The 1958 Impala is one of Chevrolet’s standout classics. Introduced as the new ultimate expression in style and luxury for GM’s immensely popular value brand, it was a one-year kickoff to ten generations of bowtie line toppers. And when you add a legendary rock ‘n’ roll connection into the mix, the story becomes pure Americana.

Back In The Day

According to its owner, this awesome Impala hardtop is more than just a collector’s dream – it’s a tangible piece of rock and roll history! Correctly refinished in GM’s 50th Anniversary Cay Coral paint, this clean Chevy was reportedly purchased by rock legend Buddy Holly. While it is believed Holly chose Cay Coral because of his ties to Coral Music in New York, the official story is that Holly sent his manager, Norman Petty, to sign the car’s Conditional Sales Contract at Meadows-Stewart Chevrolet in Petty’s hometown of Clovis, New Mexico. The following Christmas, Holly gifted the car to his family, transferring its Title into the name of his father, Larry Holley (the original spelling of the Holley family name).

Back To Life

Larry Holley, a lifelong Texas resident, supposedly kept the Impala for a number of years before it was relegated to storage in a Lubbock body shop. In the late 1990s, Bill Clement, owner of Chevy Craft, rediscovered the car and orchestrated a meticulous, frame-off restoration that put it back on the road. In 2010, Peggy Sue Gerron, the actual Peggy Sue Buddy Holly sang about, invested in the car, and its current sale includes fender skirts that bear her autograph.

Under the hood, a numbers-matching 283 leads a requisite Powerglide 2-speed automatic transmission. Between the doors, Canada’s Can Am Restoration installed a fresh Coral interior. During the frame-off freshening, Plains Electroplating professionally replated and polished the Chevy’s virtual miles of brightwork. And naturally, the car’s sale includes a copy of its Conditional Sales Contract and a copy of the Texas Title issued to Larry Holley.

Buddy Holly lore aside, this 1958 Impala is a compelling example of both GM’s 50th Anniversary celebration and the undeniable influence rock ’n’ roll music had on American society, especially in the copacetic 1950s. Want to be the proud new owner of that legacy? Get ready to head to Mecum Indy!