On Oct. 27, 1965, Leonard Stevenson ordered a Tuxedo Black 1966 Impala SS hardtop from McGinnis Chevrolet in Scotland, S.D. Stevenson wanted the car equipped his own way, notably with a red vinyl bucket seat interior and the big 427-cid V-8 and a personalized assortment of factory features, such as a Turbo Hydra-Matic, special front and rear suspension, push-button radio with rear speaker, tinted glass and 14×6-inch wheels.
A hand-written document showing a breakdown of the equipment Stevenson hand picked is in the possession of the car’s current owner, Jody Schmeisser, owner of Pit Pal Products. This document, which is endorsed with Stevenson’s signature, shows he put a cash deposit of $2,000 down on the car he wanted.
“With a deposit like this made back in that day, you can just tell that ordering the specially equipped car was an exciting moment for Len Stevenson,” Schmeisser said. “Lowering a 427 into his car meant that the regular flow of the Chevy assembly line was going to be interrupted, and the black-with-red-interior choice was also a custom-order deal.”
The mid 1960s was one of the best eras for a buyer to order a car just the way he or she wanted it. Unlike today, manufacturers allowed buyers to individually order options, and the list of options was quickly growing. Manufacturers were also anxious to sell cars since 1960-1962 had been relatively lean years for auto sales.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Read more if you, in any way shape or form, actually care to.[/FONT]
