By 1966, the American muscle car scene featured some potent vehicles offering stunning performance. While the pony car market also grew at an unprecedented rate, some buyers desired a vehicle with impressive acceleration and space to spare. That’s where classics like this 1966 Chevrolet Impala SS 396 stepped into the breach. Our feature car is a stunning classic featuring its numbers-matching big-block under the hood. It needs nothing but a new home, with the seller listing it here on eBay. The SS is located in Oakland, California, and bidding has raced to $28,700 in a No Reserve auction.
Chevrolet introduced its Fourth Generation Impala in 1965, and its record-breaking sales figures demonstrated that the buying public retained its appetite for full-size vehicles. The 1966 model featured minor styling updates, with 654,900 buyers parking a new Impala in their driveway. It is easy to understand why because the company created a vehicle with class-leading style and a sense of presence. Our feature car is an SS that presents superbly in a combination of Cameo Beige paint with a Black vinyl top. Beige is a shade often associated with bland and boring items, but this classic carries it beautifully. The seller indicates it received a high-end repaint, but it isn’t clear when. The paint shines magnificently, with no evidence of flaws or defects. The vinyl is equally impressive, while there are no dings or dents. Considering it has spent its life in California, the Impala’s rust-free status is no surprise. The chrome sparkles as nicely as the paint, and the glass is flawless. A set of factory Rally wheels wrapped in new Goodyear redline tires add the perfect finishing touch.
Impala buyers in 1966 faced a vast selection of engines to power their new purchase. The tape measure and scales don’t lie, revealing the car with a length of nearly eighteen feet and a weight of 4,019lbs. While most of the smaller engines in the range offered performance that satisfied many buyers, some craved plenty of power under their right foot. That is the case with this SS, as its engine bay houses the 396ci V8 that produces 325hp. The power from the big-block feeds to the 12-bolt rear end via a three-speed Turbo Hydramatic transmission, with power assistance for the steering and brakes removing the physical effort from the driving experience. The impact of the monster motor is evident when the stopwatch comes into play. With a 230ci Turbo-Thrift six under the hood, an Impala takes 19.3 seconds to wander through the ¼ mile. The 396 slashes that figure to a flat 16 seconds. The seller indicates that this SS is numbers-matching and original, apart from the upgraded air cleaner to improve breathing. The car runs and drives perfectly, with no issues or problems. They supply this YouTube video that supports the claim and shows this classic comes to life when the driver gives it a poke with a sharp stick.
This Impala’s history may reveal that someone treated the exterior to a cosmetic refresh, but its interior remains untouched. In keeping with its luxury leanings, it features bucket seats and a console. However, the factory tachometer and sports gauge cluster hint at its performance potential. The original owner ordered the car trimmed in Black vinyl, which remains excellent for its age. There is no appreciable wear, or physical damage, with the carpet and dash equally impressive. There is a single gauge mounted under the dash on the passenger side of the console, but I can’t spot any further aftermarket additions. Potential buyers from warmer climates will be grateful that the original owner ordered this classic with air conditioning, and the AM/FM radio provides entertainment on the road.
When some cars come to the market, they create barely a ripple within the classic community. Others will attract a bidding frenzy, which is the case with this 1966 Impala SS 396. Its auction opened at $250, but it has taken four days to attract forty-three bids that have catapulted the price to its current level. Considering its condition and specifications, that action is understandable. With time left on the auction, there is scope for both totals to climb higher. With No Reserve in play, a new home is only days away, but are you tempted to make it yours?
Beautiful vehicle. If you go to the ebay listing, at the bottom of the description there are photos of everything.
was a vacuum gauge optional in the console?
A piece of Chevy history.Next owner please don’t change a thing.Perfect as is.
Low Rider
oh hell no!!!
I can see it, the need for ample torque for pulling a trailer or maybe climbing steep grades, maybe a lot of over weight people filling the seats front and back, ha ha,,, the 396 does it without any drama, effortless power down the highway at speed. In style too, that’s a sharp looking car up there! The 396 big block engine often gets looked at as some sort of strip terror mill,, and maybe it was in smaller cars like a Camaro or Chevelle…Nova! But here it’s just a big engine for a big car,, the 427, well just how big of a trailer are you towing sir? Nice ride!
The 396 walks the walk and talks the talk. I have the L78 with the 4 bolt main in my 65 SS Impala 4 speed. This 66 is “stand out easy” on the eyes. Hopefully the next owner doesn’t ruin it. Nice Classic Chevy
What a nice car. I’d love to own it but it is already way over my budget. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this sell for over 40K. My Dad’s 1966 four door Belair was the car I learned to drive in. 283 and three on the tree power nothing. I still remember washing and waxing it before my junior prom. Great memories.
Not just ordered w/AC, but with Comfortron (auto. climate control), which is uncommon on a Chevy since it was about $100 more than the much more common ‘manual’ AC usually fitted. The downside? Does it work properly? I know from experience that the Climate Control on older Cads (which introduced it in 64) is quite problematic.
Friend had the exact same car but with a 4 speed.