Does your Librarian know she’s showing a scarlet strap of Victoria’s Secret? A glimpse of red upholstery hints at this plain vanilla sedan’s fun side. The 1962 Chevrolet Impala four-door sedan in Shoreview, Minnesota might well have served a Librarian with its factory 283 V8, but a mighty 409 and other upgrades promise quite a show when things get spicy. Thanks to Tony P. for spotting this subtle-looking sleeper with a dirty secret.
Bordello red and an aftermarket tachometer offer a taste of adventure inside. The owner may suffer from LSS, Lonely Seller Syndrome, inviting multiple phone conversations with potential buyers instead of answering key questions with a few minutes of typing. To each their own.
Scalloped valve covers make a nifty underhood detail on the 409 and related engines. This 1964 version of the 409 specs out at 425 HP according to the seller. A TH350 three-speed automatic handles the gear changes, sending power rearward to a typically bulletproof NASCAR-proven Ford 9-inch rear end with 3.55 gears. Aftermarket front disc brakes slow your roll before all that fun becomes the wrong kind of excitement.
Additional bling and other niceties distinguish the Impala from Bel Air models in 1962. My Dad had a two-door third-generation Impala during his time at American University.
Nothing from the front suggests a 425 horse monster lurks in your rear view mirror. Sleepers aren’t right for drivers who spend every minute tweaking for a fight in traffic even when driving Mom’s old Civic or a ladder-laden work van. If you’ve bolted a speed-reducing parachute in the form of a giant wing to your trunk or slapped HEMI badges on your V6 Challenger, this car probably comes off as a head-scratcher. Poseurs need not apply for ownership of this Chevy, but if the subtle Q-ship aspect holds some appeal, check out more pictures and a cursory description here on Craigslist. A mere $16,500 buys a nifty-looking ride that will draw a bigger crowd at your local car show than a perfect 1969 Camaro. Is this 425 HP sleeper too mild-mannered looking for you?
Crazy cool!! What an awesome car. This would be a blast to cruise with, work on and show at local car events.
Lends itself by the owner to be said”yeah, I’ve got an interesting motor with a good car wrapped around it..”.
GLWTS
Todd that’s an awesome write-up.
Nicer if they had reupholstered closer to original pattern and shade of red. And a tach with 1960s chrome instead of 1990s lettering. But those are details. Great car someone’s gonna really enjoy.
My kind of gal. That is something my wife would pick up on as well. It’s always the small things that can elevate a car’s appearance. Calling SMS for the original style fabric (and look for a correct carpet kit) and scouring eBay for a vintage Sun tach would be a few of the first things I would do if I owned this Impala. Super cool car.
Thank you Kendra! I love a good sleeper. I put 200,000 miles on a 2002 Buick Regal GS with a supercharged L67 tweaked by Tim King of TKR. My daughter used to borrow it and her boyfriend said, “It’s an old man’s car, but it’s a fast old man’s car.” Happy motoring!
Kendra, the original fabric is around $150/yard. In comparison modern day car interior fabric can be purchased for $20-$50/yard. So I’m sure the seller opted to take the cheaper route since they wouldn’t be recovering their investment in interior.
I can’t remember if I ever seen a four door 409 !
She’s real fine.
From back when car dealers had actual metal nameplates instead of stickers. A cool touch to any vintage ride. And, yes, I remember when a girl would get embarrassed in class if she had a bra strap showing and us guys would sneak a peek, trying not to be seen doing it.
I read, the 409, dual quad ( more like 450 HP) was available across the board, even in wagons, but had to have the 4 speed. Probably a Powerglide and small block originally, like about 750,000 others,, and before you dis the Powerglide, it was later determined to be the transmission of choice for a host of drag racers. Many survived our “neutral drops” with no damage. This sure is a fun one and bound to rekindle thoughts of our hope that dad would come home with a 409, but were disappointed to see the in line 6.
Now,,just for gits and shingles, let’s go back to the summer of ’62. Let’s pretend this car HAD a 409 originally. Lucky was the kid whose dad loved drag racing and the Beach Boys and mom didn’t have a clue. He got the 4 door like she wanted,,,Saturday night would never be the same!
The drive train alone is worth the asking price and the car is the bonus.
How about a 61 4 Dr impala SS. .Was in a salvage yard a few years ago .Back when you could order any combination that was available ,an some that were not if you knew who to talk to .Love to have that motor in my 62 Impala
I would love to have this car if it was a 4-speed…..
And my not to pick, put the correct Hubcaps on it.
Great price. If itcwas a 2vdr and a stk, it would be $40-50k Temping to use the 409 in something else, throw a 283/327 in this and resell it. I want thec408 for a Tri 5 PU…
Back in the eighties these were the features found in Super Chevy magazine. Four doors and wagons with 409s from the factory would pop up in out of the way places. As has been said, this is beyond cool. The perfect sleeper. If there is such a thing.
The hub caps look like they’re from a ’56 Chevy.
What a waste putting this 409 in a 4 door sedan and not a 2 door hardtop 64 Impala instead. At least a 4 door hardtop would be better than this sedan. To each his own.
Why do I keep coming back to look at this one? It’s a four door Impala with dog dish hub caps. and yet, here I am.
the interior does not fit this car. really does not look right gives a cheap look. needs period correct tach as well
A few weeks back, B/F had a 65 Impala wagon with a factory installed “W” engine. About a year or maybe longer there was a black 62 Impala 4 door also with a 409 as well.
Shorewood is a northern Twin Cities suburb more to the St. Paul side. If I was in the market, I’d sure take a good look. Fun car to be at a light on Central Ave. close to the old Sun Drive-In location & smoke some new Challenger (at least for a block or two!) Noticed the dealer nameplate. Jay Kline was on Lake St., another Sat. night cruisin’ street back in the day.