Batwing Sedan: 1959 Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet introduced the Impala in 1958 as a special series of the Bel Air. And it was only sold as a 2-door hardtop or convertible with some unique sheet metal. In 1959, with the second redesign of the cars in two years, the Impala took over the top spot and included all body styles. This 1959 edition is a 4-door sedan, which may be too many doors for some folks. But rust is said to be minimal, and it otherwise looks like a solid former family car. And it wears the infamous “batwing” tailfins and “cat’s eye” taillights, the latter being a one-year-only styling gimmick.
As 1958 had been an economic recession year, 1959 Chevy sales were much stronger. And the new styling was sleeker than the 1958’s bulky, rounder shape. Chevrolet reworked its cars again in response to the “Forward Look” excesses for Chrysler’s 1957-58 products. While an inline-six was still standard even in the Impala, a 283 cubic inch V8 was the next step up and this sedan has one that was rebuilt at 62,000 miles (current odometer is 92,000).
We assume the two-tone paint on this Chevy is not original. But if the interior is, it may be one of the nicest around for being 65 years old. The car sports tinted glass and the windshield has been replaced (perhaps chipped by a flying pebble). The only known rust is underneath on the front floor brace but the rest of the metal is said to be solid.
In addition to the 283, this Chevy has the 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. I had a 350 with one and you could run it up to nearly 60 before it changed gears (kind of wild). Besides checking out the rust underneath, this otherwise could be a very nice, survivor-quality vehicle (the rebuilt engine limits that claim). Located near Colorado Springs, Colorado this Bowtie is available here on craigslist for $18,500. A sweet tip brought to us by “Zappenduster”.
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Comments
Very nice car, looks too good to be all original however the paint style may be. Two-tone paint, on Brookwood, Bel Air, and Impala was a $27.00 option.
These were nice-looking cars, something that really couldn’t be said about some ’59 GM’s (here’s to you Cadillac). However, FWIW 1959 would be the last year Ford outsold Chevy until well into the 80s.
I rather like these. It’s a rocket. It’s a jet plane. It defines the late 1950s. Name a song from 1959 that is as iconic as this car. It’s a masterpiece.
Back in the day, my wife called these “eyebrow cars”.
The two tone is a very common 59 Chevy feature.
My ’59 Biscayne two-door sedan had the 283 with “three on the tree” … paid $75 for it in 1970 – was the local pharmacist’s wife’s car … clutch so bad it wouldn’t move – paid $20 for new clutch, plate, and bearing, installed – tail lights cost more … would get 85 in second … drove from New Orleans to Chicago, where it was stolen …those were the days …
$608.00 by today’s standards, you had yourself a sweet deal.
Yep … clutch for my 350Z is over $1200 … luckily I’m not as bad a “clutch-rider” as the pharmacist’s wife was … I have 110K miles on the same clutch, many of them “hard” before I aged out of my mid-life crisis … my Nissan King Cab has 130k on the same clutch …us “old folks” have learned a little bit about driving …
This is the year model and color the fhtsa used in their safety video https://youtu.be/C_r5UJrxcck
This is a good looking ride, especially with the six window roofline. Love the colors and that dash is amazing. An Impala deserves white stripe tires, please. This may be a good Sunday driver.
I spent years hating the 1959 Chevy. What was I thinking? Now it looks great. I agree that other than Pontiac, the Chevy was the best looking 1959 GM car. The Buicl is just hideous. The Cadillac is much like today’s Corvette. Just too much everything.
Sure wouldn’t kick it out of my parking
spot, that’s for sure. Nice old family man sedan that’s right up my alley too. Don’t know if the girls would like
it but I certainly do. I recall hearing stories about air getting trapped under the bottom of the tailfins which
lifted the car’s rear wheels and caused it to flip. Has anyone heard
about this besides me?
That would have to be gale force winds to flip that boat.
Really nice car though
Oh yes, the tail fins will create lift when speeds exceed 183mph. This resulted in certain death for the occupants. That said, it only occured once on a winding canyon crest road in Arizona. The driver was a former mechanic of a Navy base and had the bright idea to attach two JATO rockets to the roof….
None of that is true!!!!
you get one of these up to 183 mph let me know … if someone straps jet engines to a Porsche it’s gonna crash … I can attest that at 110 it stayed on the road without any “lift” ……
Yes. I read in an old book about cars that ‘59s used for police car duty reported some floating in the rear end in high speed pursuits. The text didn’t mention any flipping but that air under the fins would lift the car slightly making handling a bit squirrely. I don’t imagine they did much air tunnel testing on these designs back then.
I remember some idiots thought it was necessary to do a crash test between a 59 Chevy Sedan and a 2009 Malibu destroying both cars just to show how safety had evolved in 50 years.
When I saw this one, I immediately thought of the “2009 Malibu vs 1959 Impala Crash Test”!
https://youtu.be/C_r5UJrxcck?si=e0_ci8A3LHjWKoqD
Looks good, white walls would really make it stand out. GLWTS!! :-)
Yep a nice looking 1959 and rare because no one liked them back then so they got crushed. If it sells for that money it’ll most likely got across the big pond where they like those mor-doors.
I have vivid memories of five-year-old me standing behind our next-door neighbor’s brand new ’59 Impala that barely fit in their garage. It was this same model, but in silver. I also remember riding in it the first time. Smooth as silk and quiet. Those batwings are even more impressive in person, I assure you.
Not the factory Tu Tone paint scheme (Code 970), deck would have matched the roof.
F.Y.I. colors are “Satin Beige/Gothic Gold”.
Original interior is amazing.
I remember my grandma had a twin to this car when I was 6. Always thought the batwing taillights were awesome looking!