Classic Chevrolet

The classic Chevrolet cars are living masterpieces of the car industry. Each one of them amazes us with its elegance, style and luxury taking us back in that era when these beauties were in vogue.

One of these amazing classic Chevrolet cars is the Impala convertible manufactured for the first time in 1958. This is the year when the Impala entered in the powerful sports coupe market being a member of the Bel-Air model line up. The Chevrolet Impala is a full size car manufactured by Chevrolet and its name refers to the southern African antelope. This classic Chevrolet is the most expensive passenger car built by Chevrolet.

The 1958 Chevrolet Impala impressed the American customers and became popular between 1958 and 1966 when more than 13 million units were sold. When it was firstly released on the market, this Chevrolet was sold for a price ranging between $2,500 and $3,000, the exact same price paid for a 1958 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster. Nowadays, this Impala can be purchased for a minimum of $50,000 while the maximum price goes up to $70,000.

The 1958 Chevrolet Impala convertible was manufactured as a sporty coupe, a lot more different than the Bel-Air which was more of a family car. Some car specialists consider that the 1958 Chevrolet Impala the first step of Chevrolet into the muscle car era. The Impala was impressive with its six taillights placed on the rear and another three on each side. Buyers were also attracted by its continental style spare tail and its elegant tire covers. But the most amazing feature is the bright chrome strip that covers the entire side of the car. I can not forget the fake air scoops placed behind the doors or the white walled tires.

But when you look inside you will understand the meaning of “Luxury Lounge Interiors”, a term used to define the 1958 Chevrolet Impala convertible. And that’s because this classic Chevrolet described perfectly the comfort and the luxury of a car. The material used to cover the interior was leather and grain vinyl with some woven fabric on the bench seats. The interior color matched the exterior paint of the car. Moreover, the 1958 Chevrolet Impala convertible was equipped with AM radio, power steering, dual rear antennas, power brakes, an electric clock, power windows, air conditioning and a day/night mirror.

The 1958 Chevrolet Impala convertible was equipped with the first W series Big Block engine. This type of engine was used initially for the Chevrolet trucks, but a larger version became the heart of the 1958 Impala. The Impala’s V8 engine had 348 cubic inches, two barrel carburetors and a “Tri-power”. This “Tri-power” 348 was known as “Super Turbo-Thrust” and produced 280 horsepower. It was also available a “Special Turbo-Thrust” that was able to provide 305 horsepower and along with three two-barrel carburetors could increased the power to 315 horsepower. This classic Chevrolet also used a three speed manual transmission with overdrive, but the buyers could also choose the Powerglide or the Turboglide automatic transmission.

For this Impala, Chevrolet manufactured a new chassis as well, a new “X-built” frame and even a new wheelbase. The 1958 Chevrolet Impala had a four coil suspension and as an optional feature a Level-Air suspension. Everything was taken into consideration to transform this car into a future classic.

The 1958 Chevrolet Impala was the car which brought the Chevrolet Company the golden medal in the production competition that was a feature of that recession year. It’s an amazing and incredible classic Chevrolet car and a must-have for many car collectors.

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