What’s the first thing you can think of when talking about a 1963 Impala? For me, it’s the major achievement that Chevrolet reached this year, as the GM brand produced the 50 millionth car.
With the Impala already becoming a major catalyst for growing sales, choosing the landmark model was easy. Chevrolet picked a white 1963 Impala SS to celebrate the moment, inviting New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller to drive the car out of the factory.
A non-SS 1963 Impala landed on Craigslist earlier this week, promising a package you can hardly find today.
The first thing you must know is that this Impala was purchased for the original owner not long ago. It’s been parked for 35 years, so the metal problems you can see in the pictures have a good explanation.
The owner says the vehicle is “pretty solid,” but I can easily see rust issues in the typical places, including in the trunk and floors. It’s hard to tell from the photos if the rust wrecked the pans, but you’ll have to inspect everything thoroughly to figure out how much work it needs.
The Impala rolled off the assembly lines with a 283 engine under the hood, but it’s unknown if it still runs today. I can only hope the 283 turns over by hand, as the original engine would greatly increase the car’s market value, especially if it doesn’t require much work to start again.
The 283 was the base V8 on the 1963 Impala, producing 195 horsepower thanks to a two-barrel carburetor. Chevrolet offered several more powerful mills, including two 327 units with 250 and 300 horsepower. The icing on the Impala cake in 1963 was the Turbo-Fire 40, which could be had in three power versions, namely 340, 400, and 425 horsepower.
The most impressive tidbit is probably the reading on the odometer. The Impala has just 49,000 miles on the clock, and it’s believed it’s the original mileage. The odometer has never been tampered with, so theoretically, the car is an all-original and unrestored example saved after decades in storage.
The Impala sells without a title, but I don’t think it’ll have a problem finding a new owner. It looks to tick most boxes for a restoration candidate, and it also offers several extras, such as the low miles. The owner expects to get $6,000, and I believe it’s a fair price if the engine is still running. Otherwise, getting that much for a roller might be too optimistic.