1958 Chevrolet Bel Air Impala

Chevrolet revised their entire product line in 1958 despite it being a recession year. They introduced new designs that were a departure from the previous cars. They developed a new chassis and fresh sheet metal resulting in cars that were lower, wider, and longer than previous years. Design features included excessive use of chrome, sculpted rear fenders without fins, a hardtop style roofline, and one-year-only quad headlights. Resting at the top-of-the-line of the Bel Air series was the Impala. Named after the southern African antelope, the Impala was a sporty trim package for the Bel Air coupes and convertibles.

The Impala received richly trimmed and appointed interiors, additional bright trim, a unique six-taillight arrangement with the backup light in the center, Impala scripts and insignias, and a rear-facing dummy air scoop. Power was from the new 'big block' 348 cubic-inch engine available with several optional performance packages. The Impala Sport Coupe had a base price of $2,693, which was near the top of the price list for the 1958 Chevrolet lineup.

The Impala would become its own separate model in 1959 in both two and four-door versions. For 1960, it became the best-selling automobile in the United States and would retain that title for the next decade. Chevrolet sold over 13 million examples of the Impala from 1958 until 1996, more than any other full-size car in automobile history. Over one million examples were sold in 1965 alone.

This Chevrolet Impala is finished in Aegean Turquoise paint with a White roof. It is powered by a Tri-Power 348 cubic-inch V8 engine mated to a 3-speed automatic transmission. It has power steering, fender skirts, and a spare tire.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2018