Rotisserie Restored! 1966 Chevrolet Impala SS 396
It’s given some restorations turn out better than others, but this 1966 Chevrolet Impala SS has received enough attention that the result truly does appear to live up to the seller’s quality claim that it’s basically like a new car. And the love isn’t just on the outside either, as we get a detailed list of the services performed throughout the vehicle, with only about 120 miles covered since the project was completed around 6 months ago. The Chevy can be spotted here on eBay and is located in East Palatka, Florida, but no matter where you live driving the car home shouldn’t be a problem, as the seller it’s ready to be on the open road towards any destination. So far, bidding has taken the price up to $24,600, not enough for the Super Sport to exchange hands yet as the reserve has not been reached.
Considering the Impala is said to have been given a frame-off, nut-and-bolt meticulous rotisserie restoration, my expectations are sky-high, and I’m not seeing much that lowers the bar down from how the seller describes his Chevy. He confirms the car is a true SS and uses the term flawless, a strong proclamation, but looking around at the body the result seems to mirror the media blasting the sheet metal received, followed by epoxy primer then a several-stage high-end paint application that shows results which speak for themselves. The rally wheels and Cooper Cobra white letter tires are a nice touch outside as well.
The 396 is stated as a rebuilt era-correct block with all sorts of goodies inside, such as a mild Melling cam and oil pump, plus a Rochester 4-Barrel on top. It’s said to produce 375 horsepower, and the rebuilt Turbo 400 shouldn’t have any issues holding up to the big block as it’s also been rebuilt, including a new flex plate and torque converter. Out back is a 12-Bolt rear-end with 3.31 gears, and the seller assures us that all the mechanical components work in perfect harmony, delivering an exceptional driving experience. A new 4-core copper radiator makes sure things stay cool under the hood.
No corners were cut inside either, as just about everything in there is new with one cool custom touch being the Dakota digital dash. There’s also new wiring and an air conditioner that’s said to blow ice cold, plus plenty of attention has been given to the underside as well, including a media-blasted frame painted black with a laundry list of new parts down below. There is no buy-it-now price listed, but in the ad body the seller mentions $79,950, so maybe that’s where he set the reserve. Is right at the $80k mark reasonable for the workmanship you’re seeing here?
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Comments
Wheels may not be correct for this car but they sure are the right choice, beautiful car here.
No matter what era Chevy the Rally Rims are put on, they look like they belong there.
Looks good but the 65 looked way better to me
My first new car was a 1966 red Impala 2 dr hardtop,. black bench seat, ps,pb powerglide transmission 283 motor $2700 out the door. Sold it in 1970 and saw it again 35 years later at a local car show.
Wow, you got to reconnect, so to speak, with your first car 35 years later! That’s very cool!
I love it but, it’s way outta my price range. Some one will get a great 66!
not a 375 hp this has oval port heads, 350 hp at best, and I believe the 350 hp had a Holley on it not a quadrajet.
With the aftermarket parts he said were in the motor it could very well be about 375 HP, if it started out as a 350 HP motor it doesn’t take much to bring it up to 375, plus the fact that the oval port heads are actually a better choice for a street motor than the rectangle port heads especially if some work was done to them
Camaro has it right you can bump up that 396 with not much cash and people need to see what these Impalas are going for
Car is black & blue. The new owner will be also for 80G’s. But hey, how many of these are still around that appear honest? Someone’s got some $$$ in the restoration. That’s obvious.
Honest?? With all the things incorrect on this car, it’s not a restoration, its a resto-mod.
No matter how nice. Not an 80k car. Maybe 40 and that’s high. You’ll NEVER get what you put into a restoration. Unless you get lucky and find a fool with money
The car sure looks blue to me.Is there a different one?
Nice Barn Find….
The modern dash ruins the car for me. I was learning to drive in this car- my parents ‘66 Impala SS silver w/black vinyl top, 396 3spd manual on the column. My interest in old cars is the nostalgia and It would be “5hard to go back” looking at the instrument panel. ☹️
I’m in agreement on original gauges. I’m willing to overlook that on a really serious resto-mod build (think modern huge-power engine, full suspension, giant brakes, etc.), but this car looks “normal” and by God I would want the full retro experience.
I noticed that, too. We had a 66 Chevy Biscayne that was our family car for 12 years. I knew the dashboard was wrong. But improved?
It certainly is A beautiful car but for 80 grand ( if that is in fact the price) I would have liked to have seen an original gauge cluster, numbers matching drive train and B.F. Goodrich Radial T/A’s or a name brand tire on it…. The coopers scream second class at this price point. Again, it’s beautiful but the price is steep.
Exactly. Just bought a set of Goodrich TAs. Not expensive and a cut above coopers.
Don’t beat up the Cooper tires, I use ’em on my truck and several cars. Best Mexican restaurant I know in America is in Findlay Ohio right across the street from the Cooper tire plant! Don’t go there for lunch, it’s full of Cooper employees!
I do love the color on this SS…It’s the same color I’m painting my Nova SS…Marina Blue I think.
I know they aim at entirely different markets, but I’d give $80 large for the SS before I’d give it for the Kaiser Hearse.
Cooper tires are good but run blackwall unless BFG or vintage repos of Firestone etc.
Yeah, I was all set to go with red lines or RWL polyglass on Nova til I saw how much they cost! The BFGs look almost as good and cost half as much.
Good comments, nice choice of rear gear ⚙️ to the 400 Hydramatic.
It would have to be an L-72 power plant car before I would even consider that kind of money!
Also aluminum intake and yes a Holley carburetor.
I hate the Dakota dash, makes it essentially a restomod. Otherwise a real stunner of a car.
True American classic with the only American made tire brand!
Retro or original but not a little of both
I would rather have this car than the 80k stuff that is on the new car lots now. Way way more class.
I own a 1966 Impala 4 door sedan with the original 396 and 400 transmission. It’s my sleeper car. The only thing added to it was headers and a power drum brake setup. Needed them because it was scary fast and very scary to slow down. Just a note – an SS designation really only gives you a upgrade in appearance options, not so much, if at all, in performance upgrades. You pay dearly when buying a classic Chevy with the SS designation! (Bench seats rule!).
Not that we could afford the luxury of an 80k piece of nostalgia, but I can still offer an opinion. I was 12 in the summer of 1966, an was into cars. While I like the ’66, as Robert Armstrong before me stated, I always had a softer spot for the ’65. Just an opinion. In addition. I don’t like the digital dash either. Like it better when cars are restored to original. But, that’s why they make chocolate and vanilla, I guess.