Fabulous 1959 Chevy Impala Spends 50 Years in a Garage, Hides Bad News Under the Hood

The 1959 model year is for many car aficionados the first “real” Impala. Chevy's new hotshot was officially born in 1958 but was initially offered as the top-of-the-line Bel Air exclusively.

As such, it wasn’t a stand-alone series but only a version of the Bel Air. Because of the overnight success it recorded right after launch, the Impala was rapidly promoted to a stand-alone lineup in 1959. It marked the introduction of the second-generation Impala and the first model that embraced a separate path from the Bel Air.

The 1959 Impala was a genuine head-turner. Unveiled with much fanfare in the fall of the previous year, the “new” Impala was the pioneer of a new roof line design. The same styling choice eventually made its way to other Chevrolets. With a wrap-around rear window and an overhanging roof design on the hardtop, the 1959 Impala was supposed to be a hit.

The strategy worked. Chevrolet’s 1959 sales exceeded 1.4 million units, and Impala was becoming the firm's new superstar.

A 1959 example somehow still looking pretty is now fighting for a second chance after spending close to five decades in hiding. This Impala was recently posted online, as the owner is willing to give up on it if someone else wants to start a full restoration.

The car comes as a 4-door hardtop. This body style was new for the model year 1959, as the original Impala was only offered as a two-door hardtop or convertible. In 1959, Chevrolet expanded the lineup with the addition of a four-door hardtop and a four-door sedan.

Abandoned in a garage in 1976, the Impala is dressed to Impress. It boasts a surprising condition for a 64-year-old piece of metal. The rust hasn’t yet produced any damage, though the photos do reveal a few dents and scratches. Sure enough, it’s not a perfect Impala, but it’s hard to expect such a thing given how long it’s been sitting in storage.

The interior looks fabulous. It still requires a few fixes here and there, but it’s otherwise impressive, especially for a car this old. The owner didn’t reveal if the car was ever restored, but I’m guessing it wasn’t, especially given it’s been parked for so long.

In charge of putting the wheels in motion is a 348 (5.7-liter) V8 engine. This was the most powerful engine option on the 1959 Impala, though it was offered in multiple configurations.

Chevrolet tried to make the Impala the right car for everybody, so it offered both economical and lazy six-cylinders and more potent V8s. The base unit was a straight-six developing just 135 horsepower. The most common choice on the 1959 Impala was the 283 (4.3-liter) Turbo-Fire with 185 horsepower.

The icing on the cake was the 348. Customers could choose from several versions, including two configurations focused on performance. The first one sported a four-barrel carburetor to produce 250 horsepower. The second was fitted with three two-barrel carburetors for 345 horsepower.

The performance figures of the 1959 Impala were impressive, to say the least. Thanks to the top 348, the large Impala, a “boat” that topped the scales at 1,650 kilos (3,650 pounds), could go from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in just 9 seconds. The maximum speed was 130 mph (around 210 kph).

These figures are impressive, but unfortunately, our Impala comes with bad news under the hood. The engine is no longer running, and right now, it’s not clear if it can be brought back to life. The owner says they already started the work on it, so time will tell if the V8 can be restored or not. It’d certainly be a shame to be stuck from sitting, but fingers crossed to hear the engine roar again before it finds a new home.

At the end of the day, this 1959 Impala seems to be a fabulous project for a true connoisseur. The odometer shows just 57,000 miles (91,700 km), and the owner promises they are entirely original. This reading kind of makes sense given the car has been sitting for 47 years, but potential buyers should still double-check everything to make sure it’s legit.

As a hot project, it’s not surprising that this Impala is already enjoying a lot of attention on eBay. The bidding is underway and is projected to end in about a day. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like the reserve is going to be met, which means the car will soon be reposted. Unless the owner finds another buyer, that is, but this is unlikely given the price is expected to be pretty high.

The top bid at the time of writing is $18,400, and eBay seller modelaandcorvette hasn’t provided any information on the reserve value.