If you were to create a list of iconic automobiles of the 1960s, would the Chevrolet Impala Super Sport make the list? Especially one with the 409 cubic inch V8 engine, like in this 1963 edition? The engine and automatic transmission (2-speed Powerglide?) are said to be original in this auto, but the car is going to need a lot of mechanical and cosmetic work to recapture its old glory. Located in Richmond, British Columbia, this old warhorse is available here on craigslist for $28,000 (we’re assuming USD; if Canadian, a conversion would be needed). Once again, T.J. comes through with an awesome tip!
The Super Sport (or SS) debuted in 1961 as a muscle car and only a few hundred examples were built. Chevy changed its strategy in 1962 and turned the car into an image package with any engine in the company arsenal, including a six-banger. As a result, 99,000 were sold that year and another 153,000 in 1963 before the car became a series of its own in 1964. Sources seem to disagree on how many 1963 Impala SS hardtops and convertibles were produced with the renowned 409 motor, but 4,000 seems to be a fair estimate.
This weather-worn Super Sport has been sitting for ages. It carries a British Columbia registration (current or expired?) and was built in Los Angeles more than 60 years ago. The seller says the odometer reads 34,000 miles but it’s quite possibly on its second time around. This car has all the indications of it being a real SS, including the bucket seat interior which was part of the package. The seller says he/she has all four of the special SS wheel covers to make it a complete vehicle to restore.
There are some rust holes in the floors and at least surface rust in lots of other places. There is evidence the car was painted white when new and changed to red (now faded) later on. Despite these flaws, they may be outweighed by the car’s numbers-matching status (per the seller). The seller is open to a trade and was asking $30,000 before lowering the price. What’s a fair ante on this once cool ride?
If there’s good documentation, that’s a really good find. I hope it’s restored to original.
The description is very clear it comes with automatic transmission and a 409 engine . If that is an automatic shifter I will kiss a monkeys butt. To many oddities are not right. And not my money, I might be dumb but not stupid
Start kissing. Straight gate shifting with what you assumed was a shift lever for standard. Zoom closer. No clutch either.
Keep in mind the numbers matching on this is by date code only. no VIN stamping yet….. the inside trunk looks odd to me. should be spatter painted. do not think exterior color was ever inside the trunk. looks like it has good bones though.
“She’s real fine my 409”, record wavering in sound and skipping,,( remember we would tape a nickel to the needle to “grind” through the skipping) I know, I lived a comical existence, George Carlin, another mentor of mine or watched too much Family Guy, but pretty sad. I mean, in ’63 and for a couple years after, nothing was cooler. Any car with a musical history, is special,, to me anyway. All this tells me, is how out of date I am, and how an iconic car like the ’63 Impala SS 409, could be reduced to this.
I’d like to, at this time, thank the staff for correcting the “problem”,,,again, they literally saved me ,or the State of Colorado, thousands in psychiatry costs.
In regard to KCs post^, music then didn’t need to accurate, heck, I think Wilson was the only one that could surf, it was about good times, repetitious, 3 chord songs, that we sang along to, and we all dreamed of Surf City, but had to settle for Lake Michigan.
He dove off a friends boat drunk looking for treasure…and never re-surfaced 12-28-83 :<(
Apparently, I spoke too soon, and the “problem” is NOT fixed, the staff has been notified. It seems, any “edit” or early access comments seem to make the comment go cattywampus. Be advised.
I just edited my previous comment without an issue.
It was just a truck engine- nothing special..but it was big and looked impressive with chrome valve covers..
348 was the truck engine there never was a 409 in a truck
The 409 was a popular engine in the sixties mostly.In case you didn’t know drag racers used it won a lot of races with it.It wasn’t just a truck engine. The highest horsepower 409 was 425 horse. A well known engine builder named Lamar Walden builds new 409 engines highly up dated. They do run!!
Am I wrong or just saying, SS cars especially the 409’s had a tachometer around the steering column.
I have seen SS cars without the tach, so I believe not. Keep in mind it was only a trim package back then.
SS cars in ’63 are verified by the trim tag, which must indicate vinyl-covered bucket seats.
I was lucky enough to own 3 63s since 2000. Now I am priced out of ever having one again.
not ss cars but all 327 s with 300 HP and up and all 409 s did have the tack in front of the speedometer the 250 HP 327 did not and that was in all full size Chevy’s not just impalas
63s if you ordered the optional tach it was in a small housing atop the dash directly over the steering wheel.(as mine was)
I was really kind of small to be of any real use. I ended up with a Sun unit strapped to the steering collum like everyone else.
If 28 k US dollars,too much. Think about it,body,paint,floors and mechanicals probably needed. Buy one done with 4 speed and you will be better off.
In 63 the only 409 that came without a Tach was the 340 hp 409 with a Power Glide automatic. All the other 409’s with 4 speeds came with a Tach. had You could always order the dash Tach in a 340 hp power glide as an option,
your rt I keep forgetting about the 340 HP 409 only one with a automatic and 1963 was first years for it 1962 no automatic 409 only a 380 HP and 409 HP
I have seen SS cars without the tach, so I believe not. Keep in mind it was only a trim package back then.
SS cars in ’63 are verified by the trim tag, which must indicate vinyl-covered bucket seats.
I was lucky enough to own 3 63s since 2000. Now I am priced out of ever having one again.
yes 283s and 6 cyl and 250 HP 327s no tack
@ al….Wrong! The 409 WAS a truck option in 1965 (https://oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/GM%20Trucks%20and%20Vans/1965_Trucks_And_Vans/1965%20Chevrolet%20Medium%20and%20HD%20Truck%20Brochure/image12.html).
you are right I knew the 348 was still used in trucks long after it’s final year in passenger car but I forgot about that 409 I stand corrected
@ Steve…..the across-the-board optional U16 tachometer cost $48.45, but was included w/any 4-speed equipped L74 (300hp 327), L33 (340hp 409), L31 (400hp 409), or L80 (425hp 409).
BarnFinds wouldn’t let me print the link verifying that the 409 was in fact a truck motor (like the 348). Though for ’65-only, a 409 was optional in big Chevy trucks, @ 252hp.
348 was a great engine had a 1958 impala 2 Dr ht black 348 250 HP single 4 barrel factory 3 speed was a great car could almost finish the quarter in second gear kid in my senior year had a 1959 Vette 283 dual 4s 245 HP 4 speed I would take him by half fender every time his headlights would be at my outside mirror close but I won
The 348 was actually a pretty hot engine in 1958-59 and more in 1960 up to like 345 hp with tri power and 4:11 posi/4 speed and evolved into the SS package starting in ’61. Also, many folks don’t know this but the 409 was put into a small number of ’65 Impala SS cars as well. Both engines were vastly more popular in cars than in work trucks…eventually the big block 366 was a more used engine developed specifically for heavy trucks. Cheers for gears….
I just looked at the ad. It is from the Vancouver B.C. craigslist, so the price should be in CAD. The heading says $28k, in the ad it says $30K. Checked the current exchange, that would be $20,720, and $22,200 respectively, in US dollars.
Did Springsteen’s “Racing in the Streets” contain some automotive inaccuracies?
I sold a 1964 Impala SS 4 years ago for $27k and it was all refreshed. 327 matching numbers engine, brakes, new paint and interior. So this one, needing everything done, is priced on the high side IMO.
And the revving engine in the song is not a 409 but a hot rod that one of the Wilson brothers owned.
it was a friend of Brian’s it was a Chevy 348 it was a w engine same as the 409
Really???? Who thinks up these asking prices???
This car must be for a left footer. The gas pedal is on the left side of the brake..
I doubt Roger Christian said the 409 was a crummy engine, Dyno Don Nicholson won the Stock class at NHRA’s first Winternationals in Pomona California in 1961 with a 12 second pass in a 1961 Impala SS 409. He and Ronnie Sox raced the only two Chevrolets, when Fords were the standard. The 409 was a new engine that year. He repeated this in the 1962 Winternationals & Dave Strickler came in second place with his 1961 Impala 409 called the Old Reliable.
there was a difference between the 1961 409 and 1962 the 1961s had some major problems they where just bored out 348s in 1962 they cased a new block changing water jackets location problems solved
Old reliable was a 1962 bel aire bubble top 409ci 409 HP saw it run many times in person
Al: some Cabovers in the early 60’s came with 409’s from the factory, do the research.
I did some research and found out I was wrong don’t know a lot about trucks so yes I stand corrected
Scott we were not talking just about only SS models. I was only talking about 63 409’s. Myself zI have owned three 63 SS Impala cars. Two were convertibles and one SS coupe. The two convertibles, one a 327, auto and the other a 283 auto, neither of which came with a Tach. My SS 63 coupe has a 409, 425 HP dual 4’s 4 speed which I still own. All 409 4 speed cars came with the dash mounted Tach as factory equipment.
I understand. I was responding to someone who had asked if the tach was in all SS models. For some reason my comment posted twice… once as a reply and once as a free-standing comment.
I had an early 60s Chevy school bus with a 409 I sold the engine for $409 and he pulled it!!! Yhat was in the early 80s!!!!!!
Well, not all accurate , in the song “shut down “, he sings of a fuel injected Stingray out dragging a Super Stock 413 Dodge , which wouldn’t happen and they even did drag tests for fun, just to prove it wrong. Brian said he was a Chevy guy, so he wrote it as the Chevy winning
talking about songs did you know the engine sounds in she’s real fine my 409 was actually a friend of Brian’s 348
and also talking about 413s in 1964 at a light in my 1958 348. 3 speed Impala had a new Plymouth do we remember them with a cross ram 413 next to me I tried but only got a brief view of his tail lights before he was long gone
I know that GM used the 348/409 engines in its medium size trucks and buses, thru 1965 and maybe beyond. One way to tell the difference was on a 348, oil dipstick was on drivers side and the 409 was on the passenger side. Some guys cheated and changed the oil pans out with each other.