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1961 Chevrolet Impala 4x4 Is Off-Road Ready and Ridiculously Cool

The first-generation Chevrolet Impala is a highly desirable classic nowadays, with two-door coupe and convertible examples fetching six-figure sums in Concours-ready condition. Four-door sedans aren't as popular, but they're also getting increasingly more expensive each year.
1961 Chevrolet Impala 4x4 10 photos
Photo: thedebons/eBay
1961 Chevrolet Impala 4x41961 Chevrolet Impala 4x41961 Chevrolet Impala 4x41961 Chevrolet Impala 4x41961 Chevrolet Impala 4x41961 Chevrolet Impala 4x41961 Chevrolet Impala 4x41961 Chevrolet Impala 4x41961 Chevrolet Impala 4x4
Luckily, there's no shortage of old-school Impalas on the classic car market, no matter whether you're willing to spend $100,000 on a fully restored SS or looking for a cheap project car. On top of that, unrestored survivors still keep coming out of barns, and enthusiasts keep building flashy and powerful restomods.

But have you ever seen a 4x4 Impala that's ready to tackle the great outdoors? Yup, the contraption you see here is not a rendering but an actual 1961 Chevrolet Impala with a chassis swap. The sedan rides on a 1977 Chevy truck chassis with off-road tires and boasts enough ground clearance to put a Ford F-150 Raptor to shame.

We don't have a lot of info on this build, but it sure looks like the Impala body is completely stock and still features all the chrome bits that made the 1961 full-size a gorgeous rig. It's also finished in a cool bronze color paired with a white top. Granted, the paint is far from perfect and shows a few rust spots, but it's in great condition overall.

The truck chassis also came with a drivetrain swap. The off-road-ready sedan now packs a 400-cubic-inch (6.6-liter) V8 engine and a TH400 automatic transmission. There's no info as to what car this combo was sourced from, but I bet it belonged to the same third-generation C/K truck that donated the undercarriage.

Given the truck was made during the Malaise Era, the V8 is not overly powerful, but it has enough grunt to enable the Impala to "go anywhere," according to the seller. He also claims that it's "great in the snow" and that it's been used as a daily driver in recent years.

Located in McCloud, California, the 4x4 is currently up for auction on eBay. More than 33 bids have taken the price to $5,700 with one day to go, but seller "thedebons" isn't willing to let it go for cheap, and the auction still has a "reserve not met" status.

1961 Chevrolet Impalas are usually valued at up to $13,000 in Good condition, but it's next to impossible to put a price on this contraption. Simply because it's no longer an Impala except for the shell. But it's a cool rig that is not only capable of going where other Impalas can't but it's also the kind of vehicle that will turn heads at the local cars and coffee.

I'm not sure it's the best project to take to an Impala meeting, but it's definitely cooler than the average Chevrolet C/K off-roader. How much would you pay for this stylish hauler?
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About the author: Ciprian Florea
Ciprian Florea profile photo

Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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