348 Tri-Power: 1958 Chevrolet Impala
Sitting in this workshop is a 1958 Impala that cuts a forlorn figure. Time has not been kind to this classic, and returning it to its former glory would be a significant undertaking. However, the powerhouse hiding in the engine bay may make it worthwhile because it was one of the most potent the company offered that year. If you’re not afraid to face a challenge, the Impala is listed here on eBay in Poolesville, Maryland. The seller set a BIN of $12,750, with thirty people watching the listing.
Chevrolet introduced the Impala in 1958 as the range-topping offering within its Bel Air range. It occupied that spot for one year before the company awarded it standalone model status. The seller purchased the car in 2005 with grand plans, but as often happens, the project stalled before it could start. It has remained stored indoors in the intervening years, with the seller indicating it last saw active duty with a previous owner in 1972. They are candid about its condition, stating it needs plenty of love to return to its best. The Turquoise paint gracing its panels may not be original because there are traces of Snowcrest White visible in several photos. The body carries sixty-four years of accumulated bumps and bruises, but the rust will occupy the new owner’s attention. The seller states the fenders are junk, as is the hood. The trunk lip is rotted, but the rockers and doors might be okay. The trunk pan is salvageable, but the state of the floors is unclear. It is worth noting that this beauty wears a set of black plates. That suggests it lived part of its life in California. If that’s the case, there may not be any significant rust problems beyond those mentioned requiring attention. The buyer will probably elect to follow the frame-off path, allowing them to address these shortcomings to a high standard. Some trim pieces are set for the scrapheap, others are missing, with the rest appearing restorable. Most of the glass is okay, although the windshield is cracked.
The shopping list for this restoration grows longer the deeper we delve into this Impala. The photos suggest some items like the radio and clock are missing, although they could be among the significant collection of parts in the trunk. The upholstered surfaces have seen better days, and a total retrim is required. That will leave no change from $2,200, although a kit of that caliber will contain everything needed to recapture this Chevy’s lost youth.
The big payday with this ’58 Impala could come from what we find under the hood. It emerged in a significant year, with Chevrolet releasing its first big-block V8. With a capacity of 348ci, the company offered it in several states of tune. This Impala features a 348, but it is no automotive wimp. The original owner selected the Tri-Powr option, meaning it would have sent 280hp to the rear wheels via a three-speed Turboglide transmission. It may have rolled off the line well before the muscle car era, but a ¼-mile ET of 16.2 seconds and a top speed of 118mph signaled that this Impala meant business. Although it appears complete, this V8 poses another challenge for the new owner. The seller indicates it is locked and may not have run since the previous owner parked it in the early 1970s. A hefty dose of Mystery Oil may be all that’s required to get the motor spinning, but the buyer should factor an engine rebuild into their restoration costs. If the drivetrain is revived, that will add significantly to the car’s value by the time it rolls out of the workshop and into the light of day.
Although not as iconic as the ’57 Bel Air, the 1958 Impala deserves respect. The Hardtop struck a chord with buyers, helping explain why 55,989 people handed over their cash to own one. Values haven’t scaled the automotive Mt Everest conquered by the ’57, but the right car can cause a stir in the classic market. Considering the BIN on this classic and the work required to return it to its former glory, it raises the obvious question of whether it is financially viable. That heavily depends on the next owner’s approach and how much of the work they plan to complete themselves. If the finished product achieves perfection and retains its original drivetrain combination, NADA and Hagerty suggest $71,800 and $92,200, respectively, as the potential reward. However, recent sales results for identical vehicles indicate a figure of around $60,000 is more realistic. Regardless of which price you accept, it leaves room to move on this build. Do you think it’s enough?
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Comments
Crappy pics.You want $ for your junk at least take good and numerous pics…sheesh.
Someone would have to have a grudge against themself to but that P.O.S. pile of scrap metal. I wouldn’t give the seller $10.00 for it on a good day.
Way less than what the seller would get for it something like between $3,000 -$4,000 is what I would pay for it. Now to have the room like the warehouse where it’s stored would be the correct size and place for an all off the frame total rebuild restoration. It’s a shame and sad that GM/Chevy would take that root to cut corners and cheapen on the right metal to build and manufacture an Antique, Classic and Vintage Iconic Ride. Sincerely Yours Ivan I J
Seller says car is in Tennessee and it’s a 3 speed on the column with an error on the title…..
Funny, the car is actually underpriced if Patrick in Deer Valley (N. Phoenix) got ahold of it would bring 6 figures at a high-end auction. Granted one of his restorations is likely 60-80k
I don’t believe he’d use a 2200 interior trim kit though; I wonder what the quality of these “Kits” Adam references all the time are?
I’ve purchased interior replacement parts in the past and they are all Chinese junk…
I had nothing but trouble with a Legendary interior I bought. Pure garbage and crappy customer service. Ive been working on cars for forty years and have never seen junk like I received.
Not one piece bumpers, so definitely not a California car.
The only thing I see that I like in this ad is the nice big warehouse the owner has to store project cars in!
The owner said the fenders are junk, my father told me my Grandfather’s fenders on his new 58 started rusting through above the headlights just after it’s first year on the road in Ohio. I’ve always wondered how many of those fenders ever made into the 70’s let alone into the 2000’s. I love these, so I hope it’s saved !!
Yeah it looks like a 3sp column manual and Turbo glides were not 3speed transmissions they were basically like the Buick Dynaflow no shift points I had one in a 61 Impala 348 which I eventually swapped to a 4 speed Borg Warner
These 1958 Chevies are poster cars for terminal rust invasion everywhere. I know from personal experience. Too bad. Too much asking price. Too many potential OHNO moments. I hope it eventually is restored. They are beautiful cars.
If I had the money and room to put it, I would most certainly bid on it and bring over here to Australia. We love these car over here, can’t get enough of them.
A friend had one. That thing would fly. The big question back then was, is that a 348,or a 409? It was faster than either that any of us had ever seen.
It looks like the block is not there anybody else see that
If it’s an OB, which it obviously is, then the price may be about right, depending also on how many were made that year. The 348 is quite an interesting piece. Prospective buyers need to understand one thing in advance, though: That engine, like the MEL-series Y-blocks Ford put out that same year, needs specialty shops to properly prep it for rebuilding; the canted decks are not the sort of thing just any machine shop can handle.
58s are cool, as I still the Buick of that year. The price is probably right in the neighborhood, most everything needed is readily available. I really gravitate to the 59s which I like much better. I never cared for the 348. My first 59 was a black 348 tri power convertible I bought from the original owner in 1980. I hated that thing. A gas hog, temperamental, very unreliable. The grade retard tranny was crap. The only option I think the car had was the driveline. In 1983 I dumped it and bought a red and black one owner 283 4bbl power glide convertible. That car was and is a blast. Nope not fast but quite adequate that had I guess almost every accessory. 348s no thanks. I do recall needing an exhaust manifold for my first 59 and went down to one of the local junkyards. They used a Divco milk truck as a yard buggie. They rode me out to the Chevy row and cut the manifold from a turquoise and white version of this car that would make folks cry today. The guy took the 3×2 air cleaner off and threw it through where the windshield was. I recall the car having factory air and the yard guy getting uptight thinking I needed the right manifold and was overjoyed when I told him left. Times they have-a-changed. Lucky for that car it was squirreled away for ions otherwise it like so many would have been shredded by the early 80s.