After being pulled from a 20 year slumber, this 1966 Chevrolet Impala Convertible barn find has some special features that the seller claims are all original. The listing is set up to only accept a Buy-It-Now price of $7,495. Currently, the car is located in North Hollywood, California. There is information listed in the VIN section but it doesn’t look complete, no miles noted, and a clean title. You can view more on eBay.
Ever present in the listing are the famous last words, ran when parked. That is what the seller claims the 327 cubic inch V8 did 20 years ago. Due to old fuel in the fuel tank, the seller has not tried to start the car. The engine is connected to an automatic transmission. There is a lot of rust on this car, including the frame itself. However, the seller is offering an extra frame along with the cars sale price. That doesn’t happen often.
A convertible in this condition could have a worse off interior. This one is not great, maybe not even good by most standards, but it is there. Some key features noted by the seller are power windows, power seats, and a title column, which someone offered them $1,200 for. Thankfully, they do not want to part the car out. It was also optioned with a white convertible top, which would sure look great with the red paint.
This car could be your gateway into more Impalas though as well. Towards the end of the listing, the seller notes that they might have two more Impalas up for sale in the near future. If you play your cards right, you might just be able to convince them to put everything they have in a package deal. Considering there is a free frame in this cars listing, the seller seems to be a willing candidate for negotiations.
The first photo is of a red 67/8 convertible. Then it shows a red ’66 pulled from the mess. Are we sure which car is being sold here?
Looks like he’s trying to sell 3 cars with 1 ad. I presume you’d be bidding on the 66, the 68 is listed at 4950, and I didn’t see the 67.
Yea! For sure I thought it was a 68. they had those small white lights in the front
PDX Bryan is correct. First photo is not a 66. What gives? Rusted frame? Parts car at best.
Odd add..1st picture is a 68
I was really STOKED by the four way flashers, but the rusty frame put the fire out.
I try not to be a Negative Nellie, but $7500… not sure that price is right for all 3 let alone just the 66. That much rust is terrifying to me. Maybe some folks in the Midwest or Northeast, are not thrown of by it.
If that hurts anybody’s feelings, sorry, but there is a restored one on eBay, at 24K and a couple more at 30k or less. Beautiful cars.
That ’66 can’t be a California car, can it? It looks more like the Rust Belt to me.
I’m from the Rust Belt, that’s how I know!
And, BRAKTRCR is right: find one for around 20K already done, and start enjoying it, rather than go through a year or two of work and probably at least 20K on top of the buy-in price.
This car needs everything! Spare frame included but conv’t frame or hardtop frame? There is a diffetence. He would get more parting it out.
That poor car does appear to be from a rust belt state or it lived at the edge of the Pacific ocean and to add insult to injury, it appears someone left it out in the weather for a long time. The dash, gauges, switches, wiring, seat springs, top frame and on and on all are probably in very rough condition. Add in needing to replace the frame and repair body rust equals one expensive restoration. I hope someone is brave enough but at the asking price, that seems unlikely.
That’s not the type of rust you typically see on a car that lived near the coast. They tend to rust on every horizontal surface that collects condensation, you would also see rust starting at the side trim and working it’s way down. Ocean exposure is like repeatedly misting a car with salt water solution, it often starts at the top and works its way down, rockers and such are often spared due to the shape of the body. This looks much more like exposure to road salt.
Steve R
Some of us are dumb…what is a title column?
One that tilts so you can see the title.
Blame autocorrect. “Tilt” is how I chose to read it.
Seller’s 68 seems to be a much better starting point – however considering the EXTENSIVE wear and weathering on both the 66 and 68 I don’t think/ hope not someone will cough up seller’s asking for any of them.
I do hope someone will take upon saving them though but considering these are both projects that’ll need EVERYTHING adressed, those someones would probably have them at considerably lower initial cost
If they were for sale in another part of the country someone would be more likely to take on projects like this. I don’t know anyone that would even consider these cars as potential projects. In California it’s not uncommon to find cars from this era that only have small amounts of rust on the bottoms of the front fenders and behind the rear wheels. If the windshield and rear window don’t leak the floors and trunks are probably rust free also. These would be considered parts cars by everyone I know. They aren’t worth the effort when better cars aren’t that hard to find.
Steve R
Steve R; I agree with all of your points except I will point out I hope they don’t end up as parts donors. I think future gearheads will thank us for not scrapping everything we come across that aren’t worth restoring in our time.
We’ve seen much worse vehicles brought back to life and thanks to the repop industry picking up the pace ( and of course; skilled DIYs!) these are both fully restorable, however it all boils down to cost. Neither the ’66 nor ’68 ‘palas are the most desirable and none of them being OE SS or BB cars. Similar restored or survivor examples can still be found at acceptable $. However; at the right (much lower) price these two can be saved
Boy, do I feel dumb. I sold my running ’65 Chevy Impala convert 7 years ago for $5000.Wish I could have held on to it for a bit longer, but I retired and severely downsized. Hindsight is always 20/20
Restoration would most likely exceed $50K if you do it yourself, and the time it would take to restore it would likely be years. If you have both the time and the money then you might want to try it if you can buy the car for less; However, I have known people who got started with a project like this and never finished.
I agree with local-sheriff; I’ve seen much worse come back to life and be astonishing. Among them was a 1965 Buick Skylark Convertible, a mess. My friend bought the car and all of us helped in the restoration. Because of my Stroke I cannot wrench anymore, so I was the Parts Runner and Support Group. This is California. It’s a whole different thing. The car got itself together in eight months, we have temperate weather here, so we had a no rust car and good weather to work on it. You should of seen us on the first ride with the top down. Like a bunch of kids again. That’s what the Hobby is about. The car was purchased for $1500.00 and towed out of the seller’s yard. The new owner is in it, including outside services (engine work, top fabrication and so on) at about $9000.00. So he’s in the car $10,500., and having a blast.
That’s a great story you shared there Andrew, and should also be inspiring for all of us – it’s amazing how much a dedicated gang of gearheads can accomplish when they get to work, and I hope your buddy gets to enjoy his Skylark for many years to come!
It is of course fortunate to start out with a no rust Cali car. Sooner or later the access to Cali examples will dry up though and we’ll have to make do with objects that no one would touch before. Car guys in ‘lesser’ climate zones or abroad are doing it already. People restored cars 30years back also; in a time even before the word repop was invented!
Here’s a shot of my street-find ’67 Newport I got for $1250. I’ve put about $3250 into it, complete brake overhaul, all new bolt ons under the hood, tires, rattle cans etc. Not bad for under 5K, eh?
Could be a nice car again but what there valued at and the buying price along with the restoration price would put you upside down for sure!!!
Dream on.
Part ’em