The Chevy Impala would be an addition for 1958 as the top option on the Bel Air series. However, it was only offered as a hardtop or convertible before it expanded to other body styles the next year, knocking the Bel Air back a notch in the lineup. This gorgeous drop-top finished in Snowcrest White has been treated to a no-expense-spared three-year restoration, though we don’t know how recently the work was done. Located in Bee Spring, Kentucky, this Impala is available here on eBay where the bidding has just crossed over $100,000, but the reserve has not been met. Hats off to Larry D for sending this tip our way!
Chevrolet’s range of automobiles was all-new for ‘58, longer, lower, wider, and heavier than the Tri Fives they replaced. With Ford’s cars slated to be mostly carryovers from ’57, Chevy went all out creating new cars. And they did overtake Ford as desired, but 1958 was an economic recession year and Chevy production would go down. Given the radical “Forward Look” styling of the ’57 Chrysler products. Chevy reinvented itself once more for 1959, making the ’58s one year wonders. The Impala would be the big news in ’58 and sales were brisk, with 125,480 coupes and 55,989 convertibles carrying Impala badging.
This Chevy is an Antique Automobile Club of America National First Prize Winner, so its credentials are quite impressive. It looks spotless from head to toe and if there is another ’58 Chevy as nice as this one, I can’t imagine where to find it. The white on white is a sweet combination and the convertible top is power-operated. The Impala rides on a set of 8.00×14 bias-ply wide whitewall tires complemented by full wheel covers with spinners. It also has a set of rear fender skirts which were popular in the 1950s.
Under the hood resides a 348 cubic inch V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor that produced 250 hp. It has a 3-on-the-tree manual transmission, and the driver is supported by power steering and factory air conditioning, rare in 1958 and even more so on a convertible. The interior is multi-colored, with red being dominant and offset by gray and black. The Chevy does not have power brakes, which would have helped to stop a heavy car like this a lot easier. How high do you think the bidding will go on this beauty?
Looks like a cake, or a meringue?
Mine was black when I bought it and I thought it looked beautiful, however, the heat in Zimbabwe was far too hot for a black convertible so I had it painted white. The first comment I received was “it looks like a wedding cake”!
I have to apologise, as I used it as a blatant linguistic joke.
“Is that a cake or a meringue?”
“Naw, yer right.”
Ask a Scot to translate for you…!
OMG, hardly a barn find. This car is highly desired with costs over $100,000.00, and even has a/c. and manual transmission. Well my days of buying such a car are far behind me. I did own a candy apple red 58 Impala 348 three speed on the floor with overdrive. A highly modified car it was a 2 door hardtop version. That was ofcourse 5 decades ago. Still have fond memories of it though. Whoever gets this will be a happy and proud owner.
God bless America
i also in high school had a 1958 348 3speed black ht loved that car sold it for $600
Lots of nice Chevys landing on Barn Finds of late. Original factory a/c still with its original compressor! And what a compressor it is!
The best ones were the tri-fives! 1958 and on, they got heavier, chromier, and uglier! GM, must have got new designers.
like 58 better that tri fives traded my 1956 bel aire convertible for a 1958 impala 2dr hard top 58 much better of course i was a teen and 56 was a 6 powerglide 58 was 348 3speed stick
I’ve always liked ’58 Chevrolets but I’ll make an exception for this one. The side view looks gaudy as if the designers discovered a J.C. Whitney catalog. It’s just too busy with all the various geegaws competing against each other for attention. One thing which would bug the hell out of me is the bright work on the skirts does not align with that on the rockers.
The workmanship looks top notch but the car appears to be over-restored with all the dealer-installed accessories.
My favorite year for Chevrolet
I agree! The whole GM 1958 line looked like hell.
The whole GM lineup for 58 was chromed to death.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
Beauty is also a matter of good aesthetic sense and design study. Harley and friends went down a heavy-handed rabbit hole with the 58’s, and while all the GM offerings enjoyed the oversized bulk, Chevy added the extra feature of disjointed and erratic chrome features on a rather shapeless body. And what lines the sheetmetal DID have, looked like a pair of ass cheeks clenching a marshmallow ! All one has to do is look at a 57 or 59 for it to become clear just what a bloated pig, covered in cheap jewelry, the 58 was.
Hey Burger. You should be a little bit more sensitive to the men and women who went through abuse at the hands of those who went too far in hazing. You either love or hate the 58s, or AMC Matadors and other so called ugly cars that are worth some big bucks.
Growing up I used to hate them because my dad had a 58 Biscayne with a 283 and manual transmission and he hated it being so heavy and under powered.
Years have passed and eventually came to like and appreciate them. Just saying!
Tman ~ what you are talking about their is NOSTALGIA. Even I like ugly things, because they were part of a larger happy experience. But that makes them no less ugly ! And I begrudge no one for having a nostalgic attraction to 58 Chevy’s. I am glad (sort of) that some poor fools save these and pour love on them. Afterall, they WERE part of the 50’s scene. But damn, … don’t try to blow smoke up my azz and tell go on about good looks. If I wanted that (to quote the Gunny), I’d be upstairs right now, with a pack of Lucky Strikes and a short length of hose ! LOL !
To each their own. I am grateful that people save wierd AMC’s and other less mainstream cars, just because they are part of our history. My 50’s cars are a 58 DeSot and 58 Plymouth. 90% of 50’s car guys can’t ID a 50’s car unless it is a Ford or Chevy ! So, I know the “lonely road” drill. But to understand the times, and styling OF the times, Mother Mopar delivered a bucket of pain the GM styling dept. from 56 to 61, and nothing exemplifies how bad Harley Earl’s team got it wrong like comparing a 58 Chevy to a 58 Plymouth. One is uber sleek ans slippery. The other looks like a blinged up dumpster.
Now, talk about “Old Man nostalgia”, … how’s this for a bad trip ? ….. the Old Man told me to hop in the car one night. We took Mom’s 66 Mustang GT fastback down to Dick’s Cascade Ford and came home with a F#@G PINTO ! My Old Man could turn gold bars into turds ! Some people choose the wrong parents, I tell ya ! LOL !
Hey Burgler, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and so is ugly.
Regardless of how many servings of so called aesthetic sense and design study was heaped into your ride.
Nice car. Gorgeous. A lot of money on this effort. I think my 3 classics value
just went up. My Fav. is 1973 Plymouth Scamp. Last I read, 1,781 still alive. 340 CI tricked out. Hodgekis (Spelling no good) Pro Touring Suspension. Fuel injected. A lot of fun to drive, eye catcher. Anyone under 50 years old have never heard of a Scamp.
Best of wishes to all.
Everybody is different. To each their own. Some say that the 1959 Chevy was outright hideous and so on. I do agree with your later comments about the 1958 Plymouths and Desotos,they are IMO some gorgeous machines.Different strokes for different folks
I agree the 59-60 Chevrolet was an abomination
For a 3-year restoration, there is one flaw that sticks out like a sore thumb–the red side insert. All Impalas had the ribbed aluminum insert. While some pre-production literature showed them w/a contrasting stripe, they never came that way.
In reference to a couple of previous posts, the car looks so overdone on the side due to the hideous aftermarket fender skirts which ruin the flow of the side. A skirt-ectomy is a simple cure. I’m also not a fan of the exhaust ports, but they ARE a factory accy.
Regarding the styling of 58 Chevys, I am proud to say that I thought they were beautiful when they were new, I’ve owned a couple which I loved, and I still think they’re easily the best-looking 58 ‘low-priced’ car–the Ford is hideous, esp. from the rear, and the Plymouth was great–in 57! (except they fell apart by 59).
Everyone has their own opinion regarding aesthetics. If we all had the same opinion, it would be a very boring place (much like the cars of today!)
We’ve seen this seller’s 58 Impalas here before (remember the blue one?), and everyone always agrees: really nice, but overpriced.
Nice cars, but there has to be more cars to discuss out there in Internet Land. I know that I submit several that never make it to the discussion stage.
Why is this car $100,000 plus, because it’s worth it!
You mean it’s uglier than this one? Lots of Chevs up until about 1955 model had conversions like this in Rhodesia Zimbabwe and South Africa as they were very popular with farmers wives as they could take the family into town and also carry emergency supplies for the husband. The registration plate ending in GP means Gauteng Province, or as the other provinces call it, Gangster Province!
At least it partially hides the awfulness ! If you wrapped the ass end of a 58 Chevy in a blue tarp, or built a plywood box around it, the result would only lead to a better looking car. Anything to hide that hideous fail of a rear end !
Now THIS is a “big block” Chevy!