SS 396 4-Speed! 1965 Chevrolet Impala Project

OK, admittedly, it looks a little shaky. It has been outside for a spell, the location of the hood is not disclosed and the engine is, ah, well, not where it is supposed to be but still, it’s a for-real 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS with bucket seats and a four-speed manual transmission – gotta be a pony under all of this somewhere, right? Let’s find out, this Chevy is located in Ringgold, Georgia and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $4,800 with the reserve not yet met.

The completely redesigned 1965 Chevrolet B-body originally housed a 409 CI v8 as its top engine choice. In late January of ’65, that W-head motor was supplanted by the new 396 CI Mark IV big-block V8 engine. There were two varieties available, a 325 gross HP “L35” standard version and a red hot “L78” 425 gross HP top-drawer mill. Our subject came with the tamer L35 version but it looks as if dismantled has been its long-term status. A collection of engine parts are available but what’s there and what’s not is not disclosed. There is, however, definitely a four-speed manual transmission in place, more than likely a Muncie, and it’s still in possession of its original reverse lock-out equipped shifter.

The interior of this Impala has a swamp-creature vibe about itself. There’s moss and mold on everything and the rain forest treatment has taken out the floor. It’s unfortunate as these ’65 SS interiors were impressive in their day. The upholstery and interior panels, while not notably split or torn, show to be moldy and rumpled. There is an original radio and optional tachometer in place but it is a safe bet that the interior will require a complete redo. That’s not quite as tall an order as one might think since there were approximately 178K ’65 Impala SS’s produced and there are probably more new parts available for one now than there were years ago.

The seller refers to the exterior of this Chevy as “Milano Maroon” but I think he means “Maderia Maroon”. It’s so faded that it actually resembles the one year only “Evening Orchid”, a metallic violet shade that was not widely selected but makes for a visual standout. The body panels are showing widespread surface rust and there is some evidence of the typically found rust-through in the driver’s side fender leg and quarter panel. The seller claims, “This car is rusty but it is all there. Frame is good“. Though the frame employed from ’65 to ’70 is essentially the same, the early ’65s had a tendency to crack in the forward section as the frame curves up and toward the engine compartment. Considering that this is an outside car, the frame should be closely inspected, not only for cracks but general corrosion too.

Definitely, a nicely equipped performance model from the days when full-sized performance was a hot ticket, this Chevy’s best days are probably behind it. Fixable? Absolutely but at what cost and effort level? And that engine is probably a can of worms all on its own. The big-block four-speed configuration makes this car tempting but there are many of these ’65’s still in existence and a better candidate is probably available, wouldn’t you agree?