Documented Body Off Restored Impala Super Sport 350 V8 320 HP 4 Speed

1963 Chevrolet Impala Description

SUMMARY

Professional, ground-up restoration completed in 2008
350 cubic inch Chevrolet V8 / .030 overbore / Dressed as a 327 cubic inch V8
Muncie 4-speed manual transmission
Super Sport interior / Modern audio
Mostly original sheetmetal / DuPont paint
15-inch Rally Wheels
Sale includes restoration photos

Introduced in 1958 as Chevrolet's first foray upmarket, the Impala proved GM's volume car juggernaut had the strength to be all things to all people. It was the ride your upper class neighbors enjoyed and, like the original Bel Air, it wholly embodied the time of its creation. With that in mind, the restoration of this awesome third generation hardtop involved a frame-off mix of nostalgia and convenience that created a better-than-new cruiser. Amenities like a massaged 350 and fun Muncie 4-speed make this the perfect car for fun drives, while classic lines, a fresh interior and miles of Tuxedo Black paint are sure to keep collectors happy. If you're looking for a spectacular classic that's road ready, show ready, and just plain ready to go, this bold bowtie is a whole lot of metal for not a lot of money!

BODYWORK/TRIM

Restored back in 2008 by Mooresville, North Carolina's Precision Paint and Body, this impressive Chevy displays rich DuPont 2-stage that simply glistens. Its present owner, missing the black-on-red Impala he piloted during his youth, located the car in August of 2003 and promptly commissioned a ground-up rebuild that included a new frame, a new hood and small patches to solid, original sheetmetal. That metal needed those supplements because bent horns and a buckled bonnet, sustained during a small front-end collision, marked too much of an asterisk on an otherwise quality rebuild. Yet, since that collision happened in the hands of an otherwise responsible owner, the car had been properly shielded in a Winston Salem barn from the worst of North Carolina's relatively moist weather. Today, better-than-factory fit perfectly centers hinged pieces that move freely and close with a solid thunk. And those thunks are bathed in rich Tuxedo Black pigment that's been buffed to a spectacular shine.

Chevrolet's third generation Impala is a stylish piece that, with its absence of excessive chrome, suggests GM had officially left the tailfin-induced bender America enjoyed throughout the '50s. At the front of this sleek showboat, a fresh stainless grille hangs four halogen headlights and small amber parking lamps between an ornate Chevrolet crest, a blocky "CHEVROLET" script and a guarded, wraparound bumper. At the top of that grille, subtle hood spears lead the eye to tinted glass that's cleared by bright wipers, sealed in straight frames and reflected in familiar bowtie mirrors. At the sides of that hood, engine-turned, SS-specific trim founds bold "IMPALA" scripts beneath traditional cross-flag emblems and "SS" quarter badging. Opposite that trim, correct door handles and ornate fender louvers perfectly complement an angled antenna and an optional fuel filler shield. And at the back of the car, a stainless-trimmed, engine-turned valence hangs six familiar taillights between a second Chevrolet crest, a small "CHEVROLET" script and a second guarded bumper.

ENGINE

Pop the hood and you'll find 350 cubic inches of Chevrolet small block that is dressed to appear as a 327. And thanks to a .030 overbore, it creates roughly 320 horsepower. Revs spike when an old school, single-snorkel air cleaner floats wind in to a coated Edelbrock 4-barrel, which feeds a Chevy Orange intake. At the perimeter of that intake, cast iron heads seat painted, 327-branded valve covers over restored, cast iron exhaust manifolds. Behind those covers, a Delco-Remy HEI distributor shoots spark through Accel Ferro-Spiral Race Wires with the help of a fluid hydraulic cam. At the front of that cam, a traditional V-belt twists a large pulley fan between a rebuilt alternator and Gloss Black shroud. In front of those ancillaries, an old school radiator funnels water through pliable GM hoses and reproduction tower clamps. The builders certainly focused on details, as a Delco-topped battery and correct master cylinder complement stainless fluid lines and a neat GM Optikleen bottle. And, despite being a thoroughly modern piece, the Chevy Orange mill looks right at home in the car's glossy engine compartment.

DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION

One look under this sturdy cruiser reveals a solid X-frame chassis that's just as ready for the road as that reliable 350. Torque meets the pavement through a proven Muncie 4-speed, which spins what appears to be a factory-spec rear end. A restored double A-arm front and 3-link rear suspension benefits from fresh Monroe Sensa-Trac shocks. That suspension is turned by a familiar Saginaw gearbox and slowed by big drum brakes. Exhaust creeps from the aforementioned manifolds to throaty Flowmaster mufflers. The body's rust-free floors are coated in a traditional layer of Satin Black paint, which appears to have seen little road time since car's detailed restoration. And all that old school Americana rolls on 15-inch Rallies, which spin 235/70 Kumhos around stainless trim rings and red-detailed Super Sport spinner caps.

INTERIOR

Covered in a monochromatic sheen, this Chevy's brilliant interior has been restored to factory-fresh condition in virtually every way. The SS-specific front bucket and rear bench seats feel newer than the car's 53 years would suggest, and present just as well now as the day they rolled out of the upholstery shop. At the base of those seats, color-keyed floor mats protect like-new carpet. At the sides of those mats, pleated panels hang correct chrome handles in front of simplistic armrests. At the front of those panels, a painted dash, dressed in rebuilt telemetry, centers a correct Delco radio above modern Sony audio controls that command a glovebox-mounted CD player. At the base of that dash, a stylish, SS-specific console centers a chrome Hurst shifter in front of a small, lockable storage compartment. In front of the driver, a chrome-trimmed steering wheel laps a column-mounted tachometer. And behind the passengers, a fully restored trunk features a correct jack and full-size spare.

OUR SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION

Restoration photos

With a clean restoration, fully sorted mechanicals and more style than pretty much anything on the road, this fully-sorted Impala literally defines the term "strong value". After all, when was the last time you saw this caliber classic for under $80K? Talk to us now and make space in your garage later this Chevy won't wait around!