Numbers Matching 409: 1963 Chevrolet Impala SS
This 1963 Chevrolet Impala SS is a barn find, and the seller is only the car’s second owner. While it will require a complete restoration, some of the work has already been completed to give you a head start. You will find this Impala listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in London, Kentucky, and comes with a clear title. At the time of writing, bidding has reached $5,700 in this No Reserve auction.
The seller comes straight to the point by stating that the car will require a complete restoration. There is certainly some rust that will have to be dealt with, including the rust that you see in this shot. There is also some rust to be addressed in the rear quarters, along with the lower corners of the doors and the lower front fenders.
The floors haven’t escaped the ravages of the dreaded tin worm, and this is obvious in the trunk floor. However, this is the worst of the rust in the floors, as the only other rust to address is in the front floors. The frame of the Impala is solid.
Under the hood is the numbers matching 409ci V8 which is backed by the original Powerglide transmission. This is where the good news starts, and where you receive the head start that I was referring to earlier. The engine and transmission have both been freshly rebuilt, and have clocked about 50 miles since the work was completed. In addition, the car sports a new exhaust, a new gas tank and lines, all new brakes, brake lines, and power booster, and the A-arms have also been rebuilt with new bushes and ball joints. The car is also equipped with power steering and runs and drives well after all of the mechanical refurbishment.
The interior is also going to require restoration, and while some of the trim and the rear seat look to be in reasonable condition, there is a fair list of items that will need restoration or replacement. Thankfully some of the rarer and more difficult to obtain items such as the console are in good condition. The Impala is also fitted with a tilt wheel.
This Impala is definitely in need of some major restoration work, but having that numbers matching 340hp engine freshly rebuilt, along with all of the other mechanical refurbishment, is a real bonus. These remain a popular car in the collectible market, and when it has been restored, this car has the potential to pull some pretty respectable numbers. The cheapest restored example built to these specifications that has sold in recent months went for just on $34,000. I have even found one that went for $65,000. That’s some serious money.
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Comments
Sumpin’ ain’t right. On one valve cover, there is a mistake, one way or the other. Ad says 409, valve cover says 348 AND 409. Get it all right and re-list it. See ya.
Ahh don’t ya just love it when people get all excited and shoot too soon?
It says 409, which is the displacement. Underneath it says 340 horsepower refering to the output of the motor.
Better luck next time.
The sticker below 409 says 340, which is the horsepower rating. This is “low performance” L33 409, which was rated at 340 horsepower and 420 lbs-ft of torque.
The smaller, second sticker on both valve covers says 340 horsepower, not 348.
Too bad it’s not a 4spd.
Steve R
Yes, too bad it’s a power glide. I suppose you could beef it up a bit but that 2 speed gets really rapped up before it hits high gear. My cousin had a red/red 63 Biscayne 409/409 with 4 speed – that was the fastest car I’ve ever driven. Like a ski boat on launch, all over the road smokin the tires. He sold that car in 1968 for $1200. File under, “If I knew then what I know now.”
I think the 340 moniker refers to the 409/340HP combo, since the 409 was available in about 3 states of tune all the way up to 425HP. It’s NOT “348” as you stated, but 340, referring to the horsepower.
4 different HP
340
400
425
430
Nack in the day we called the 340 HP “baby 09”
Should bring a pretty penny, even with the rust..seems odd, to me anyway, to rebuild the drivetrain , lines, brakes and such, and just stop. Were it I, that would be motivation enough to finish it.Perhaps there’s a good reason to pass it on.
Is it my imagination, or is the car running in the one photo? Can swear I see exhaust behind the right read wheel in that photo.
Were self detaching quarters an option in ’63? With that amount of rust I’d start to wonder if the frame was still usable.
Looks like a vin swap candidate. That body has seen alot of worms…
The person listing the car is not the owner, perhaps the owner died and the wife is selling it off.(I agree , once you have a project running and I driving no way are you going to sell).Is it just my eyes or are the VIN tags blurry and unreadable.
“She’s so fine, my 4-zero-9″doesn’t have that ring to it.
You are right about that! Sure does not ring my bell.
Since she’s so fine & not real fine (as the song goes) I’ll pass!
Wash it up and drive as is!
I love how the engine is all pretty and shiny and then there’s no trunk… LOL
Back in the 80 s I bought a 340/409 impala(63) it was rusty but looked mint compared to this one. The 4 speed was in good order and the 09 ran. The rearend had a hole in it big enough to stick your fist into near a control arm though. Unfortunately the seller could never provide us with a title so we parted it out. I got a couple hundred for the tach alone which was a 6000 rpm redline which didn’t corespond with the 340/409. So I dont know if the motor was not correct or someone had swapped out the lower redline tach? Guess ill never know!love this car but it just to darn rusty!
The 340 HP with hydraulic lifters had a 6 grand tach, Only the cars with the 400 or 425 HP engines and mechanical lifters had the 7 grand tach. I would buy this car just to get the rare tilt steering column!
Finally a rust bucket that might be worth the 20 grand worth of welding required.
But who the hell repairs the drive train before the body ?
As far as the freaks putiing 4 speeds in forget it. 4 speeds are wet dreams.
Keep it original. You only live twice.😁😂🤣
It’s easier and cheaper to rebuild an engine than replace quarters and floors…
A mechanic that’s not a body man. Probably wants a new owner to pay for that expense.
always scared of the mystery rebuilds.
Powerglides rule if you are running a cast iron glide!
Who likes to shift gears anyways?
Bob
Rust bucket money pit.
“Chicago center, JD 100 is, ahh, uhhh, err leaving 2-3 ohhh for uhhhh, errr, 3-1 ohhhhh.”
Fower Oscar Niner just ain’t cuttin’ it. Chebby pilots and their competitors wouldn’t answer to “she’s real fine, my three forty horsepower.”
“My name… Jose Jimenez, I am an astronauuuuught.” Speaking of which, the Mercury astronauts drove cars with 4O9s in ’em. They didn’t seem to mind the nomenclature.
InstructEr? Stylist!??? WHAT IN THE WIDE-WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS IS GOIN’ ON HERE!!!
Rust in the roof, shame. someone might bring it back tho—-good luck to the new owner!!
Cheers
GPC
I like that the drive train was done first, I think this approach probably saved this car. I would think it’s easier to stay motivated on a project if you can start it up and run it around the block once in awhile. The body and rust repair is such major project, if the current owner had pulled it apart to do a full resto maybe it would be for sale in pieces rather than a running car. It would be worth a whole lot less and probably never get put back together. You could do a lot of work to this one without having to have it down for long periods of time. I would do what it takes to get it legal on the road and enjoy it as I restored it into a good driver. Stages that could be completed in a few weeks here and there or over the winter rather than apart for years.
You’re right! Better off doing the mechanics first & not have to worry about scratching the paint.
Oh. How original. That really hurts. ‘Bout as bad as getting beaten by a
4 Oh nine.
To me, a stylist was an artist that worked the clays. Not someone who frosts the tips of your “blow’d dried hair.” Do you remember who opened the door on this subject …. CHUCKY????? Or was it your stylist?
Go back to talking on the wrong side of the mic on your Cherokee and leave the 4O9 alone.
Cliff Claven; “It’s a little known fact”! I have to admit, the number / letter thing bugs me, too.
I have a freshly rebuilt 1963 409 motor still on the engine stand. Does anyone know what it is worth. I rebuilt it to put in this 1964 Impala but I am wondering if it is worth more sold separately.
This car should NOT be parted out especially if it’s a 409 regardless of
the horsepower rating.These cars are still desirable and brings good money.Yes it’s going to take time and money but whoever the next buyer is will have a chance to build the car they want not what somebody else put together. IMO after the sheet metal I would paint it Candy Apple Red with white interior.
Too bad no 4 speed, but the venerable Powerglide is still a common sight at the 1/4 mile dragstrip. A Turbo 400 sucks up about 57 horsepower just to operate and the ‘Glide about HALF of that. They can be easily beefed up to handle serious horsepower. This Chevy needs either somebody with deep pockets, or a body shop owner who wants a great project. :-) Terry J
Is this one of the models which has complete body shells available? If so, this could be a stunning rebuild. The 348/409 motors were VERY strong in their day. Remember, these were the times of vastly understated HP ratings. It seemed more common to see Turbo-hydro transmissions, but a lot of the drag racing folks really liked the P/G because it only shifted once. I can see the frame still being solid. It was an “X” design and missed most of the road spray. These were solid runners in their day, and not bad even by today’s standards. And the big AFB 4 bbl carb made real music at WOT.
Excessive patina.
This survived because of the SS -409 vin..,
If this was a reg Impala , it would have been
parted/crushed years ago.This could be beautiful
again,and If one was to do most of the work themselves,
they wouldn’t be too over budget.Power glides can take
a lot of abuse,and are very good on the drag strip…one shift..thats it!
Also back when that 409 was built,there was “real” gas available..with
110 octane..or more…I think that’s what helped all of these great engines
back then have such great power..,it’s amazing todays high performance engines can even run on todays watery gas mixtures…lol
I hope it gets saved..and driven…and showed..!
If I’m not mistaken, the roof on these Impala hardtops was pressed to look like a convertible. With contrasting paint I’ve been fooled more than once from a distance. Also, I swear I’ve seem more than one 1963-64 Impala hardtop with a factory VINYL roof. That may explain the awful rust where the top meets the rear fenders. Either way, a wallowy full size performance car that needs to be really inspected on a lift before further restoration.
Robert to your question about who likes to shift gears manually well I do and it is fun shifting gears manually also and I bet there is a whole lot of people out there that do also
Better someone else’s wallet. With that amount of external rust showing I shudder to think about the amount of internal and frame rust. A person needs to know when to cut their losses and move on.