Introduced in 1958, the Chevrolet Impala went through a few radical design changes toward the late 1960s. When the fourth-gen model debuted in 1965, the Impala was no longer a stylish land-yacht. By dropping a handful of powerful Turbo-Jet V8s in the two-door hard-top model, Chevy had turned the Impala into a full-size muscle car.
Still, the Impala remained popular throughout the fourth generation and Chevrolet sold millions of them. And like many popular nameplates from the era, the fourth-gen Impala is a common sight in junkyards and barns. This 1966 two-door, for instance, has been sitting for a whopping 35 years on a farm field.
Exposed to the elements and with its frame sitting on the ground, it's not the best candidate for a restoration. The body looks surprisingly good for a 35-year abandoned classic, but putting it back on the road is too complicated relative to its value. Yet the folks over at YouTube's "IowaClassicCars" decided to save it.
While it won't make it back on public roads, this 1966 Impala won't go to waste. The shop is planning on trading it for a 1959 Impala and the next owner will most likely use it for parts. I guess we could say that parts of this Impala will eventually make it back on the road in a different car.
As for what's under the hood, it's not clear whether the hard-top still sports its original V8. The guy in the video says it comes with a two-barrel, 327-cubic-inch (5.4-liter) V8, one of the optional Turbo Fire mills offered in 1966. However, I think it looks more like the entry-level 283-cubic-inch (4.6-liter) V8.
But that's not the biggest mystery surrounding this engine. As the rescuer points out, the valve covers appear to be aftermarket add-ons. A quick look at 283 and 327 engines from the era reveals that both came with valve covers painted the same color as the block. Chevrolet did offer chrome covers back in the day, but they were more common on the bigger 396-cubic-inch (6.5-liter) V8.
As someone in the video's comments section points out, they could be the valve covers of a 394-cubic-inch (6.5-liter) Oldsmobile engine. GM stopped offering this specific mill in the 88 and 98 in 1964, but it was common for people to swap parts between similar GM-built models back in the day. But regardless of that, the V8 definitely deserves a second chance at life in another car.
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. Full profile
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