1961 Impala Bubbletop Is No SS, Hides a Nice Surprise in Its Ashtray (and Elsewhere)

The Corvette is almost certainly the most renowned nameplate in Chevrolet’s (and most probably General Motors’) long and glorious automobile lineage. For seventy years, the sportscar carried the banner alongside other emblematic models, and the full-size Impala is one of those past heroes. The car was born under a lucky star and quickly got a firm foothold in the automotive landscape that bowed to Detroit’s finest.

With millions of units sold throughout its history, the model stands among the best-selling automobiles in postwar America, so it’s not uncommon to see one nowadays. Junkyards, salvage yards, and barns are yet to empty their fair share of this celebrity Chevrolet, and it appears that there’s always one just around the corner waiting to change hands.

Be that as it may, the emblem has a massive fanbase – for many good reasons – so it’s hardly a surprise to see a six-decade-fresh classic roll down the street like it’s going to watch Alan Shepard fly into space on May 5, 1961. Some of us had the chance to live historic moments. Still, for a specific type of people, history is written in four-stroke rhythms and eight-cylinder narrative.

1961 wasn’t just the first American step into outer space—important things were happening here on Earth. The Impala is directly linked to at least four of those significant landmarks: it was the final year for the 348-cubic-inch big-block V8, the first year for the Impala SS, the only year for the Impala two-door Sport Sedan, and the debut year of the short-lived 409 V8.

Over a million full-size Chevrolets were assembled for the model year, and the Impala was responsible for 491,000 or so of those. Unfortunately, production records are pretty blurry and don’t offer specific model breakdowns by body style, engine, transmission, or other variables. Most sources indicate that, for example, 178,000 Sport Coupes were assembled, but how many were Bel Airs and how many belonged to the Impala side of the street is buried deep in history.

With statistics out of the way, we can simply give a car from that specific niche the respect it deserves. Take a gander at the video below, courtesy of Lou Costabile. A 1961 Impala bubbletop two-door hardtop with the 348 big-block V8 and a four-speed automatic transmission is not something one would easily find on the road, neither now nor 62 years ago.

There was no such thing as a four-speed automatic at Chevrolet in 1961; not even the three-speed was offered in the lineup. However, this example is a restomod that looks deceptively like an original, save for the wheels. The engine bay is dominated by the W-engine 348 cubic-inch V8 (5.7 liters). Still, the new radiator upgrade is definitely not from JFK’s inaugural year at the White House.

The owner of this opinion-dividing Chevy has made quite a few mods to the car (noticeable but discrete) to improve ride quality without altering the overall lines. A column-shifted four-speed tranny is probably a lot more fuel-friendly than the Powerglides and Turboglides of the day. The nice change he made is the power window setup (with its hidden buttons in the dash ashtray), and the car is one sweet ride for its caretaker.

The mileage on this car is nearly irrelevant – being a restomod, age is just another number – but the smile on the driver’s face is priceless. Purists may turn a cold shoulder, but this upcycled example is not that far taken into the ‘mod’ fashion to be nailed to the cross.