With Summer approaching at a great rate of knots, now could be the perfect time to consider parking a classic convertible in your garage. That way, you will be prepared and ready to go when Mr. Sunshine shows his happy face. However, why settle for any old convertible when it could be this 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS. The owner located it in a Nebraska barn, and he has undertaken all of the work required to return it to a roadworthy state. It is rust-free and ready to be enjoyed by a lucky new owner. It seems that Barn Finder Larry D has a well-tuned radar when it comes to finding the desirable classics. So thank you for referring this one to us, Larry. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, you will find the Impala listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has rocketed to $30,300, but the reserve is yet to be met. If you want to bypass the auction process, you could hit the BIN button at $45,000.

The history of this Impala is not clear, and this might be due to it coming out of an estate. That means that the previous owner has passed away, and it is possible that a lot of this car’s history went to the grave with him. The current owner is sure that the Sunfire Yellow paint that graces the Impala’s panels isn’t original. He believes that it was originally finished in Red, and there’s a fair chance that it would have been a shade called Regal Red. The deceased former owner treated the Convertible to a repaint around 10-years-ago, and it still presents exceptionally well. There are a few marks and chips, but I would consider the presentation above average for a driver-quality car. The panels are beautifully straight, and the owner states that there is no evidence of rust anywhere on the vehicle. The Black power top is new, adding a crisp edge to the exterior presentation. The chrome and trim have a couple of minor imperfections, but the glass appears to be faultless. The owner fitted the 15″ alloy wheels that we see in the supplied photos, but he includes the original hubcaps if the buyer wants to return the Impala to a factory-fresh state.

When I first looked at the interior photos, I believed that it must have received some form of restoration. However, if the owner is correct, the interior trim is entirely original. If this is the case, then its condition is mighty impressive. The Black vinyl shows no wear or issues, while the carpet is free from wear and stains. There are no problems with the dash or pad, and there have been no aftermarket additions. Some of the highlights include the spotless console and the factory tach mounted in the dash. The owner says that everything works with two exceptions. The pushbutton AM radio is one, and I’m not surprised that the factory clock is the other. This is one characteristic that the Impala and the Corvette shared because both featured clocks that would stop at the drop of a hat. It need not be a problem, as there are some high-quality reproduction clocks that have more modern and reliable internals on the market today. If a buyer is willing to spend around $150, that problem would be solved. It is a similar story with the radio, although I would be checking the electrical supply on this item first. They aren’t notoriously unreliable, so a bit of tinkering might get things working again.

Lifting the Impala’s hood reveals a 396ci V8, a 4-speed manual transmission, and power brakes. The vehicle isn’t numbers-matching, but the motor is said to be period-correct. It isn’t clear what version of the big-block we’re dealing with, but it should be producing at least 325hp. Assuming that this is right, the Impala should be capable of covering the ¼ mile in 15.5 seconds. If it one of the more potent versions, that will slash that figure significantly. It seems that when the owner purchased the Convertible, it had been sitting for some time. He flushed and replaced all of the fluids while also fitting all of the usual items like plugs, points, belts, and hoses. He pulled the transmission, had it serviced and resealed, and slotted it back into place with a new clutch. The final piece of the puzzle was to fit the alloy wheels and a set of 15″ Coker tires. He describes the Impala as being a beautiful driver and uses the word “fast” in his description. All of that offers a world of promise for potential buyers.

If a buyer is seeking a clean and crisp 100% original 1965 Impala SS Convertible, this won’t be the car for them. However, for any buyer who is not fixated on originality but is looking for a survivor-grade vehicle that can be driven and enjoyed immediately, this is a car that is worth a closer look. I would struggle to recommend it as an investment-grade classic because values have stayed static for most of the last 5-years. However, that means they also haven’t dropped, which is a serious consideration for anyone considering handing over their hard-earned cash for a classic car. Few things are more disheartening than paying fair market value for a car today and finding that values have plummeted only a few years later. I can’t guarantee that it wouldn’t happen with this car, but history suggests that it is unlikely. With those thoughts in your mind, are you prepared to greet Mr. Sunshine from behind the wheel of this classic Impala Convertible?