The “bubble-top” Sport Coupe was offered in both Bel Air and Impala trim in 1961. The following year, it was only available on the former as the latter went with a more formal look. This 1961 Impala is more or less half of a car, with the front clip and drivetrain missing. The body style is perhaps its main appeal at this stage, but would you be bold enough to attempt a restoration or try to find something off of it that could help another project? Located with a classic car dealer in Giltner, Nebraska, what’s left of this Chevy is available here on eBay where $4,350 is the magic number thus far.
With the 1961 model year came a new design and the “batwings” of the prior two years were now gone. With a more sensible look (IMO), you’d think sales would have perked up, but they didn’t. The Sport Coupe, for example, saw a drop from 204,000 to 178,000 copies. This generation of the Impala would enjoy a four-year run, with each season having a distinctive look compared to its predecessor. The VIN on the seller’s roller decodes as having been built in Janesville, Wisconsin with a V8 engine (283?)
We’ll go out on a limb and assume this Chevy was in a front-end collision. Perhaps the damage was too extensive to warrant a repair, so parts and pieces began to disappear like the engine, Powerglide transmission, windshield, interior components, and more. Before all of this, the color of the automobile was changed from white to red but that was long ago given the fading, and the painters skipped doing the inside of the trunk or door jambs.
The seller describes this as a good “project car” or builder. Would you agree with that assessment given it has the desired “bubble-top” roof? Not much is known about the history of this vehicle and the seller has decided to let the photos “do the talking.” If the car were to sell at the current bid, what do you think the buyer might do with his/her new treasure?
If the buyer paid the present bid he/she would probably soon wish they had paid $500 for it.
Great car when it’s all there but this glass is definitely half empty.
Still cleaning out the chicken coops looking for a fish!
If the car were to sell at the current bid, what do you think the buyer might do with his/her new treasure?
Regret it.
Is this a joke? Really,just look at it! Come on now.it is a little funny.
Wait a minute,you could use this to make a two door out of four door.the roof also.
I get the feeling that at one time this was junked for some reason. After it sat in a junkyard for how many years and it was parted out, someone said “hey, these are worth a lot of money”. Back in ’75 I worked in a gas station that also did a lot of towing, they towed in a ’62 Impala 2dr. hardtop. It was in nice shape, gold, white top, gold interior w/ bucket seats. Young driver had hit a tree or something and did in the front sheet metal. It went to the junkyard. nobody was going to spend a couple hundred bucks on used front end and put all that work into it, just not worth it. If we had only known.
More than half a bubble off.
Is this a joke? Really,just look at it! Come on now.it is a little funny.
Car was probably hit hard in the nose a long time ago, frame rails are probably tweaked, or kinked somewhere, I guess if you had the parts and a more desirable frame she could be a builder resto mod
Wait a minute,you could use this to make a two door out of four door.the roof also.
Not even a parts car. Who’s kidding who?
Yep….looks like it was stripped all ready….sold at a little past $4200….
This will likely be swept up by one of the many guys who has been collecting and restoring 62 Impalas for 25-30 years and has barns full of used and NOS parts that he has squirreled away. This one will join 15 others in a field awaiting it’s turn. There is a web sight devoted to one mans rescue and restoration of a 62 Impala convertible that was upside down in an irrigation ditch for 25 years. It was far worse than this. He actually ended up over restoring it, Every part of the chassis was engraved. It became a piece of art.
Say a prayer and crush it. Maybe it will be reincarnated as a Mustang!
Once he gets the pink slip He does a number job…. What a piece of crap, I personly don’t even like these hunk of junks…..