After haunting a Chewelah, Washington barn for over 25 years, this 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS sport coupe seeks a new owner, preferably someone who enjoys solving mysteries. Thanks to Bill W. who spotted this barn-bound classic here on Spokane, Washington craigslist. Of course, there’s always the opportunity to complain, but the $4900 asking price seems approachable for a true SS (Super Sport) Impala that’s billed as “100% complete,” albeit disassembled.
The seller includes “all original parts and many additional extras” including right and left doors and fenders, hood, driver quarter panel, trim, bumpers, and back seat.
Ideally you would document and tag parts removed during disassembly including the appropriate hardware and order of removal. Barring that, the job calls for forensic mystery-solving and an arsenal of patience for the “error” part of trial-and-error. As depicted in pictures and the description, this Chevy will need rust repair (at least) in both rear wheel arches, and a replacement for the missing trunk floor.
As documented in the 1962 sales brochure found here on SuperChevy, the Impala Super Sport offered two 327 cid engines with 250 and 300 HP, and one of those powerplants provided motivation for this classic before the tear-down. Enthusiasts stumbling upon a ’62 Impala in a barn would hope it packed one of two 409 cubic-inch V8s making 350 or 409 HP, but such a beast might draw more than this one’s sub-$5000 asking price. What’s it worth to you?
Affordable,but the moist dirt floor garage is a shame…The climate of Washington state is easy on cars but the dirt floor is a negative. Would still be an affordable fun project…I’d do it up with the 327 and a 4 speed….
Good luck to the new owner!!!
But only a tinney weeny $ 4,900. ? lol wha ha ha jah jah wha woooo
Looks staged, because a rusty muffler is the part of the car you want on top of the car so it doesn’t rust
Didn’t most SS Impalas have buckets and a console
mounted shifter ? It may have been complete when torn apart..,
but is almost surely missing some hardware /brackets,and all those small “bits”
that seem to come up lost after long term storage.If This truly is an SS,
the price isn’t too bad. A 62 Impala is One of my “dream” cars for sure,
One of the best looking cars ever from GM in my opinion,sure wish todays stylist
would look to the past for great styling…,this stuff today..,just don’t do it for me!
First, let me say that I believe this to be a real Impala Super Sport because of the “SS” code on the option line of the cowl tag. Also, the “827” Trim Code on the cowl tag denotes green vinyl bucket seats.
Chevrolet’s shifter placement has been the subject of many-a-forum-discussion. I certainly don’t consider myself an expert on ’62 Impalas, but if you do a little checking, you’ll find that everything points to 1962 SS cars with automatic (Powerglide) transmissions having the shifter on the column. While I couldn’t find that spelled out in any of the advertising/showroom brochures, I did find the following:
(1) In southeastchevyparts.com’s exhaustive list of option codes, the description of the SS option doesn’t say anything about a floor shifter:
“RPO 240 SUPER SPORT EQUIPMENT – For Impala Sport Coupe and Convertible models. All-vinyl bucket seats and special exterior and interior trim features.”
(2) Looking at the Information Kit from the GM Heritage site
https://gmheritagecenter.com/docs/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits/Chevrolet/1962-Chevrolet.pdf
the only shifter location for Powerglide transmissions is listed as “column”
(3) I did find this advertising photo of a 1962 Impala SS convertible showing the car with bucket seats, a console and a column-mounted automatic shifter:
http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/chevy/62chev/862chev.html
In my experience with 1960s Chevys, transmission choice usually determined shifter location unless the model in question had an option that specifically called for a change.
Hope this helps!
Two kids from my high school had ss Impala Chevy, my closest buddy had a 327 with that 2 speed power glide. He promptly switch it to 4 on the floor,Hurst shiftier. T other student bought a early 409. In the first two weeks he turned the drive shaft into a twisted mess!
Beoieve it was the two speed also.
When I was a toddler, Dad had a white one he bought off of a young man headed to ‘Nam. 327/auto. He traded it in on a new 73 Hornet. Yeah, regrets…
Joe B.The owner went to Viet Nam but it was your Dad who apparently suffered
“shell shock.”
I wasn’t the coolest kid in high school and I though it was pretty cool that Dad was looking at a Pontiac Safari. Suddenly he was apparently “shell shocked” because he started looking at those ugly American Motors Rambler wagon with the hideous rear fins that looked more like the fenders had been smashed in than actually designed. He actually wanted that nauseating pink combination. He ended up not buying either as I think he realized that I would drop out of school due to my humiliation and require extensive treatment in a mental facility which would cost him a ton making buying the Rambler not cost effective, In this day and age just mentioning Rambler would mean the involvement or the Children’s Services Division and possible termination of parental rights. Then, parents could inflict any means of torture on their kids with reckless abandon and thinking about buying a Pink Rambler was particularly depraved. Sending me off to school with a cucumber sandwich was another one often employed along with having to eat lima beans. Oh Horrors. Is it any wonder why I became a lawyer?
Forgot to mention that the listed ’62 is worth 3 digit, not 4. The car is a mess. Restoring it a nightmare. Cost more than a restored one would cost.
Always love a disassembled mess with missing pieces,
This looks like a convertible which makes it desirable. Keep the engine for numbers matching but drop a GM fuel injection later engine and put it on the road again with lower patch panels 👀👀
Hey Classic, I’ll see your “disassembled mess with missing pieces”, and raise you a “condition: good”.
Looks like a ‘vert, but it’s just a white hardtop.
Thanks and after making picture bigger see hardtop 👍👀
Still would make a nice modified 🚗
I remember putting together a 66 t bird convert that was a basket case . Dash,doors and seats along with wires all pulled out with guages in boxes and power broke windows too.
It took two weekends to get the dash and lights and top to raise but finally resurrected it.
The body another two months of weekend to get going.
It finally turned out sweet.
I still have some old parts in garage (two spare doors and partial rear fender )
It was a boat with a 390 and the Fatman slide away steering wheel 😉
Looked great but with the tonnage of body was slowwwww🕝
Loved these cars when they were new but I was only 9 years old so dad wouldn’t buy me one. This one is going to be a big project for someone just not me.
I would actually enjoy building but shipping to Midwest would be $$$😐
Especially in non moving and separated by non experienced person who got lost and gave up.
I am a friend Bill W!
In the first two years of production the Impala SS option did not include bucket seats, they were a separate option package. Automatic cars with bucket seats had a console, but the shifter was still column mounted. Buckets and console became part of the SS package in 1964 and automatic shifter was moved to the floor. I had a 61 with bench seat and 4spd. and a 64 with buckets and floor mounted automatic. I love them, but this one needs too much for me to take on at my age so I’ll pass.
Even together, running or not. 4900 is to much. If you lived close, you might negotiate the price and see it in person. If the price was right, maybe then.
61 Chevy Impala was not coded. You could at that time buy one off the lot with the SS package. Which would have had the SS badges on it. They came with bench seats and the stick came right up out of the floor. They would’ve either been hardtop or convertible. You could also at that time buy a 61 Chevy Impala and have they SS badges added on. Because again the vin code did not at that time identity or specify a SS code. And they both also came automatic or 3 on the tree.
The SS code in the Vin did not identify until until 62 and I’m not totally sure about that. So I will say 62 but definitely 63 The SS code was identified in the VIN. So…. if you as the owner put the SS package on a 62 (not sure) but definitely a 63 on up then you had a “Clone.”
You wanna spend that kinda money on a disassembled 62? I have an all together 4 door 62 SS anniversary gold 283 2 sp auto that you can drive home, you can even listen to the radio. For $6500 and I’ll give you some spare parts. I also have a 62 Belair that needs a motor yo can have for 1200 I’ll throw in the rust for free. But the grill and trim is nice along with the trunk lid. :-)
The one of two different 409’s would have been both solid lifter motors. Single 4bbl 380 hp, duel quads 409 hp not 100% sure but 62’s.had a mini counslet & the pg shifter on the column, moved to the floor in 63 or 64. Memory at my age isn’t my strong suit LOL but I think that’s how it was( as a side note I almost bought a ex.state patrol Belair 4dr with the 380 hp 09 until the ever helpful salesman opened the hood when I took my dad to look at it he took one look at that motor need I say anymore I was 17 at the time LOL would have been a great sleeper on the street
Only one wish, I’m too old and broke. I love 62s most of all that era. Lord don’t let it get into the hands of a low rider.
Correct me but weren’t all SS cars equipped with buckets and a floor shifted auto or manual?
My cousin had a ’62 Impala SS conv. 409 4 sp. Great car & very fast!
Just leave this Rust Bucket in the Barn!
Very pricey parts car.
Nuff said.
i really have a problem with people that let cars end up like this. Severe punishment time.