Photo: Mecum
Collector or not, one has to admit that today’s market offers countless possibilities for the people who are after a vintage ride or, why not, a project car. From the muscle cars of old to the luxury convertibles and from cars in tip-top condition to wrecks in need of saving, there’s virtually nothing missing from the scene.
In the world of collectors, a special place is occupied by the Chevrolet Impala, one of the best-selling nameplates of the 1960s. Introduced by Chevy at the end of the previous decade, it sold in such large numbers that nowadays, scores of them are sitting around in barns and fields, rotting away.
At least they do that until someone who sees their potential comes along and buys them, and it’s basically this reality that drives a thriving Impala market. For some, like it’s the case with the one we have here, not even some previous restoration work is enough, and more gets added all the time.
What you’re looking at is a 1959 example, hence a member of the second generation of the family, that survived for a long time as part of a private collection. It was from the get-go a highly-specced car, but now it’s more alluring than ever.
Back in 2010, after it left said collection, the Impala entered a two-year restoration process at the hands of a Florida shop called Steve Cooley Motors. It was then when it received the period-correct GM Inca Silver exterior, the chrome bits, and, most importantly, the convertible top was hand-made, using Mercedes-Benz materials.
After restoration ended, the car was barely driven, being stored in a climate-controlled facility and adding just 133 miles (214 km) to the clock. But then, in 2020, it crossed the path of another crew, Street Productions, which this down went down the custom path.
From that point on, this Impala went about its business making use of amenities such as the factory Wonderbar radio, only reworked to accommodate Bluetooth and USB connectivity, a new sound system complete with a Pioneer subwoofer, and even the original gauges, only properly calibrated.
The EVOD wheels the car uses, wrapped in radial whitewall tires, get their spin from a re-made 348ci engine, the top-of-the-range unit back in the day when this car was made. Making 315 hp, it is controlled by means of a 3-speed transmission.
We were lucky enough to stumble upon this all silver Impala as we were looking for cool convertibles to include in our Open Top Month coverage. We nearly froze when we saw it waiting to be sold by Mecum during its auction in Orlando in early July. We only hope the guys bidding for it will not freeze as well, but bid to a value that would make the car newsworthy again, and us lucky enough to come back to it.
At least they do that until someone who sees their potential comes along and buys them, and it’s basically this reality that drives a thriving Impala market. For some, like it’s the case with the one we have here, not even some previous restoration work is enough, and more gets added all the time.
What you’re looking at is a 1959 example, hence a member of the second generation of the family, that survived for a long time as part of a private collection. It was from the get-go a highly-specced car, but now it’s more alluring than ever.
Back in 2010, after it left said collection, the Impala entered a two-year restoration process at the hands of a Florida shop called Steve Cooley Motors. It was then when it received the period-correct GM Inca Silver exterior, the chrome bits, and, most importantly, the convertible top was hand-made, using Mercedes-Benz materials.
After restoration ended, the car was barely driven, being stored in a climate-controlled facility and adding just 133 miles (214 km) to the clock. But then, in 2020, it crossed the path of another crew, Street Productions, which this down went down the custom path.
From that point on, this Impala went about its business making use of amenities such as the factory Wonderbar radio, only reworked to accommodate Bluetooth and USB connectivity, a new sound system complete with a Pioneer subwoofer, and even the original gauges, only properly calibrated.
The EVOD wheels the car uses, wrapped in radial whitewall tires, get their spin from a re-made 348ci engine, the top-of-the-range unit back in the day when this car was made. Making 315 hp, it is controlled by means of a 3-speed transmission.
We were lucky enough to stumble upon this all silver Impala as we were looking for cool convertibles to include in our Open Top Month coverage. We nearly froze when we saw it waiting to be sold by Mecum during its auction in Orlando in early July. We only hope the guys bidding for it will not freeze as well, but bid to a value that would make the car newsworthy again, and us lucky enough to come back to it.
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