After a booming three-year run of Tri-Five models, which ended in 1957, expectations among Chevrolet consumers for what would happen next must have been very high. Fortunately, a new entry into the roster was far from disappointing, with the stylish Impala hitting dealer lots as a fresh offering for the 1958 lineup. The Impala was initially billed as a top-end Bel Air, which was previously the most luxurious of the iconic 1955-1957 Chevys. This first-year Impala here on Facebook Marketplace needs work on the driver’s side, though many other areas appear solid and likely offer a good working foundation. Located in Ottawa, Kansas, this one is priced at $12,000, and we’d like to thank faithful tipster Zappenduster for finding this cool coupe and letting us know about it!
If my math is correct, it seems like around 75% or more of this Impala is probably at a decent starting point, and perhaps the number may be a little higher if that driver’s door is useable. It probably happened decades ago, but this Chevy was involved in an accident on the left front section, so the parts required to make the repairs here will need to be sourced by the buyer. A second car is visible in some of the photos, but it doesn’t appear to have any front sheet metal, so that one probably won’t be of much help here.
One would think a car of the Impala’s size would have been available with only V8 power in the late fifties, but an inline-6 known as the Blue Flame was actually among the available engines, followed by some larger eight-cylinder options. The largest featured a displacement of 348 cubic inches, and thankfully, that’s what the seller says can be found in the bay here. However, that’s where the details end, as there’s no word on whether it’s original to the car or if the crank will still turn. No specifics are provided about the transmission, other than that it is automatic.
Only a pair of interior photos is supplied, with the owner surmising that a professional cleaning may be all that’s necessary to bring them to an acceptable appearance. Some additional good news is said to be below the skin level, as the floors are described as mostly solid, and the trunk pan is reported to be in better condition than the seller has ever seen. It’ll be a substantial restoration task, but this one seems like pretty good project material overall, and I hope it will find its way into the hands of someone with the skills to get this one back on the road. Any thoughts to share about this 1958 Chevrolet Impala?
I remember when the ’58 models came out. For GM everything was a major departure from what it had produced until then. The ’58 Oldsmobiles and Buicks came out as massive chrome barges and were grotesque, even to a 5 year old. Chevy and Pontiac seemed to put the brakes on and their contributions were easier to take.
At the time I was too young to appreciate it but in later years, I came to love those “W” engines. When I became a mechanic I saw a lot of 348/409 engines come through our shop, albeit mostly in larger trucks. ’62 to ’65 Chevy C-80 gravel trucks with 409s were commonplace and we learned that 250 hp in hard usage could shove the crankshaft right out the bottom, the same as the hot-rodded engines from the “other side of the street.”
A car like this would be welcome at my place. Anyone who turns down a 348/409 is missing some of the better things in life, even though installing a set of rings can be tricky.
This is going to require a ton of work before it ever hits the pavement again. Missing/mismatched parts and what appears to be years and years of sitting work against it.
So does the price, which I think would be very high for a complete, all-original non-runner.
On the other hand, a ’58 Impala 348 is a neat car. It’s a one-year design, too, so there can’t be all that many of them left.
IMO, it’s definitely a labor of love project. I hope somebody loves it enough to take it on, and give it a sympathetic restoration.
12K for a wrecked, field-stored ’58 Impala? That’s a big negatory, good buddy.
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