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One Year Only: 1958 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe

Introduced at a point in automotive styling when the fin was king, the 1958 Impala caught the eye of the motoring public not just because it was a big car, but by the standards of the day, the fins were quite small and restrained. This particular ’58 model is going to require some work, but as a one-year-only model, it would seem to be worth it. Bidding has been quite slow on this car and has only reached $530. The reserve hasn’t been met at this stage, but there is a BIN option of $5,000. The Impala is located in New Lenox, Illinois, and is listed for sale here on eBay.

The Impala was introduced into the Chevrolet line-up in 1958 as the range-topping version of the Bel Air and was in production for one year before undergoing substantial changes in both engineering and styling to emerge on 1959 as a completely stand-alone model. This particular car is definitely showing the ravages of time and does have some rust issues. The most obvious, and not uncommon, is rust in the eyebrows above the headlights. The owner doesn’t indicate the state of the frame, but there is rust in the floors and the trunk pan. One other thing that will need to be looked at is the glass, as it appears that the windshield and the glass in the driver’s door are damaged.

Under the hood is a V8, and this looks like it might be the optional 283ci version fitted with the 4-barrel carburetor, which produced 250hp. The transmission is a bit of a mystery. The owner refers to it as a 4-speed manual, but looking at the photos, I’m struggling to locate a shifter, so it is possible that it might be the 3-speed version with overdrive. The car is also fitted with power brakes. The state of the engine and transmission is unknown, so we’re just in the dark on that one.

The interior of the Impala is a bit of a mixed bag. It looks like someone has performed some custom work in there at some point, as the seats don’t appear to be original, while I think that the dash pad may have been recovered to match the seats. It’s all very disjointed, and the interior will require complete restoration. Thankfully, from what we can see in the photos, it does look to be largely complete.

Yes, this Impala needs a lot of work, but it really looks like it could be worth it. With more than 142,000 Sport Coupes rolling off the production line in 1958, they certainly aren’t the rarest car on the planet. However, they do hold their value quite well. Good examples can be found for around the $45,000 mark, although this can stretch past $75,000 with some ease. That indicates that while there is some work to do on this particular car, it would seem to make economic sense.

Comments

  1. bobhess bobhess Member

    Rare and rust have the same first letter. This is a great $500 car if you are looking for a long, hard project.

    Like 18
    • Avatar Richard Ochoa

      OR a good parts car!!!

      Like 1
  2. Avatar MotorWinder

    I would have to agree … front seat appear to be from an early to mid 60s GM.
    Lots of good picture may have have helped to promote the sale.
    The $5000 BIN is too steep for the average enthusiast.

    Like 10
  3. Avatar Gaspumpchas

    For Petes sake clean the f@#$%&* snow off it. Notice the first pic cuts off the eyebrows. And Like you said I don’t see either shifter. What makes these people tick??? Anyhoo good luck.

    Cheers
    GPC

    Like 8
  4. Avatar Djs

    Its not a Impala its a bel air three lights in rear is a impala i know my dad had a 58 Impala sorry poster ck it out

    Like 52
    • Avatar Matt

      The Impala Sport Coupe also has a trim piece over the center of the rear window.

      Like 12
    • Avatar Dave

      Most well-known example of a 58 Impala is the white one in American Graffiti.

      Like 14
    • Avatar Old Car Guy

      Here is a listing for a ’58 Impala with the correct number of tailights.

      https://www.ebay.com/itm/1958-Chevrolet-Impala-Chrome-/303062425144?oid=254123511415

      Like 3
    • Avatar PatrickM

      Yeah. It’s either a Bel Air or a Biscayne. It sure as heck ain’t no Impala. Three things come to mind: (1) If you’re gonna sell a car, know what you have, (2) don’t try to snow us and (3) clean up the sucker! I won’t even read the article. Buyer be aware.

      Like 2
      • Avatar JeffC

        It’s even below the Biscayne. It’s a Del Rey. The least amount of side trim, etc.

        Like 0
  5. Avatar MoMini

    Could even be a 210!

    Like 2
    • Avatar local_sheriff

      No 210,that stopped after 57.It can be a Delray,Biscayne or Bel Air; anything but an Impala due to the dual taillights.GM would(at least in the 60s)refer to this pillared body as a Sport Sedan rather than Coupe .
      Seats seem to be out of a 64 SS Impala or Chevelle,door panels of …plywood…?
      58 Chevs are great cars regardless of style, but without a title this ain’t no 5K car, more a 1K(on a good day) parts donor!

      Like 6
  6. Avatar Keith

    Djs is correct…this aint no Impala….Its a Belair, Delray or Bicayne…but i cant see any emblems to say that

    Like 21
    • Avatar Davis

      Looks like Delray trim.

      Like 12
    • Avatar Ralph

      There is also no such thing as a pillared Impala in 1958, I thought this place was looking for writers that knew things about cars?

      What happened to that?

      Like 19
      • Avatar h60memo

        In the writers defense, he is Australian, & has had many submitted postings over several months.

        Like 8
      • Avatar Ralph

        Ok thats understandable, but there are editors no?

        If I were to submit an article about a 1935 Nash Corvette with its factory rotary engine would they just run it as is?

        Like 8
  7. Avatar Mike in Texas

    This is probably a Delray, rather than an Impala, but Chevy fans will likely already know that. The Delray is a nice under the radar model, though. Just like some people like two door posts in the tri-fives over the top line models for their clean looks, this will appeal to someone.

    Like 11
  8. Avatar erikj

    Those seats look Pontiac mid 60s Pontiac to me. I,m look for a set for my 66 2+2.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Timothy Morgan

    It’s a great car either way! A one off year and I actually think it’s got a lot more style than the tri 5’s. However if your going to sell something know what your selling before you post it!! It’s ridiculous to think that the amount of vehicles that go through this site and they can’t get it right!

    Like 2
  10. Avatar Michael Shook

    Hmm, is dat is, or is dat ain’t an hei distributor back there? Those weren’t around till the 70’s. Lot’s o’ BS in this listing.

    Like 2
    • Avatar MotorWinder

      Good Spot there Michael … if you looked at my ’63 Parisienne (283) you’d see the same thing, but it is a matching numbers car & engine ( isn’t that all that matters? ; ) Best this I ever did for that old girl, never had to play with the ignition system again, in fact same cap & rotor over 8 yrs later!! Now for my TBFI system : )

      Like 1
  11. Avatar edh

    HEI coil on the distributor, retro fit or newer engine.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Charles

    That is the price leader Delray company fleet car

    Like 4
  13. Avatar Miguel

    The only models of this year that have value is the Impala.

    People don’t seem to want any of the others.

    I would bet the mistakes in the listing is why it was ended early by the owner.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar James Martin

    I have been following these cars for years. Had s 58 delray buisness coupe (no back seat ) for years finally sold it for peanuts. These cars have exploded in the collector car scene. 4 doors are demanding this kind of cash these days.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Ed Wolff

    Side trim indicates a Delray. I had a 58 Biscayne

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Allen Member

    Three warning bells ringing here: ’58 Impalas came only in black, available only as two-door hardtops (no B-pillar), and had three-bullet tail-lamps. I’m sure there are other differences but I don’t pretend to know these cars that well.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Mike in Texas

    I had a 58 BelAir. Was formerly my grandfather’s car. If the Delray was a factory V-8, shouldn’t it have a V emblem on the trunk? If so, maybe someone removed it.

    Like 1
  18. Avatar Armando

    Absolutely NOT an Impala, that’s why the bidding has been very low. I still think it’ll make a wonderful project car. Would love to see this car turned into a pro-mod street racer.

    Like 0
  19. Avatar Dan

    Most will know its not the top of the line Impala, but Impala’s did come in many more colors than black. This car itself would make a great project. I think this design was among one of the best G.M. ever produced. They did not have bucket seats from the factory, but they look ok in this car.

    Like 2
  20. Avatar Brandon

    My dad bought a 58 Biscayne with a parts Del Ray in just barely worse condition than this for $1000. He pretty much redid the entire interior, replaced the chrome, and got the ol 283 running. It looked beautiful. Robin egg blue with navy interior and a white roof.
    He managed to only sell it for $6k.

    This car is going to need a significant amount of work and I don’t know how much room you’d even have to work with if you decided to sell it after getting it done. Especially considering all the people pointing out its kinda obvious it’s not actually an Impala.

    Like 1
  21. Avatar Philip B

    Wow…and people on here complain about the writer not getting facts straight. Impala’s only came in 2dr hardtop and convertibles. There were more colors than black. It’s probably a Delray as it only has one piece of side trim; Biscayne and BelAir had two. I have the equivalent Delray in a wagon, called a Yeoman. BTW, all Nomads in 58 were 4 doors and were the top-of-the-line wagon. I’m betting that he ended the auction early as he found out it isn’t an Impala.

    Like 5
    • Avatar CaCarDude

      Nice looking Yeoman Wagon you have Philip! I drove a 1954 Olds 88 2dr hrdtop in HS same color as this. One fine Late Great Chevy!

      Like 1
  22. Avatar Craig M Bryda

    283/250, not !

    Like 1
  23. Avatar CaCarDude

    You are correct Philip, the Impala with ’58 being first year was available in the 2dr hardtop or convertible. The Delray which I think this car is was a strip down model with one side trim down the body length. Had the two red taillight setup with no back up lens. The car would have a bench seat, this car listed shows a power brake set up, no PS seen. Did anyone else notice the hokey side mount fender lights the previous owner added? That was popular thing to do back in the 70’s, probably when the car got the buckets and cheap wall paneling door cards. The 1958 lineup also offered 15 different colors you could order with you’re new car if you so desired. I remember in HS may best friend had a ’58 Impala we cruised around in, it had the 348 4bl and auto. It was painted anniversary gold. That was back in ’66, now dating myself…
    This ’58 listed on a very good day might be worth $2k tops IMO

    Like 1
  24. Avatar George Pope

    I See It As Only A Parts Car If There is anything worth saving on it

    Like 0
  25. Avatar tommy

    This was my 1958 impala the car in the picture for sale is like a Delray 1958 2-door sedan. I had a delray in high school in 1961. the white one I owned in the 80’s. nice car 283 3 on the tree. wish I kept it. tommy

    Like 4
    • Avatar deak stevens

      There’s that one car we could kick ourself in the rear for getting rid of it thats a nice 58 my but kicker 59 impala. Black, black leather interior lowered astro supreme’s.i could go on and on. Nice 58 you had.

      Like 0
      • Avatar tommy

        thanks deak Stevens wow that 59 sounds great to. I did have a 1960 impala 2-door hard top I bought from my mother. she then bought a new 1962 SS cream color black buckets. mom was cool loved her rides. yea I had spinner hubcaps and dummy spots on my sixty deak. makes me mad no pictures of that car. tommy

        Like 0
  26. Avatar Philip B

    Thanks, CCD. Hey tommy, what are those wheels on your 58? Nice looking car,too.

    Like 0
  27. Avatar David

    58 Chevys have always been my favorite car. I bought my 58 Impala in 1976 in California.

    Like 0
  28. Avatar tommy

    I think they were true spoke wire wheels .Philip B sorry I got rid of this one.

    Like 0
  29. Avatar Allen Member

    Oooooph… If I get any more wrong about a car, I might be offered that job. I was right about the tail-lights but I think that had been mentioned already. ‘ Heard tell “two out of three ain’t bad”, but in this case it was two wrong out of three. That should teach me to research FIRST, and comment AFTER. The following from Wikipedia might be worth your time if interested: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Impala#First_generation_(1958). Granted, Wikipedia is not the ultimate source for serious research, but here, it was enough to prove just how wrong I was.

    I did have a ’58 Chevy once: a four-door – ‘ believe it was a Biscayne – with a 348 in it. For an 11 year-old Minnesota car it was scary fast. I’m lucky I survived some of my adventures with that engine!

    At any rate, please forgive my misinformation. I feel better now…

    Like 0
  30. Avatar r s

    The most amazing ’58 Chevy story is this: the ’58 that was used in American Graffiti as Steve Bolander’s car was left to sit at the movie studio for some time after the movie was completed. It was eventually sold for something like $300 to a young guy, who kept it for many years – basically in the same condition – and still had it as of a couple years ago. Imagine owning an automotive icon like that for a few hundred bucks! In fact he drove it to high school for a while…

    http://unofficialamericangraffiti.weebly.com/the-1958-chevy-impala.html

    Like 1
    • Avatar George Pope

      This is not the car from American Graffiti this one is Blue with a White Roof and the one from American Graffiti was all White and anyone who would change the color of a movie icon has to have rocks in their head, No R.S. this is not the car from American Graffiti

      Like 0
    • Avatar tommy

      wow how cool is that r s neat cars I have a graffiti poster signed by Bo Hopkins and Candy Clark at the James Dean Run in Fairmont Indiana. I also got pictures of Cindy Williams and Paul Me Mat. have to look for them.

      Like 0
  31. Avatar gary

    I currently am driving a ’58 Delray 2dr sedan, same side chrome and has the wrap-around narrow chrome around the tail light area. You could order a Delray with some limited upgrades. Mine has the arrows on front fenders above the headlights. Some of the BelAir chrome extras will fit right on a Delray. Of course the first year for the all-around coil springs that give them a great ride ,also first year for duel headlights. DelRay was only offered in 1958.

    Like 0
  32. Avatar thomas okonski

    I had a delray in high school 3 on the tree 6 cylinder car. blue car . lots of fun also had the 1958 impala that I wish I should have kepted. nice car also.

    Like 0
  33. Avatar Jranders Member

    Reminds me of Three’s Company episode where Mr Roper thought he was going to get rich selling his 57 Bel-air, only to find out it was a 58 model year that he bought when it first came out in the fall of 57, like all new models did back in the day.

    Like 0

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