It’s always a bit jarring when you see a collector car languishing in a pile of trash. This 1995 Chevrolet Impala SS is a modern day collector’s item that has been ratcheting up in price lately, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the seller’s car. While no explanation is given for the terrible condition it finds itself in, the Impala SS supposedly last ran four years ago and now needs a fuel pump and battery to run once again. Find it here on craigslist with 200,000 miles and an asking price of $3,000.
The high mileage may have been the seller’s reason for letting this one sit parked. After all, five years ago the Impala SS would have been decidedly less sought after than it is now, what with the Rad-era movement elevating many cars and trucks that were once just used-up daily drivers. The SS, of course, had plenty of reasons to be considered a collectible before the recent upward migration, but sellers of high-mileage examples like this probably didn’t think they were worth enough to justify cleaning up. Speaking of which, this SS will need a lot of detailing to rid itself of the sins of sitting.
The paint work is likely pretty well shot, and even if it comes back to life with a paint correction and clay bar treatment, it’s still likely to look pretty tired. The bigger question is whether the age-old “…just needs a fuel pump” excuse will hold any water when the next owner gets under the hood. Fortunately, the body itself looks pretty straight along with the taillights and glass. The original wheels remain bolted on and the seller doesn’t disclose any rust issues to be concerned with. However, there is a cracked flange on the down pipe.
The seller reports that the transmission was rebuilt at 150,000 miles, so somewhere along the way, the Impala was still being looked after. What happened? The interior is fairly rough, with the driver’s seat held together with packing tape and the obvious mold issues on the steering wheel. Has moisture been locked inside, allowed to run rampant and infiltrate the carpet pad (and everywhere else)? Hard to say, but the seller is open to best offers. Is this forgotten Impala SS worth saving?
Oh my gosh! The only one that can help that interior is going to be ServPro!
Does it come with a Haz Mat suit?
This one is the CSI special. Just ignore the body in the trunk.
Can you imagine the smell inside.
You’d never get it out.
I guarantee it !!!!
The real question is what is the interior color? Grizzard Gray, Moss Green, or both?
Can smell this one from 750 miles away. My mother in law had one of these at age 70 plus. She drove it til health intervened at 87 yrs. I remember how she would do unintentional burn outs constantly in it. (good times) I kept it a month from her to repair water leaks and put in replacement carpet. That’s when I realized how easy it was to speed and do burnouts, hers would leave a 50 streak in front of my place easy.
Really a shame This one looks like a mobile crack house/brothel, trying to be kind here…Could this be Marion Barry’s old ride? At this stage it’s maybe a $500 car?
“The interior is fairly rough “
Understatement of the day!
What in the world is that alien life-form on the steering wheel and armrest?
This interior of this car to far gone in pant bet engine doesn’t even run either that’s lot of money that’s take get this car back to new again
i think the trash is languishing around the car.
I live in Illinois and I can smell it. Anyone else?
Crush it!!!!
Pick-a-Part.
Looks like the optional “chia airbag” on the steering wheel. The interior must really have a swamp smell to go with it.
One good thing you can say about the interior, it doesn’t have any cockroaches in it. The smell probably drove them out. And i would bet $$ the engine is probably shot, most likely seized.
May have found my next parts car! Thanks BF!
Hillbilly junk….friggin gross, bubba should be ashamed…
You guys are missing something important here. Time after time we wheeze and moan about how much money sellers want for their cars and that it’s too expensive for young people to enter the hobby. This car is exactly what kids need…a neglected car that the owner wants to get rid of for a non-stratospheric price that will look really cool once it’s cleaned up. They were everywhere when I was a kid. Dad cuts a deal with their kid, then cuts a deal with the owner. Together, they’ll coax it back to life, and 50 years from now when the kid looks at their prom pictures with the car that they rescued they’ll have great memories. You do your chores and get good grades, and stay away from alcohol and drugs, and I’ll buy the parts you need and help you fix it up. Deal?
@Dave- Great idea, and the kid gets to keep any contraband found. Win-Win!
I have a 1996 Monte Carlo 3.1 daily driver. I never realized my 96 Monte Carlo was worth real money compared to this pile of junk parts.
My rusty, but not too rusty Monte Carlo must be worth $6k CDN if this Impala SS is worth $3k.
First off, I would never buy a wet car unless it was just for parts. Second, I’d never buy rust, mold, moss, green fuzzy growing stuff, dead vermin, or mouse turds.
Bees nests maybe, but green moss?
Pass.
Bob
I have a regular ’96 Caprice with something like 240k. I had the tranny rebuilt around a 150k and was told a 100k was the usual mileage on the tranny. The tranny needs to be rebuilt, fuel pump replaced. Most likely this car needs some of the emissions replaced as well as the fuel pump. The water pump is a dog to remove, as are spark plugs, wires and rotor. On mine, I had plans to rebuild the tranny, replace the fuel pump and do in general some maintenance, but have had health issues. Love the ride, even mpg isn’t all that bad. Sad that it has been allowed to set, but good that someone actually enjoyed it rather just look at it.
What made these “collectible” ? We know it wasn’t the styling. The drive train was pretty common and they sure weren’t made in limited quantity. In other words, these aren’t collectible.
Being in Va it should be good body wise. Gut the interior, get it running and driving. Beef up the motor, suspension and brakes. These do run very well, especially when you swap in a stick shift as a guy I know did. He used a Camaro set up, he had to drill one hole to mount up the pedals and everything else was straight forward also. Paint it, Line X the floor, two racing buckets and run the snot out of it.
Put an “ozanator” in it for a couple days along W/detail and it will be ready for new seat covers and carpet
The seller should be selling this to a local kid for no more than $500 so they can get to cleaning it up and (maybe) end up with something pretty cool.
My ex-gf’s son had one just like this. It sat out doors for years, rotting away, and I had to click on ad to see if it was the same car. His is probably still sitting outside rotting away in South Jersey.