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In as-found condition.
Over the past few years “barn finds” have garnered a lot of attention in the old-car hobby. And why shouldn’t they? It’s a wonderful experience to stumble upon a diamond in the rough. But it seems we only get to hear about the rare and desirable. How about a grocery-getter or a wagon for once? Jalopnik [2] recently featured this 1967 Impala wagon that appeared on eBay.
Nineteen sixty-seven was a big year for the Biscayne, Bel Air, Impala, Impala SS, and Caprice as the whole full-size Chevy line were all-new. Outside, accentuated “Coke bottle” rear fenders and a new, swoopy semi-fastback roofline on the hardtop coupes were noticeable tweaks from the previous generation. Inside, “proper” round gauges made it a rarity among American cars.
A new Super Sport sub-model called the SS 427 gave the Impala an image car to complement the Chevelle SS 396 and brand-new Camaro SS. With engines ranging from the 230 I-6 to the L36 427/385 (the L72 425-hp version skipped a year, for some reason, reappearing in 1968), the big Chevys has something to offer for everyone.
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Remember when 'Ma would pick you up from soccer practice in this thing?
While the Impala was America’s favorite car for 1967, you don’t see many of the 140,700 V-8 wagons due to their high attrition rate. Th seller from Yonkers, NY claims it was preserved under 2 inches of barn dirt and dust, but considering Yonkers is just across the border from the Bronx, it’s likely this car wasn’t stored anywhere nearby. This Tahoe Turquoise beaut is powered by the popular 283/195, but the three-speed column-shift three-speed manual tranny (note that the ad incorrectly says “super-rare four-speed three-on-the-tree”) is a bit unexpected, although not quite as rare as the owner thinks.
With only 31,000 miles, it stands to reason that the original body panels are solid with only a few minor dings and scrapes, the chrome is straight and clean, and the tires and hubcaps (note the lack of trim rings) are like-new. Inside is a similar story, with the owner claiming it smells like 1967 (not a good selling point, come to think of it) and the upholstery has no cracks or discoloration. For those wanting to crash a drive-in, it is a nine-passenger model with rear-facing third seat.
The auction for the Impala ended on March 27, 2012, and the selling price was 15-even. While people may naturally gravitate to hi-po cars, this Impala’s a good example how a large investment isn’t needed to get into the old car hobby.
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Note the three-speed shifter.