Chevrolet redesigned its cars in 1958 and mixed up the model lineup a bit. Whereas the Bel Air had been the top dog in 1957, the Bel Air Impala took on that role in ’58 and the Impala itself became a series of its own in 1959. The cars were longer, wider, and heavier, and – thanks to a recession – Chevrolet sold 22% fewer of them. This Be Air is in great shape, treated to some recent cosmetic and mechanical upgrades. Located in Langley Township, British Vancouver, this “nifty fifty” is available here on craigslist for $35,000 OBO. BTW, its registered in Canada.
All of General Motors’ automobiles got a rework in 1958, which would turn out to be a one-year exercise. They hastily changed the game again the next year in response to the success Chrysler had with its “Forward Look” cars of 1957 that made everything else look old. In the Chevy camp, gone were with 150 and 210, replaced by the Del Ray and Biscayne, with the Impala at the top. While the autos looked much bigger, they were only nine inches longer and weighed 127 pounds more. But they appeared bulky compared to the 57s with their sharply defined corners and edges.
The seller’s Bel Air Sport Coupe has been treated to a recent redo of the light blue portion of the paint job, whereas the darker blue (Silver Blue Metallic 930A) seems to be original. The rear bumper, which helps to house the ginormous Continental kit spare tire, has been re-chromed. The interior is also new and looks quite inviting with its 1950s layout. We suspect the dashboard has been repainted, as well.
Mechanically, there’s a freshly-painted 283 cubic inch V8 under the hood with a 2-barrel carburetor that’s said to run great and should sound good with its new dual exhaust. The brakes have been redone, and the four tires that we can see are new. A 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission takes care of the shifting of gears. As the seller says, this car is not an Impala but should be a lot cheaper to buy today in the same configuration. The 1958 Impala Sport Coupe had its own roofline and rear deck treatment.
Despite all this “coolness”, the all-new Chevies were not a big hit. Sport Coupe production was down more than the rest of the lineup at 25%. Things would start to bounce back in 1959 as the economy improved and GM’s products become more “space age” in their appearance. Our thanks go to Tony Primo for sourcing this great tip for us!
Great looking cars, I really like the non-original tu-tone design but I’m not in love with the color combination, perhaps a dark blue metallic on the bottom? and the same with the light gray carpet. Enough of my negative attitude, I feel that the price is more than fair and certainly will not make the seller any money over the coat of restoration.
I remember when I was in high school and owned a 57 Chevy , which my best friend loved. I was at his house one day, and his mom pulled me aside and said “I know how much Jon loves your old Chevy so I got one just like it for his birthday, only one year newer”.
I tried to play along….
I like this car almost as much as the Tri- Fives, and the color has a lot to do with it. The two blues don’t set this the lines of this correctly, white would have done it, but it just doesn’t flow right to me. The Bubba Gump continental kit has to go, they are an abomination to beautiful vehicles. This car put on some bulk from 1957, and the fenderskirts and kit make it look like something it’s not. I don’t have the money anyway I just like cars the way they they rolled off the line. I believe the 1958 was a car that doesn’t get enough credit.
They certainly looked a lot better without the Continental kit.
…. and the fender skirts.
The 58 Impalas in like condition are usually around 50 K. I think for the condition it is a good buy. I am thinking I could get all the junk off of it in a day if I tried. NO continental kit, skirts and mirrors wit flipper hubcaps and this would be a great driver. I remember in high school one of the rich kids had a brand new 58 Bel -Air ,it was solid black. That’s when I thought they aren’t as bad as everyone thinks.
Located in Langley Township, British Vancouver?
Located in Langley Township, British Columbia.
1967 Chevy Camaro black Camaro/panther.327/210 hp.i had in 68 4 speed mucie.Beautiful had pathet badges on sde of roof.Any way 50 years later I found out their were only 50 made.Man I could kick my butt.lol
Ha I live in Langley. First time I’ve heard our province called British Vancouver LOL.
Personally, I always thought the 58 was the ugly duckling of the Chevy lineups in the 50’s and 60’s with the 65 Impala being the nicest looking of them all, but giving credit where credit is due to the groundbreaking 55
55-56-57
62–69in my opinion were the fasted and best looking cars made
Ugly duckling? Nah. Maybe a toad. The toad got Candy Clark.
I wonder how many others got your reference? ( Great flic BTW)
All 1958 GM cars were hideous, except for the Cadillac which was just OK.
In 1958 Chevy was the #1 selling car , but in 1959 Ford was , so while they didnt sell as many , recession or otherwise, they sold enough to be #1 The 59s at the time were looked at as odd looking, which hurt sales. Today , the 59s are what people want .
I’ve always thought the 58 Chevy was one of the best looking cars from that year ; a big improvement from the facelifted 57s. If I could buy this one, the skirts and continental kit would be off of it before I put a license plate on it !
no keep the skirts in 1963 I was in high school and had a Impala with a,348 shaved my money for a month to buy fender skirts for it they where the in thing than most cars in school parking lot had them some even had cruising skirts
1958 was a bad year for most American cars regarding design, IMO. Also agree that the Continental kit and fender skirts don’t help much either. Buy hey, at least it’s a 2 door.
At first glance I thought it was an Impala until I started reading and going back and looking. I had never seen a BelAir Impala nor heard of one. Is this a special Canadian model? I had a friend who passed away who had a ‘58 Impala convertible with the 348 cuin V8 and 4 Spd transmission the engine had the tri-power carbs.
I had a 1958 Impala 348 3 speed great car but in 1958 it was not a Impala but a bel air with the trim package called Impala didn’t become its own series till 1959 when it became just Impala
My first car was a 58 Chevy with the straight six. It was a dog. The V8 is barely large enough to move this hunk o metal down the road. Needs a BIG V8 !
Not impressed: The continental kit, fender skirts, and colors are an acquired “taste”. Upholstery and carpet are simply awful. This is half of a $35k car at best (IMO).
It took me a while to get used to the 58, but the 59 was just plain ugly. My 65 SS was my favorite of all.
Continental kit and skirts make it a
very ugly car 🤮
Depends on which generation you’re in
in my generation I’m 77 years old they where the in thing I love them and would keep them
I’m 80 and that was very much the style in the ‘50s. Even the long skirts that covered not only the wheel well but extended back almost o the bumper. I had a pair on a ‘61 Impala. The “California Rake” was also popular, for all the youngsters out there that’s the opposite of the sagg’n trend of raising the front and dropping the rear bumper to the ground. I had the skirts at a different time than the California Rake. That would’ve looked as stupid as the sagg’n.
I was a senior in high school in 1958 and I absolutely fell in love with the 58 Impala. Especially those equipped with the 348 big block 280 and 315 hp.engines. Fender skirts and continental kits were still the in thing at that time. I was very upset when the 59’s came out. The rocket ship look was not my favorite.
I was a senior in 1963 and had a black 1958 Impala 348 3speed and fender skirts and cont kits where very much in could buy both out of j c Whitney catalog those where the best days to grow up in
I was the generation after the 50s, but can see how those in that generation remember, and like the Continental kits and fender skirts. 58 was still a one year disaster for most American classics. The 58 Lincoln and Fords esp come to mind.
I was a 9 year old kid when the 58’s came out. And like most of my friends I built AMT customizing model plastic car kits. The hot setup was skirts, continental kits, lowering blocks, flames and/or pin striping. Truth be known, GM missed the boat with the ’58’s and overcompensated with chrome and awkward fins. Their offerings were just too short and bulky as well as being too tall. It’s amazing they could turn things around so quickly the next model year.
remember those amt kits well I turned 13 in 1958 and the testor glue and small paint bottles great times
Just a note to mention that GM introduced the “X” frame in 58 which was a major change from the old ladder frame design.
I had a 64 Impala and its X frame and it certainly made it a PITA to get up on a lift
problem with that x frame is there was a split drive shaft and the split was a universal joint in the middle of the x with the 348 when power shift it sometimes broke it spent many a day replacing them
The center support bearing of the X frame cars was an even bigger pita.
I had a 58 Bel Air coupe in my senior year in high school. 1961 348/350 horse with a 3 speed on the floor. I got into so much trouble with that car. Tickets for anything you think of from loud exhaust to drag racing. The day I sold it I got pulled over and got four more tickets and a license suspension. That car was jinxed from the first day.
Never heard of a Bel Air Impala, IMO this car was butt ugly in 1958 and it still is. The Impala is a different story. Great looking car.
This is a Bel Air , not an Impala, and there’s no such thing as a Bel Air Impala. .. The 58 Impala and the 58 Bel Air are basically the same car , so if you think a 58 Bel Air is “butt ugly” you’d probably hate the 58 Impala as well
There actually is a thing called a Bel Air Impala, but this thing isn’t one of them, it’s just a Bel Air. Wrong roof, no three tail lights, etc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Impala
bone, it’s like putting a homely girl next to a swimsuit model. They’re both girls, but oh what a difference.
there was never a Impala series in 1958 the series started in 1959 in 1958 Impala was a trim option on the Chevy bel aire so it was a bel aire with the Impala trim option I was there and I owned one
I see you’re right but I never saw one that said Bel Air Impala. I was there too and the only ID I ever saw on the 58 Impala said Impala. I never owned ’58 but had 2 59’s, one a conv. I drove Chevy for a lot of years with the last 3 being Vettes.
and you are also right they only said Impala even on glove box they said Impala where regular bel aire said bel aire but they where not their own series same as 1964 gto was a lemans with gto option but only said gto on it till it became its own series in 1965
The 58 Impala was the top of the line for Chevy ; they had six taiIlights instead of four , different side molding and a reverse scoop looking trim on the roof . Bel Airs and lower models didnt have the same trim
You’re exactly right Impalas and Bel Airs were different models as was the Biscayne which was the base of the base models.
what year vetts you have I came home from nam in late 1966 bought a new 1967 sting ray 327 base 300 HP 4 speed for $4200 no trade payments $110 a month how times have changed
you are rt it had totally different trim than the bel aire but it was still part of the bel aire line not its own line till 1959 same as 1964 gto was a lemans gto was not its own line or series till 1965 so the 1964 was really lemans gto
yes hc bel aire and impalas where different models starting in 1959 in 1958 Impala was part of the bel aire model
Needs half chrome headlight caps to finish its period correctness.
58 anything are cool, built before me but I love them. The gaudy’er the better. Never had a 58 chevy Bought a 58 Caballero in the 80s for next to nothing that I still have. 59 was king for me. This is a cool car, not everything needs to be a missile and quite frankly it’s quite faster and more adequate than those overpriced garbage VW busses. My fully loaded 283 4bbl 59 Impala convertible moves quite well, tops out at 110 and well that’s fast enough. If I really want fast I hop on the Hyabusa.
I couldn’t even get 35k for a 64 Impala SS I sold a few years ago, so good luck with this seller getting that for this 58 year and model. Just saying.
I don’t care what other people think I t h ink this is a very neat lo9king car right the way it is I just don’t have the money to buy it