The birth of the classic Chevy Impala marked the dawn of a new era for the Chevrolet family. From the beginning in 1958, It quickly became an important part of the American culture. It is also considered to be the harbinger of the muscle car era. The Chevy Impala is still a symbol of performance for classic muscle cars, with up to a 348 V8 engine, producing 315 hp. The catchphrase “longer, lower, and wider“ really spoke volumes about the body style and the power behind that first 1958 model.
Because of the tremendous response it received from the public, the classic Impala became its own model in 1959, sporting some new features like “bat wing” rear fenders, “cat’s eye” tail lamps and an increase in the horsepower. Chevrolet introduced the “SS” brand of the performance car in the early sixties.
Impala SS continued flaunting optimum performance and enjoyed much popularity throughout the 60’s. It underwent a series of changes and modifications through that decade and by 1971, had grown to its peak size.
In 1972, the Chevrolet Impala was rated #1 in auto production, leaving an indelible impact on the classic car market. Impressively 918,000 Impala SS cars were manufactured by the company, which is a testimony to how truly popular the car was during that era.
The 1959 Impala Convertible was the most expensive Chevrolet classic muscle car at the American Auction and was sold for $110,000 in 2012. A 1966 Impala 396 convertible was auctioned for $20,099 in January of this year, a 1966 Chevy Impala Super Sport 327 for $15,500 and yet another 1966 Chevrolet Impala Convertible SS Trim Factory a/c for $15,900.
Do you happen to be one of the lucky owners of this legendary classic? Your Chevy Impala will only be protected if you make sure it has the right insurance coverage! Put your car in good hands with Classic Auto Insurance, where you can get an instant muscle car insurance quote tailored to meet your needs. Fill out a free quote form on our website to find out what discounts and rates we can offer you!
Sources:
http://www.impalas.net/shop/
http://collectorcarpricetracker.com/auctions/make/Chevrolet/model/Impala/years/1966-1966/
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2012/06/19/cats-eye-impala-sells-for-110000-in-no-reserve-all-american-auction/
http://www.streetlegaltv.com/news/1959-impala-droptop-goes-for-over-100k-at-auction/
http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclecars/chevrolet-impala/chevrolet-impala-history-1.shtml
About the Author
Drew Yagodnik is Vice President of Classic Automobile Insurance Agency, Inc. Classic Automobile Insurance Agency has been protecting collector, classic and exotics since 1992.
