Starting the new year right, Classic Industries‘ latest blog post from its newsroom touted the full-sized Chevy cars from the classic muscle car era. We’re talking Impala, Bel Air, Caprice, the Biscayne from the ’60s and ’70s.

Classic Industries’ staff takes the time to clarify the term “full-size Chevy” by pointing out the term is often misused by enthusiasts and members of the industry alike. The short explanation captured GM’s intent by design. Full-size Chevy cars are a blanket term that covers Chevrolet’s full-size passenger cars.

This includes the two-door, four-door, and wagon variants of Chevrolet’s “big” cars. The popular Chevy II and Nova were designated as compact — or mid-size cars — and do not count as the big Chevys. They are more … “Fun-sized.”  

1964 Impala Convertible

What Is Full Size?

The blog goes on to further delineate the cars classified under this term. Technically, 1955 through ’57 150, 210, and Bel Air cars fall into that designation, but Classic Industries excludes these. The folks there feel these models are significant enough to warrant a separate catalog and product line in the Classic Industries’ portfolio.

At Classic Industries, when they say full-size Chevy, they are speaking specifically about the 1958 through 1996 full-size Chevy passenger cars.

1958 Chevy Impala

Citing several examples, Classic Industries’ blog post starts the list with one of the most popular Chevy passenger cars from the late ’50s through the mid-’80s: The Chevy Impala. After being introduced in 1958, the model had significant production runs from 1958 to 1985. The Impala returned for another production cycle in 1994, all the way through 1996. Appointed as the top-of-the-line model when initially released, the Imp settled into its own spot in the Chevy lineup. The blog correctly points out, the 1962, 1963, and 1964 Impala might be the most famous years of the model.

1966 Chevy Bel Air

Chevrolet Bel Air

The Bel Air first appeared as a top trim level in the 1950 model year but continued on through the 1970s as a mid-level model. Enthusiasts referring to a Bel Air today are most likely talking about one of the Bel Air models from the Tri-Five era (1955-1957).

1967 Chevrolet Caprice

Chevrolet Caprice

The original production run of the Chevrolet Caprice spanned three decades (1966-1996). The Caprice debuted in 1965 as a premium-option package for the four-door Impala, becoming an official model the following year.

The Caprice took its place at the top of the full-size passenger car range by offering options like Comfortron climate control and a tilt/telescopic steering column. The Caprice later became a favorite of police departments for patrol vehicles.

1959 Chevy Biscayne

Chevrolet Biscayne

The workhorse Biscayne fell into the budget role in Chevy’s full-size lineup. As such, it became a popular car for families looking for practical transportation. As a budget vehicle, most of these cars were equipped with the economy inline-six or small V8. There were some sold with a higher performance engine, including the legendary 409ci V8, but these were mostly special order. 

1969 Impala Wagon

Full-size Chevy station wagons appeared often over the years bearing a variety of names. The Nomad was introduced in 1955 as a two-door Tri-Five wagon. In 1958, the entry-level Yeoman wagon was introduced, along with the mid-range Brookwood. Other full-size wagon models included the Townsman (1955-57 and 1969-72), Parkwood (1959-61), Kingswood (1959-60 and 1969-72), and Kingswood Estate (1969-72).

For more information on full-size Chevy passenger cars, check out these links from Classic Industries:

• 1958-80 Full-Size Chevy VIN Decoder
• 1958-64 Full-Size Chevy Specifications Guide
• 1965-69 Full-Size Chevy Specifications Guide