Chevrolet built a lot of Impalas in ’63 but the fact that this one is an SS convertible does make it more interesting. It may have seen better days but… it could still be salvageable so let’s take a closer look. Found by Larry D and located in Mound, Minnesota, this ’63 Impala convertible is available here on eBay with no reserve and a lot of bidding action!
To state the obvious, the folding fabric top is missing but the frame, at least, is still in place. And the missing fabric is probably the source of so much interior mayhem. Besides a missing bucket seat and a shredded back seat, the floors have sustained significant damage and appear to have been patched with some kind of galvanized panel. The dash pad is pretty well destroyed and the dash itself is painted a curious shade of orange. It also appears that some of the switchgear is missing or broken and the Delco radio looks to be long gone. An entire interior makeover, along with the floors, will be necessary. The steering wheel, though far from original and looking like an Oldsmobile piece, isn’t a bad choice.
It is stated that the non-running engine is a 327 CI V8 and there were two offered in ’63, a 250 HP version, as well as a more robust 300 HP variant. It can’t be said with certainty what’s under the hood, but both 327s utilized a four-barrel carburetor and what’s lurking under the air cleaner looks more like a two-barrel variety. The cylinder head casting marks can help with identification but they’re not visible in either engine image. A two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission is what’s behind the engine.
Claimed to have originally been finished in Tuxedo Black (and the trim tag verifies that claim) the exterior is a mess of red and blue. The assumption is that the car was repainted red and then the doors were later replaced with those from another car – strictly conjecture, however. Beyond that, the body is rusty, the trim is mostly missing, the rear bumper is lost to the ages and there’s some mismatching with wheels going on – Oldsmobile rally’s upfront and Chevrolet’s version on the rear. And of course, don’t forget the missing fabric top.
Next steps? With 82k copies produced, there’s a bunch of ’63 Impala convertibles still in circulation, Barn Finds covers them regularly. This one needs a ton of work but do you think it’s worth saving?
Used to own a triple black ragtop in 63 with a 409/425H.P. with a factory 4 speed,wish I still owned it
Where is Steve R? We need his wisdom on this one.
Yes, been a while. Didn’t always agree with him, but often had some interesting things to say.
One cannot decode a ’63 SS going by VIN so it’s well worth doing the research if it’s indeed the real deal you’re looking for. Only safe way I’ve found is decoding the ‘trim’ portion of the cowl tag as Chev would punch different codes for bench and bucket seat upholstery. The 879 code reveals red buckets aka a real SS Impala.
A Tuxedo Black ’63 SS with red interior must have been a sweet gem when new – far from what we’re seeing here…
Perhaps Steve R is speechless on this one for a change!
It apparently does have a reserve though.
Engine has had a Craigslist rebuild, overspray on everything…
I often wonder on a car like this, why someone doesn’t take a couple hours & a hundred bucks to get the engine running. It will bring a lot more money, even just running off a boat tank. Perhaps to hide the knocking, dead lifter, or blown head gasket?
You’d have to be desperate and already have your own shop to tackle something this far removed from being a complete car.
I’m interested in this car could someone contact me
You need to make an inquiry via the eBay link. There’s only a little over a day to go in the bidding.
JO