After three successful years with the “Tri-Five” Chevies of 1955-57, the company redesigned its cars in 1958. Longer, wider, and rounder in appearance, they would turn out to be one-year-only designs when GM brass saw the success Chrysler was having with its 1957 “Forward Look” products. This ’58 top-of-the-line Impala is a 2-door hardtop and we’re told it’s almost rust-free after 44 years in storage. Located in Graham, Texas, this Chevrolet is available here on Barn Classifieds for $25,000.
Chevrolet sales were down in 1958 compared to 1957, from 1.5 million units to 1.2 million copies. But the new styling of the autos may not have been to blame because there was an economic recession that year that negatively impacted most of the car manufacturers.
The Impala was new in ’58 and would become the flagship model in the line-up, but it was only offered as a pillarless hardtop or convertible in its first year. The Bel Air would follow in the sales literature, then the Biscayne and the Del Ray.
The seller’s car has been garage-kept since 1978, witness the inspection sticker on the windshield. These Impalas were beautiful cars and this one appears to have been dark blue from the factory. Photos of the vehicle are limited, but the seller offers a full walk-around video via download from DropBox if you send a note to the seller. A photo is provided of the engine, which looks like the 348 cubic inch V8, also new for 1958. If you could wind the hands of time back, it makes you wonder how this design would have evolved over three years had things not changed.
Bought a black 58 Impala in 1977 for 360$, sold it in 79 for 750$. I regretted that immediately, it was a knee jerk response to my mother’s death. She hated that car because I worked on it in her driveway all the time being as I lived in an apartment. Of all the vehicles I have owned that’s the one I miss the most. But I miss my Mom more.
My dad’s all-time favorite car was the white over turquoise ’58 Impala coupe (348, Power Pack, Turboglide automatic) that he bought off the showroom floor at Doan-Calhoun Chevrolet in Philadelphia in March, 1958. He had his Fuel Injected ’57 Bel Air hardtop in for scheduled service, and when he went to pick up his car, he saw the Impala front and center in the showroom. That was all it took… not even a test drive. He only had the car for a little over two years. After my folks married in February, 1960, he discovered that his new bride couldn’t handle the Impala’s power. She couldn’t accelerate from a stop without putting down twin 10 foot long strips of rubber. A couple of months later, he traded it in straight up for a new 1960 Corvair 700 Club Coupe. She was thrilled, but he never liked their new, little car. That one only stuck around for a couple of years, too. When they discovered that baby #2 (me) was on the way, they traded it in on a new 1962 Biscayne 2-door sedan. Inline-6, Powerglide. Boring. Their two Corvairs over the years had no bearing on my becoming a Corvair guy, but that’s a story for another time.
Sadly this looks to be being flipped and hopefully the owner will get his ask.
Yep – it’s got a 348 and that’s pretty common – but factory air….that’s rare.
I absolutely love 58 Impala’s !!! You don’t see many where I’m from. I would love to own this !!! ❤️❤️
Need more pictures.
In my large extended family (13 aunts and uncles) there were 2 1958 Chevys, my 1 uncle had a baby blue Nomad that I thought was a supremely gorgeous wagon, and it’s ” opposite ” my family’s turquoise and white Brookwood. I was still a kid, so I have no idea how that Brookwood was equipped, but my mother grew to hate it so much in such a short time that my father was absolutely forbidden from buying another Chevrolet…and didn’t for nearly 32 years. My uncle, for whatever reason, kept his Nomad for 6 years and then traded it for the first in a string of Fords and Mercury wagons then sedans.
My grandfather bought one of these new, in Ohio. Within two years the fenders above the headlights was rusted through. I think that’s probably why we see less of these, compared to 57’s, they rotted away in the east.
Smitten again by an old dirty 58 Impala sitting in a dirty garage/barn/shop.
This car has my name written all over it. Too bad my bank account doesn’t.
Nothing would eat up fuel like a 58 Impala with even a healthy small block in it.
The BIG Oil conundrum is forcing us old guys to consider going electric due to the even crazier gas conundrum forwards. I don’t know about the rest of you on BF, but if the gas crunch keeps up all our old favorite cars from the 40s & 50s are going to be parked indefinately lest we all convert to amonia from cow urine & horse urine.
Frankly, amonia is cheaper now that gas is hyperinflated. How about Nitro Methane? Can we starting running Nitro Methane instead of gas?
I was always a Top Fuel guy anyways so why not?
Bob
“After three successful years with the “Tri-Five” Chevies of 1955-57, the company redesigned its cars in 1958.”
You mean TWO successful years, the 1957 Chevrolet wasn’t iconic until many years later. It even lost the sales race to Ford and GM realized that they couldn’t make it “Quad-Five” or “Quint-Five” without severe sales losses.
Chevrolet made 1,561,655 Chevys in 1957. I’d hardly call 1957 an “unsuccessful” year for Chevrolet.
https://chevytrucks.org/1955-1957-chevy-car-production/
I turned 18 in 1958 and when the Impala came out I thought was the best looking car in the world. First ever big block engine in a Chevy, completely new styling, new frame. Just Wow !! Still love them.
348 engine there ,1st of the ‘mark’ engines,250 hp.
in 1964 bought one just like this black 348 250hp 4 barrell factory 3 speed on column love that car paid $900 for it it was fast
The best looking ’58 I saw had red lights mounted in the notches above the rear window. They looked great even when not illuminated. 1958 was a stop gap year while the divisions competed for a new look. Buick won. All the ’59’s had Buick bodies, and Chevy to Caddy, all had the same door opening and windshield glass, (sedans and hardtops differed).
I had a ’58 BelAir 2 dr hdtp and never should have sold it. I now have a ’58 Brookwood wagon with a 348 and 3 speed stick. I think my next ’58 will be an Impala. Hopefully a project I can afford…
Toad is that you in that beautiful car.
I own a 58 4dht Sport sedan with 348 power. It’s amazing when I cruise in it how many older folks say someone in their family had one just like. it. It’s too bad they were so prone to rust. Mine spent it’s life in the deserts of New Mexico, so it is virtually rust free.
Loved the car but a friend of mine had two 348 engines one to drive the other to rebuild
The only fault of that beauty
In high school I owned 1958 Chevy Impala SS that was refrigerator white! It was a 348 with 3 deuces!! I loved that car. Wish I would have kept it. I joined the military after high school and drove it to my first duty station. I was hit from behind and as a result the frame got bent. I cried for a month. This is a pretty price for a 1958. It must be in excellent condition! If I was rich and famous (ha-ha) I would buy it!!!