After a record sales year in 1965, Chevrolet had a hard act to follow in 1966 with its full-size cars. Depending on models, Chevy sold 20% fewer Biscaynes, Bel Airs, and Impalas in 1966, but the numbers were still huge. The seller has a well-equipped and upgraded ’66 Impala SS convertible that sports a 350 V8 with modern specs. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this red rocket is available here on Hagerty, where the current bid is $12,500. Many thanks go to Barn Finder PRA4SNW for this nifty tip!
Chevrolet promoted the Impala Super Sport to series status in 1964, and the car was still putting up big numbers in 1966. But full-size performance cars had begun to fall out of favor for lighter mid-size machines instead. You could get a ’66 Impala SS with any Chevy engine, and the fender badge of this drop-top says the popular 327 once lived under the hood of this stellar car. A 350 from 1971 has since replaced it (for whatever reason), but the original 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission may still be in play. The odometer reads 76,000 miles.
We’re told the seller acquired this SS in 2018, and it’s wearing a nice but imperfect coat of Regal Red paint (the original color, but not the finish). The seller or the previous owner put a ton of money into restoring and upgrading this fine machine, which includes adding fuel injection to the engine and front disc brakes for improved braking capabilities. Other new or newer mechanical goodies include vintage air conditioning, electrical components, cooling system, and a whole lot more.
While everything looks great, the Chevy is not Concours quality. And it’s not numbers matching either. So, if those things are deal breakers for you, then this Impala SS is not for you. But if you’re looking for what should be a great driver that will impress the Cars & Coffee crowd and serve as a great weekend cruiser, why not step right up?
It’s a shame when they were upgrading the drivetrain etc, they didn’t do something with the powerglide. IMO they can be set up for the drag strip but are sadly lacking on the highway. Regardless, it’s a good looking car.
An emissions 350 (they lowered compression in ’71 to make them more friendly to unleaded) teamed with a slushbox is not a good idea. Maybe they went cheap with the drive train conversion? Or hopefully they at least massaged the 350 to bring it back to pre-’71 specs..
The callouts on this car should be returned to original. The Impala callouts on the fenders can go away. The Impala SS callout should appear on both the grill and rear deck in place of Chevrolet callouts.
The CGC engine was a 245 HP 350 from a Chevelle.
Beautiful car. Love the red, the convertible top, and the A/C. I think I’ll pay attention to the auction for the next 10 days. Never know where the bidding might stop and Missouri isn’t that far away from north Texas.
Nice car here just get rid of those rims.
i really doubt this is real SS. looks like a wanna be i agree with nark the wheels need to go
It’s an SS unless someone has swapped out the ID plate
Hello, FYI, I checked the vin in several locations and it looks to be an original SS. I like your username because my name is Harry, I’m an Oldsmobile fan that’s owned 4 nice Oldsmobiles over the years, and one of them was a red 1968 442 back in the day. You have a great day!
Really nice car 2 hours from the house. It has a great factory/ original look to it with the exception of the tires and rims.
Why wouldn’t you put some rallies or some period correct wheels such as Cragar SS or Ansen Sprint type wheels with RWL or redline tires to complete the look? Maybe upgrade from 14 to 15 inch.