This Chevy Impala Sport Coupe is from the final year of the car’s third-generation (1961-64). It’s been owned by the same family for the last 57 years and looks mostly original. It needs some interior work and new paint if you like, but it could be driven the way it is for a time. This numbers-matching 283 car with a 3-on-the-tree transmission is in Central Point, Oregon and available here on eBay where the bidding has reached $15,100, but the reserve is still hanging out there.
Chevrolet’s full-size cars got a modest restyle in ’64 over ’63, going for a more rounded, softer look. Rooflines were carried over from 1963 without change, so the Sport Coupe was formal compared to the fastback editions that came both before and after those two model years. These cars have become something of a staple in lowrider culture (how many videos have you seen of them lowered and bouncing up and down?).
This ’64 Impala standard sport coupe (in other words, not a Super Sport) belonged to the seller’s father, who bought the car new in Lake Oswego, Oregon early in the calendar year. The gentleman has recently passed away and it’s time for this Chevy to move to a new home. No close-up photos of the body are provided and there is no mention of any rust, past or present. But the seller states the car has never been in an accident. What we mostly see is a very faded paint job which could very well be original to the car.
Some work has already been done on the interior. The front seat covers must have worn out as the mileage on the car is said to be 250,000. So, they have been replaced with generic vinyl material that’s about the same color as the back seat, but the material isn’t anywhere near close in appearance. That back seat looks nice other than a modest-sized stain. The dash pad has split in more than one place and should be replaced, probably along with the carpeting. And what about the door panels? Both of them have had the bottom portions of the material torn off.
The window sticker on this Impala likely had few options listed when new. While the seller’s dad went for Chevy’s entry small-block engine, he didn’t spring for an automatic transmission. And it doesn’t look as though power steering or brakes are there either. We’re told the car has been well-maintained mechanically, so it sports a newer starter and exhaust. But the seller’s mechanic says the 283 V8 came originally with high-performance heads, but was that even something you could get with that basic motor? And it doesn’t jive with the budget appearance of the car. A nice touch, though, are the Rally wheels, but I don’t think they were available until around 1967.
I wonder how much it would cost to convert this car to a right hand drive ?
Why do you need to do that, if you are in Australia and the vehicle is over 30 years old you can leave it left hook and drive on the roads, silly rule I know but that was when they were trying to protect the home industry that no longer exists.
Depends on how much you do yourself. A full mirror conversion is north of 10K Aussie. If you could find factory RHD donor (good luck) you’d make the job easier. And as observed below, these days you don’t have to convert older cars. I had a RHD ’63 Belair, my introduction to American cars- a love ongoing love affair.
A stripper ‘pala for sure but I LOVE to see the base three-on-the-tree transmission! Seems some home-made lower alt bracket was fabbed up, maybe LH exh manifold cracked? Also seems it received a RH inner fender from a donor. Trunk looks surprisingly intact – these cars like to rust behind rear inner fenders and further into the trunk floor. Personally I’d add PS and PB maybe 2spd wipers too, apart from that it’s optioned just as I like it. Its interior…well I guess first stop would be Ciadella, a 2dht ‘pala isn’t that expensive to upgrade with brand new upholstery. Always had a soft spot for the ’64 semi-psychedelic cloth pattern!
Gotta admit previous owner deserves kudos for hanging on to it for 57 frickin’ years. If I bought it I’d beg the selling family for as much intel and pics of the vehicle from its hopefully well documented life
Maybe the alternator bracket was made when originally it had a generator.
Chevyhardcore dot com shows an alternator as standard equipment on this car.
John, Chev introduced alternator sometime in ’62. The LH exh manifold should double as a lower alt bracket. Not sure if all fullsize ram horns had this provision but at least mine did
I though GM started using alternators in the 63 Corvette
The only engine offered as ‘high performance’ for the ’64 Impala was the L74 (327ci/300 hp). There were three flavors of 409 but none was touted as high performance.
I didn’t notice the fabbed bracket. I was too busy being distracted by the blue inner fender.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t the three 409 options led by a dual-quad, solid lifter 409 rated at 425 horses? The other two (memory is fading) were single four barrels rated at 350 and 380 horses with hydraulic lifters?
340 HP hydraulic lifters , 400 HP solid lifter single 4bbl
Beside the 425 HP the other two single 4 Brls were 400 horse with solid lift cam and 340 horse with juice cam!
Anyone who removes this 3 speed transmission and column shifter should be beaten with a shoe. That car needs to stay just the way it is.
I agree. Or better yet, how about restoring it just enough that you can safely drive it.
how much ??
Nice looking car. For a car in this condition, I’d pay less than $10,000 for the car. that would leave enough money to have an inspection done to it, to have a restoration done, at least enough to get everything working and driveable.
GM alternators started in 1963. This is a poor man’s Impala. I purchased a 1966 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door sedan for $100 from the original owner back in 1977 while in high school for an auto shop engine rebuilding project. 283 2 barrel, powerglide, a/c, power steering. Medium electric blue in color. Used to call it my grandma car. Tough as nails. Also had the seats redone. Sold it to a young single mom for $500. No power brakes, so I got pretty good at standing on that brake pedal to stop her. Lol. Ah, what memories.
Padded dash and radio were options
Yeah, while Biscaynes and BelAirs could be expected to be lowly optioned I never expected to see a cheaper ‘pala than this one. Then I stumbled upon this older Curbside Classic write-up of an even lesser ’64 coupe, WITHOUT radio and possibly dash pad too (hard to determine from pics). Sadly we don’t get to know but without fender tags it should indicate I-6 and if it’s also without PS/PB it could very well be a none optioned ’64 Impala.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1964-impala-six-cylinder-three-on-the-tree-sports-coupe/
Cars like these fascinate me as I’m intrigued to learn the history behind what kind of cheapskate would pay the extra $ for an Impala but save on everything else…? 😏
I love the stripper cats too. That is why I have Chrysler Newport with no options and has a three on the tree.
GM switched to alternators on 63 models. However, at least on Chevys, the 62 model cars with fact AC had alternators (at least at some point during the model year).
The description of a 64 as being “rounder” is the exact opposite to my thinking as I always considered them as boxier than the 63. I’m not a Chevy fan in general but, I like the car and the option package. I’d rather have a 3 on the tree over the 2 speed auto any day (and yes I live with a manual as a daily driver).
Anybody “dissing” the lack of originality of any equipment on a 57 year old, 250k car has their head right up their pittootie. The heads on this car are different from original or remanufactured? I would hope so. I’d be surprised if there hasn’t been a complete engine rebuild. The mechanic who believes that the heads were “high performance” from the factory is probably a Chevy fanatic who believes in “thousand horse heads” and magic carbs that make any engine get 100 mpg. This car was built to a price target not as a track warrior. The V8 was probably the sole luxury the purchaser allowed himself it beyond being an Impala (for bragging rights) and may have been justified if they drove in hilly terrain regularly.