1966 Chevrolet Impala SS Big Block, Original Paint,Protect-O-Plate ,25K Miles!

1966 Chevrolet Impala SS (Grandma’s Big Block)

We are very proud to offer a very well preserved time capsule from the 1960’s American muscle car era. This time, it’s a 1966 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport Coupe (body code 16837) or as we like to refer to it around here as “Grandma’s Big Block” at MotoeXotica Classic Cars. In late 1965 Helen Mulvaney from Peoria Illinois walked into Manning – McComb Chevrolet in downtown Peoria and placed an order for a 1966 Impala Super Sport coupe and not just any SS coupe, she had a particular list on how she wanted her Impala. It had to be Super Sport Coupe with the big block 396ci and it HAD to have the Rochester carburetor as she strongly insisted (sounds like Grandma knew her carbs). She finished her custom ordered SS with Lemonwood Yellow exterior with the black vinyl top, black vinyl SS interior and matched the 396 with a Turbo-Hydramatic 400 automatic with a 2.73 rear end ratio. Of course she also had to have power steering and power brakes in the mix because this is grandma we are talking about!

Helen enjoyed her Impala SS for many years to come and by 1983 her health kept her from driving it as often so she stored the SS away in the garage for the next 18 years. The current mileage was at 16,219 miles when the car was taken out of storage in 1997 and then the car was driven for a couple more years by Helen, then put up for sale in 1999 with the current mileage of 19,816 miles. In December of 1999 Patricia from St. Louis Missouri saw the for sale ad in the St. Louis Post Dispatch (snippet included) for the Impala and on December 27th she purchased the Impala from Helen. She noted to us how impressed she was at the excellent original condition of the Impala when she first saw it in 1999, she promised herself that she would take great care of the Impala and only put on an extra 6,000 careful miles from 1999 to 2016 and always kept it inside her garage.

This Impala SS was produced at GM’s Janesville, Wisconsin (VIN code J) factory and its still overal original Lemonwood Yellow (paint code Y) paint and trim are in very good overall condition. For being 51 year old original paint there are a few blemishes in the paint at the top of the driver’s side rear fender and others visible only upon close inspection. The car’s lights are in very good order and still retain all four original T3 headlights. This Impala SS rolls on period correct Goodyear Polyglas radials, size 215/75R14, with its original factory wheel covers. The car’s body panels are solid and straight and the full, the original black vinyl roof is a similar state to the rest of the car’s body and looks great. The engine bay is in good condition, the battery appears new and the original chromed bumpers are in very good order overall with just small surface blemishes evident.

Inside, the fully original black vinyl interior greets you after opening the doors, with the “Strato-bucket” front seats beckoning you to take a seat. These seats have thinner and higher seat backs and flank a center console. The seats are in very good condition for being all original, the matching carpet is in good order and the matching headliner is in great overall shape, considering the car’s age. The instrument panel, with its strip speedometer and minimal gauges, is in fine shape, as is the original two-spoke steering wheel. The matching door panels are in very good order, as are the mirrors, center console and shifter. Rounding out the interior is a factory AM radio. The overall original but excellent interior really tells you the story on how well this Impala was cared for by its two previous owners.

Under the hood is the factory correct numbers matching 396 (#6J209062) big block V8 and a Turbo-Hydramatic 400 three-speed automatic transmission with a 2.73 rear end ratio. The Impala is also equipped with power steering and power brakes.

Documentation included with this Impala are the original 1966 Chevrolet Owners Guide, original owner protection plan book included with the original Protect-O-Plate for this Impala, copy of the original 1966 Illinois title, 1966 Illinois registration card, original Chevrolet Accessories book, for sale ad newspaper snippet from the late 90’s and the original plastic delivery pouch.

Redesigned in 1965, the Impala set an all-time industry annual sales record of more than one million units in the U.S. All new then, full-size Chevrolets eschewed the “X” frame for a full-width perimeter frame, a new body which featured curved, frameless side glass (for pillarless models), sharper angled windshield with newly reshaped vent windows and redesigned full-coil suspension.

A new three-range Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic transmission was optional for the 396 CID V-8. Other later-built cars had the 396 as the big-block option. The Impala would be the #2-selling convertible in the U.S. in 1966, with 38,000 sold.

The 1966 Impala SS was facelifted with a revised grille and new rectangular taillights that replaced the triple round units. A chrome beltline strip shared with regular Impalas was added in response to customer requests. Inside were new “Strato-bucket” front seats with thinner and higher seat backs, and a center console with an optional gauge package available.

Competition to this Chevrolet in 1966 included Dodge’s Coronet 440 two-door hardtop and Ford’s Galaxie 500 two-door hardtop.

This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 25,672 miles and believed to be actual by supporting documentation. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!

VIN: 168376J209062

Note: Please see full terms and conditions listed below that pertain to the purchase of any said vehicle, thank you.