As a huge Impala fan, I can hardly ignore even the most horrible projects, mainly because I believe every Chevy needs a second chance, regardless of its condition.
The 1960 Impala that someone posted on Craigslist earlier this week claims it is solid restoration material, though it shares little about its condition. The photos don’t help much either, so we’ll have to do some detective work and figure out ourselves (you and me, together, so head over to the comment box after the jump) if the car deserves a second chance.
Before anything, let me remind you that the 1960 Impala was part of the second generation – many diehard Impala fans claim this was the first “real” generation. The car was born in 1958 as a Bel Air version but gained series status in 1959. Chevrolet called it the second-generation Impala (produced for two years, in 1959 and 1960), but it was the first series not included in the Bel Air lineup.
The 1960 Impala was significantly different from its predecessor, with Chevrolet preparing to release another revised generation in 1961, so more big upgrades were already in the queue.
The 1960 Impala I recently came across lacks all the juicy details, so it’s hard to tell if the car is a rust bucket or a solid restoration project. I can easily see signs of rust, and I believe the floors and the trunk pan are wrecked, but there’s no way to tell this without putting the car on a lift. The engine bay looks rusty, too, so I wouldn’t expect good news on this front.
The interior appears complete and in good shape, but assuming the car has been sitting for a long time, it needs a good wash before figuring out all the details. However, the seats aren’t ripped, and I can’t see any significant issue (or, at least, a problem that could be a roadblock for a complete restoration).
The engine is as mysterious as possible, but it’s probably safe to assume it doesn’t work. However, I can only hope it turns over by hand, as a classic Impala without the original engine loses many dollars when trying to find a new owner.
The Impala seems complete but will require plenty of restoration work to return to the road. I’m still intrigued by its mysterious appearance, so fingers crossed for someone to check it out and eventually bring it back to the road.
The car sells without a title (which could be an issue, depending on where you live) and can be yours for $4,000. The owner says they are also interested in trades, especially if you own a camper and are willing to exchange it for this Impala