The Impala Super Sport became a series of its own at Chevrolet in 1964. And sold a record number of units the next year at 243,000 copies. But the arrival of the Caprice in 1965 stole some of the thunder the SS had, and sales declined to 119,000 units in 1966. That’s when the seller’s Impala SS was built, but it’s currently a project that sports a newly built 327 cubic inch V8 lifted out of a Corvette. Located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, this work-in-progress is available here on eBay, where the opening bid of $13,975 has yet to be cast. Our classic car pal “Curvette” brought us this great tip!
Bestowing the Super Sport name to a 1960s Impala didn’t immediately imply performance. While the cars came with bucket seat interiors and other cool stuff, the engine entry point was a six-cylinder motor. While not many were built like that, Chevy wanted buyers to have a choice of anything they wanted under the hood. We don’t know what the seller’s ’66 Impala SS had under there when new, but a Corvette 327 with only two hours of run time lives there now. The two photos of the car itself must have been taken before the motor went in because of how the vehicle sits.
The seller goes on to tell us a lot about the upgrades this 327 has received, so it’s not likely that it produces just 300 horses anymore. The 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission that’s in the car came with the engine. The V8 was bored over and balanced before being installed. The dual exhaust system was put in, and a new gas tank was affixed at the rear of the car. Apparently, two sets of wheels are offered, as you see Cragars on one side and steel wheels with SS hub caps on the other.
The front suspension remains a project, as well as the brakes. The interior is as the seller bought the car, and it needs refurbishing. There is a bit of rust in the sheet metal, and the black paint is past its prime. Extra parts will be included, and you’ll have to do some more work before this Chevy can be ready for the road again.
A look at the sellers other listings, he starts high, then lowers the price each time he re-lists an item. This is the 3rd time he’s listed this car, first time was $17,000, second time was $15,500, now $13,975. Eventually he’ll hit a realistic price point.
There was a time that every modified 327 was a “Corvette” 327, not so much nowadays, it’s something you rarely hear. It was something you’d roll your eyes at, tell them that was great, then walk away as soon as you could. This car stands or falls on its own merits, someone has to run the stamped numbers on the block and rear end to see what’s really in the car, then figure out an offer.
Steve R