1960 Impala Is a Retired Racer's Fun-Drive Car, 348 4-Spd and Bubbletop Go Well Together

Why was the Pontiac Tempest Le Mans GTO the founder of the muscle car dynasty when big-block power existed before the fall of 1963? (Yes, I know, the GTO didn’t have big-block power because it didn’t have a big-block V8. Pontiac only had one eight-cylinder block, regardless of its cubic-inch application in passenger cars). No need to answer; there’s nothing you or I can do about it, so let’s just forget that detail.

Instead, we should remember that the Impala debut coincided with another milestone for the bowtie division of General Motors: the 348 V8. The nameplate broke ground on the last day of October 1957. It got a rough start, with the eyes of the world gleaming at another historical leap of human progress: the official debut of the space race between the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R.

Just four weeks before the debut of the high-end Chevy subseries, the first artificial satellite in the history of humanity was placed into orbit by the Soviets. The space age was building momentum, and one more Chevrolet wouldn’t have made much of a difference. Or would it?

The overly ambitious Soviet space program came and went (in fact, the entirety of the Union did just the same). Still, the Impala stuck around for a while. After its launch year, it was granted the right to live by itself as a separate model in the 1958 lineup. Put into service practically simultaneously as the fresh Chevy moniker, the equally resounding big-block (the first for a Chevrolet passenger car) could have significantly influenced the buyers’ attitude toward the car.

The 348 engine was first introduced in October of 1957, but it was destined to be a truck-only powerplant. However, the horsepower wars had not yet reached the ‘cease fire’ period, and the brass at Chevrolet pulled a fast one: they simply upped the ante with cubic inches.

By 1960, the fabled engine (all 5.6 liters) was ready to punch hard and fast, thanks to a trio of deuces, dual point distributors, revised heads, and a 2.5-inch exhaust. The best option available from the factory was a three-barrel 348 with a four-speed manual transmission. Like the example filmed last fall (but released just now), sports under the oversized hood.

Owned by a former car nut with a lead right foot and a proven dragstrip track record, the bubble top is about as good as it will ever get. It is a restoration – the panels (which, by the way, are all original) were removed and painted separately. The engine was improved, too, with a ported and polished head, a roller cam, and Rocket roller arms. Hear it roar in the video below under the gentle abuse of its owner, who got it perfect (both the car and the engine revving technique).

The white-and-red V8 carried the 348 with triple carburetion and 11:1 compression ratio, which means 340 hp and who knows what torque figures (the owner doesn’t say the magic numbers). Traditionally, the most potent variant of the 348-cube engine available from the factory was a 335 hp (349 PS), 356 lb-ft (483 Nm), with Tri-Power three-two barrel carburetors and 11.25:1 compression.

The man has had it since 2017, and he got his hands on it after a long search and then rejuvenated it a bit. The 62,184 miles (just over 100,000 metric clicks) are disclosed by the odometer only, as the magic Impala is all shiny, bright, chrome, and rocket-level incredible. The car has a 3.55 gearing in the rear diff equipped with the Positive Traction anti-slippage mechanism.

Although Chevrolet built over half a million in 1960, the production records don’t segregate between body styles. Hence, the bubbletop figures are somewhat of a detective’s work. The owner of this stunning example, filmed by Lou Costabile last fall, says he has only seen another one in the Chicago area.