refreshing to see someone actually put some effort into a car they are flipping, too bad most people don’t, the sellers problem is the unrealistic asking price, somewhere around $5,000 would probably make the car go away relatively quickly..
Steve R
The year was 1969…the year is 2020. The car is 51 years old. No matter the body style…we have to appreciate the fact that these beautiful cars are becoming far more rare to find. It’s a great car worth the price of nostalgia to a better time!
Whitewall tires would have been a better choice for this one.
Umm, never…
If it really is as good as it looks, I think the price is reasonable. I’m surprised that the rodents didn’t get to it sitting in a barn for that long. I’d want to go over it with a fine tooth comb.
Raised white letter tires just don’t work with full wheel covers, ever.
Put a period correct set of white walls or even plain black walls. Rent it out for film and TV shoots.
Oh baby that’s what I like! A great family
cruiser that has more character than my
Charger does. Seems like everyone you
knew had one of these. Sadly though,
many of them were crushed after they
gave up their drive lines for someone’s hot rod swap. If it were closer to Florida, I’d take him $4K and call it mine.
Provided I could have it driven back to
my place by someone I trusted to shake
the bugs out of it before I got it home.
The car is sharp and i do believe for a sedan, it has a well styled roof line.
When I was in much younger, our neighbor bought a new 1969 Impale 2 door hardtop with a 396 and rare Comfortron A/C. (fully automatic temperature controlled A/C and heater). Mint green metallic and no tinted glass, not even the windshield, odd. She always bought Impala’s, any of which, I wish I had. A white1960 Impala Convertible, a copper metallic 1966 Impala 2 dr Hardtop, and then the 1969.
Seeing this car brought back tons of memories of her and her cars. Thanks.
A lot of great movies came out in 1994 too. Pulp Fiction, Clerk’s, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, the Mask, Speed, Natural Born Killers, Forrest Gump, and of course Ernest Goes to School.
Too bad it’s not a bb car, maybe then the car would be worth the asking price. The car is only 2 1/2 hrs from my house! No must resist!
Four-doors will never be as desirable as two-doors but that’s fine with me – I love my ’65 Biscayne 4-door sedan and paid 1/3 the price of a 2-door. They were as common as Beetles back in the day but it’s probably just as rare today as any 1965 model.
This car cleaned up very well!! Paint looks good and so does the interior!! Not a speed demon as heavy as it is with just a stock 350 but it sure could be some fun!!