Car of the Week: 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS

[dodgechargerfan]

There are countless reasons for a car lover to buy an old car. Pity usually isn’t high on the list, but it was a good enough reason for Bob Thorpen of Serena, Ill.

Thorpen drove a 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS when he was a teen, and years later he spotted a similar car in an unlikely spot. “It was sitting so forlornly in the back corner of a Ford dealership,” he recalled with a laugh. “I looked at it and it looked kind of OK. I thought I’d go and deal with the people, because being he was a Ford dealer he seemed like he wanted to kind of get rid of it. I think I only paid $2,500 for it.

“I drove it around for a while not knowing what I wanted to do with it. Then I decided to fix it up, but I had no intention at the time to make it as nice as it turned out to be, and certainly no intention of keeping it as long as I have.”

That ownership has stretched to 29 years now, and Thorpen and his beautiful Mist Blue Chevy won’t be parting ways any time soon.

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[Fishy]

I've seen Mythbusters destroy 3 of these while trying the "Rocket Car" myth. Best use for these cars ever!

 

[68R/T]

This moron paid $2500 for a 9 year old car that sold new for just over $3000 and he thinks he got a deal. :doh:

These chevy guys are nuts.

I've seen Mythbusters destroy 3 of these while trying the "Rocket Car" myth. Best use for these cars ever!

Why did they stop after only 3? :huh:

 

[Dr.Jass]

Sadly, the Mythbusters car was not an SS. I only remember the one from the original "Rocket Car" segment. Nice, rust-free Cali car as you'd expect, and I think they maybe paid $600 for it.

 

[Not A Duster]

Kind of a nice car - I like the 68 & 69 better.

Nice to see one that the lowrider morons haven't gotten their hands on...

 

[restoman]

This moron paid $2500 for a 9 year old car that sold new for just over $3000 and he thinks he got a deal. :doh:

These chevy guys are nuts.

My math works out to a 19ish year old car...?
Still too much money for something that needed body and paint shortly after he bought it.

 

[68R/T]

My math works out to a 19ish year old car...?

Yea, he said that it went in for body work in '85 & '86. (After he drove it around for a while) Even if it looked mint, in '84 that car wasn't worth more than $1200 to $1400.

Even today it has a market value of about $16,000, at best. :dgt:

 

[Dr.Jass]

What's up with the stance? Did he install big-block/AC station wagon front coils in that thing, or what? Holy 4x4!

 

[68R/T]

What's up with the stance? Did he install big-block/AC station wagon front coils in that thing, or what? Holy 4x4!

It's sitting almost level, the higher front wheel openings make the front look higher though. You're probably just use to seeing all of the redone ones 'in-the-weeds' :huh:

 

[Dr.Jass]

The one down the street from me as a kid ('67 SS427/4-speed car) did not sit like that, and it was 100% stock. 100% original, in fact, except for the tires.

 

[68R/T]

It really doesn't look that high to me. :huh:

 

[J.C. Corbett]

The front of that car is far too high. Oddly, I've always liked 65 Impala's. They're far better looking than the 64. The lowriders can have every one of those abominations.

 

[restoman]

I thought it looked a little nose-high, but I think every one I've ever seen sits like that.

 

[69.5CUDA]

"most" cars from the 50's/60s need atleast 3inches of lowering cause teh wheel wells are mamoth sized and the roads wer total ass back then