1968 Chevrolet Impala

SS Coupe

8 - Cyl.

Automatic

Other

Gasoline

My good friend Frank is the 3rd owner of this 68 Impala Super Sport. It is a numbers-matching SS that he purchased in 1997 from the previous owner in Durham, Connecticut. We have very detailed records of everything invested through the last 13 years, but it has actually required very little and has been regularly driven as a pleasure vehicle and show car for most of its life since its original purchase in 1967 by a doctor in Plymouth, Connecticut. This Impala is unique for an SS, as it’s a rare ‘formal top’ Super Sport. This means that its roofline is typical of the Caprices from 1968 – vinyl-covered in black and designed with a small, rectangular rear window – compared to most SSs surviving today which are fastback models. His impression from talking to the wife of the original owner years ago was that the original owner specified a Super Sport when he bought the car because he wanted a, ‘big, luxurious car that had a sporty feel and lots of power.’ He met the original owner’s wife when Frank found her Boston College class ring under the dashboard during the process of restoring the interior and removing the faded, original carpeting! Returning it to her was half noble effort and half car history opportunism. The engine and drive train are all original – a 275hp 327 with legendary ‘double-hump’ small block Chevy cylinder heads and ‘ram-horn’ exhaust manifolds. The transmission is a Turbo 400 with a ‘horseshoe shift’ center console, and the rear end is the original desert-geared one-legger that puts this engine into its power band at around 80 mph on the highway. He replaced the original wire-spoke hubcapped wheels with appropriate era correct 15-8 deep-dish 68 Corvette Rally wheels to bring out the sportiness of the body style by filling the Impala’s big wheel wells. It’s a great look that gets lots of admiration at car shows – coupled with the basecoat / clearcoat urethane paint job that was applied by the previous owner. . Everything works beautifully on this car, with the exception of the air conditioning system – a ‘Comfortron’ climate controlled system that I know functions when the R-12 charge is increased, but I couldn’t justify the expense of charging the system and losing horsepower to that huge, original Frigidaire compressor. In addition to the awesome interior restoration, Frank also replaced the original cam and lifters with a very-close-to-original Crane Cams kit that permits all the vacuum-assisted amenities in the car to function properly while giving this free-breathing 327 the ability to really step out with authority when you hit the gas. There is no rust of note on this car and while we can’t say it’s a flawless body its certainly in very nice condition for a vintage SS. The car underwent substantial restoration while under the care of the previous owner and over the last 14 years with Frank – including installation of a rust free Arizona quarter on the driver side and a new quarter section on the other side, also new front fender bottoms, and the clear-coat paint job. Frank, being a bit anal also replaced the entire trunk floor with a new floor from Auto Body Specialties just because it had the beginnings of rust showing. The vinyl top was replaced in 1998, during which he had both the windshield and the rear window frames checked and repaired as needed so the car would stay water-tight. He never drove the car in snow or salt, but He has certainly driven this SS many miles to the beach and as far as upstate New York on sunny days to car shows and family gatherings. I’d welcome any questions regarding details of the car’s history, and I know this is a beautiful example of an SS Impala that has been carefully maintained and kept as original as possible throughout its life. The Car is Sold as is where is and bidders are encouraged to call with questions 203-631-0184 or schedule a viewing prior to end of auction. This car is clean and solid and ready to be driven anywhere anytime so bid with confidence, Crazy people who expect trailer queen quality for short money need not bid as this car is priced for real car enthusiasts who want to drive a classic super sport. Of course pick up or delivery is the responsibility of buyer but to show you my confidence level in this SS, for an additional fee I would be happy to drive Franks SS to you anywhere in the United States. It’s gorgeous inside and out so it would make a great family classic car for father and son to enjoy but is ready to be driven daily if that’s your wish. Good luck and happy bidding John 203-631-0184