1960 Chevrolet Impala “Black Beauty” Can Ride High or Low and Looks Astounding Either Way

Our story was somewhat of a trip down memory lane, taking us back to the time when the Impala was born, the whys and hows of its arrival, and a look at why the bowtie carmaker eventually decided to give up on it. It was also a journey through the ten generations of the model, spanning no less than 63 years.

In its time in our world, the Impala was one of the most potent names in the auto industry. Restricted mostly to the American market, it was such a force that millions of them got shipped to customers - and we don’t necessarily mean that during its entire lifespan. Remember, there were over one million of them delivered in 1965 alone, and that will forever be a post-World War II industry record.

There is however a downside to a car being so popular: many of them will inadvertently get abandoned after a while, turning into piles of rust that litter fields, barns, and who knows where else. The Impala did exactly that, and this is why today we find so many of them left to rot.

Yet for every large group of neglected Impalas, there is one that can hold a candle to any modern car, and can most definitely win at least praise at automotive beauty pageants. We have the custom industry to thank for that, but also car collectors, rich enough to keep the nameplate alive and kicking even today.

True, that happens in a limited way. Although it spanned for decades, not all Impalas are collectors’ items today. The most cherished are of course the early ones from the 1960s, when their design was beautiful enough to leave people gasping even today, and their mechanical bits potent enough to still be sought after.

So, today’s Impala treat is just that, a 1960 example (the second generation). It does not come as a barn find in need of a talented hand to tend to it, but as an already finished project the likes of which we rarely come across.

All black and chrome on the outside (and with a touch of red on the brakes to match the impressive interior), the car is the result of a ground-up build that strived to keep most of the original elements on, while giving the car a modern touch. It’s unclear when it was completed, or who is responsible for it, but that doesn’t rob it of its incredible appeal in the slightest.

The black you see on the body is called Tuxedo Black, a color Chevy offered on Impalas back in the day. It’s so beautiful and shiny in this application that we couldn’t resist the temptation of naming this build Black Beauty on account of it.

It also seems the perfect choice to go with the extreme amounts of chrome used on the front and rear ends, on the window trims, and of course on the Raceline wheels (sized 20 and 22 inches) shod in Nitto tires. And, lastly, it’s the perfect canvas on which the incredible details cars of the 1960s were rich in to be displayed here as well: the Chevrolet badge front and rear, lettering spelling the carmaker’s name on the hood, and of course the jet-inspired decorations on the rear panels.

Pop the hood and a correct 348ci (5.7-liter) engine is what greets you, it too a combination of black, chrome, and red. It may be correct to its era, but it was nonetheless enhanced, as it now rocks Edelbrock dual-quad induction, aftermarket aluminum heads, and a large-diameter exhaust. It’s unclear how much power it develops (stock Imapalas with the 348ci cranked out up to 280 hp), but the entire troop is controlled by means of a 4-speed manual transmission and a GM rear with 3.08 gears. Stopping power is delivered by means of Wilwood hardware.

Underneath the body, all kinds of tweaks have been made so that the Impala is not only safe but also fun to drive. The suspension system has been a prime target for upgrading, and it’s now an air ride that allows to car to be raised or lowered depending on needs or desires, and making quite the impression no matter its stance in the parking lot.

I’m pretty sure some of you will find the interior of this Impala even more impressive than its exterior, and it’s easy to see why. We’re talking about leather all over, in a red so bright it will both hurt and enchant your eyes. And with the exception of the lower part of the dashboard, it's present literally everywhere inside this thing.

Rocking a small diameter steering wheel in front of the driver’s seat, the dashboard holds Classic Instruments gauges and none of the modern infotainment systems we see on custom builds these days. There are however controls for a new air conditioning system, and only a traditional Impala radio in there to keep people in a happy mood.

The 1960 Chevrolet Impala “Black Beauty” is for sale, and it does not come cheap. North Carolina-based RK Motors has it in its inventory, with a sticker that reads $169,900. That’s about 6 times more than it cost back in 1960 (we've adjusted the roughly $2,700 1960 price to account for inflation).