It’s hard for me to believe it’s been 40 years since this gigantic 1976 Chevrolet Impala was a standard full size American car. I remember when these cars were new, and they did seem massive and a bit bloated. I did not much care for how these full size GM cars of this era handled, but they sure were comfortable on the interstate.
This Impala is for sale in Naugatuck, Connecticut, and is advertised here on craigslist with an asking price of $5,000. This model was the only two door Impala offered in 1976, the last year before GM’s big cars were downsized. By comparison, the ’76 Impala had a curb weight of 4175 pounds and managed 12.2 mpg while the ’77 Impala weighed 3571 pounds and got 14.7 miles per gallon.
I have not been able to find out how many of these two door coupes Chevy made in 1976, but I believe it was a relatively uncommon model when new, and doubt there are too many like this one still around. I actually like this car more now than I did when it was new.
This car is being sold by its original owner and is claimed to have only 56,000 miles. It has been sitting in his garage for some time. There are some photos shown with the dust it accumulated, but it looks like this car has been cleaned up to be sold.
This Impala features the base 350 cid two barrel engine, so you can expect a leisurely 13 second acceleration when you go from zero to sixty in it.
According to the seller, everything works and all this car needs are front tires. The trunk is very clean – and has plenty of space for your luggage.
This is a real seventies car, it is equipped with an eight track tape deck (remember those?) and an FM converter so you can listen to the radio static free. The vinyl top looks remarkably good, further evidence this car has been stored indoors for most of its life.
This engine compartment is full of plumbing. That’s the seventies for sure.
Of course you can’t really tell the true condition of this car from pictures, but it does look very clean. The grille has some pieces missing, but overall, this car looks extremely solid and if it checks out, seems like a reasonably good deal.
If you have space in your garage, this will be a fun and relatively inexpensive collector car. That’s a nice looking original cloth interior. And that power bench seat is fun too.
There is room in this car for your entire family, all your picnic supplies and even your dog will be comfortable. Just make sure you are aware of where those big doors are when you open them so you don’t hit the car next to you.
Drive carefully, stay aware of your fenders as you navigate this boat, buckle up, and have some fun with it. Hit the road in one of the last American cars built in the time when big really meant BIG.
I had a 75 Impala,nothing exciting .but it was dependable cruiser.you could fit all you fishing gear and an outboard in the trunk.and it managed 15mpg on the interstate.
looks pretty clean and from a dedicated Chevy family. worth it? thats up to you.
note a few other interesting cars for sale in CT via CL including a poor Cord 812 that some fool pulled the original motor and tranny out of. says it will make a cool rat rod. :(
also a nice 66 stang vert with K motor…
Say what you want, but this will take 6 people and their luggage anywhere. I had the pleasure of driving this model on a trip across the country. Rode like a Rolls and the AC froze us out. I don’t know if big cars fit our modern world, but they sure remind me of the good old days, before the concept of downsizing took off. Whatever it sells for will be cheap, compared to what you are getting and it will be cheap to keep on the road.
5k for a blah 70’s boat doesn’t seem that great to me, but that’s just me. I do have to wonder why the e brake cable is running under the gas tank though. That’s a new one to me.
I’m not sure what you’re seeing. That parking brake cable is running under the left side floor board.
Ah ok. Under the gas tank seemed a little too wtf for even the General. However, still seems strange to have it routed there, making contact with the pan. Is that really how they built them?
The door panels look remarkably similar to late 60s Galaxies. 1968 in my experience but I’m sure other years
These were very nice looking cars ( size aside ) i just loved those back windows. If you want to liven this thing up you’d need to make some changes. First thing out with the engine and transmission rebuild the engine with a little more cam shaft and shaved heads no greater than 9 to 1 compression ratio after all we have to put our modern $h!t fuel in the tank, change the distributor advance springs to allow for a quicker centrifical advance and rejet the carb. Yes you can leave the duel jet carb in. Next put a 700r trans in there to get those highway revs down. Next get rid of those 3.25 gears in the back and replace them with 3.50’s or even 3.75’s finally replace the single exhaust with dual even if you have to keep the cats, fresh ones of course. This will give it some more power and fuel economy.
Two massive doors. I think the on 2 door car that had bigger doors was the early 70’s Cadillacs.
My dad had one of these, only it was white with a red vinyl top & red interior. God, it was ugly. We nicknamed it Moby Chevy. I borrowed it for a weekend trip and it rode like a cloud.
More importantly, this website is the best on the ‘net. I don’t miss a day of my nostalgia fix. Thanks for keeping it up.
I love these. Fender skirts and big quarter windows. We’ve lost many of these to demolition derbies. Sadly it will probably end up donked with 22 inch or bigger wheels and tires. It deserves better. Like cruising up and down the interstates. My source lists these numbers for 2 doors in 1976.
My dad’s one was red with white vinyl top. White leather/vinyl interior and no A/C… This one looks to be quite loaded, electric bench seat, A/C, 8 tracks tape deck. Reminds lots of memories. Our cat died in our 76′, he take place between fan and radiator, no chance when the engine start…
What do you mean by the cat took place between fan and radiator?
My grandpa bought a 74 coupe at a company auction – sales car. It was a light sage green – (actual color name “Medium green”). Color was as boring as it’s name. No vinyl top, but interior was same color as exterior. tough old boat. No frills but big and comfy.
@ Grant……
Look again…that’s the floor pan…the cable’s exactly where it’s supposed to be.
Are you dyslexic?
Not rare, but certainly not common anymore. The round headlights are nicer than the square ones. Bring a gas card and you can drive this beast anywhere in comfort.
A set of turbine wheels or the wide truck rally wheels do wonders for the curb appeal of these.
I had a ’75 convertible. Fun car. Always like being in a parade.
My dad bought a triple black 74 caprice that came from Jim wanger.Chevrolet in Milwaukee
It had some kind of special wanger.package where the dealer added a padded vinyl roof that covered most of the rear quarter window leaving about 6″ glass showing making it a vertical opera window
He thought it was the coolest thing…I always thought it looked a little gangster…but it was the 70’s
I just remember every time I drove it i always had to stop for gas
i had a 1976 caprice classic 4 door hardtop the only bad thing about it was rust holes thru under the vinyl top the only easy way to fix it was to strip the vinyl & grind spray it down & take it to earl shive & spray a textured top like a chevy blazer
Every time I see one of these, I think of the Brady bunch. Mr. Brady had a convertible and Marsha and Greg both took their driving tests in it.
http://news.cdn.boldride.com/2013/09/Brady-Bunch-Driving-Test.jpg
Great cars. My favorite car to drive was a 1976 Caprice convertible.
Loved those cars. My dad bought a brand new green 74 impala. Not the fanciest but was reliable. My sister was t-boned in it by a chevy wrecker in the mid 80’s. The rear of the car swung into a tree. Trunk looked like an accordion. Sister miraculously had just a broken nose. Car was totaled by insurance company.
I absolutely loved the convertibles, they were very classy looking! Did not care very much for them, otherwise, but this one seems to be a very solid example worth fixing up, for someone who does like the non convertibles…..
I’ve always been a Ford fan. Had Ford’s version of this boat in 77 new a LTD Landau Cp. Great highway cruiser and I got as I recall 15 to 16 mph highway with a 351 2bbl. My only Chevy was a 72 Impala I bought new and had it back to the dealer for some adjustments and it was stolen off their lot never to be seen again. Took the insurance money and bought a 72 LTD coupe. I guess Chevy and me were never meant to be..
My parents bought that exact car new in 76 I remember people fighting over buying it 13 years later it was metallic baby blue with matching landau roof and matching hub caps it was a great car lead sled
Ours rusted out (Pennsylvania winters and salt); I’d feel the water from a wet road hitting thru the carpet on my left heel. We loved the “boat” though. And they were definitely lead sleds. Lol. My favorite memory was bringing home a Sears freezer in its trunk; it fit! (sans packaging).
What do you mean by the cat took place between fan and radiator?