Dateline: 11.10.11
Chevrolet goes straight for the heart strings! Before you watch this, get some tissues…
Okay, this isn’t a Corvette video, but it’s close enough! What a sweet story. Dad gave up his 1965 SS-396 Impala Fastback so that his children could go to college. Years later, his youngsters got Dad’s car back! (Hey kids! I had a ‘65 Vette back in ‘75, how about… oh, never mind.)
Never before or since did the big Impala have so much Corvette in its styling. The rear fender humps are straight off the mid-year Sting Ray and the two sets of triple round tail lights is what many felt the Corvette should have had, so they added their own. Chevrolet could have done something special for the hood and the Corvette knock-off wheels would have looked “boss.”
It’s worth noting that Chevrolet sold 1,048,514 Impalas in 1965! VERY impressive! The old 409 truck engine was discontinued early in ‘65, but a few 409 Impalas got out the door, making them rather rare. The big news was the all-new big-block 396 engine. Although the 396 was detuned down to 325-HP and had the easier to live with hydraulic lifters, it had LOTS of torque and was a good match for the big Impala. The 2-speed Powerglide automatic, 3-speed manual, or 4-speed manual transmissions were available.
Chevrolet was really on top of their game in ‘65. The Impala was as big as a Cadillac, heavy enough to be a smooth cruiser, stylish, beautifully trimmed, and VERY reasonably priced. Buyers got a lot of car for their money and it looked “expensive.” This was a car you’d want to “See the USA…” with. – Scott
PS – Did you notice how Dad knew RIGHT AWAY and said, “Dear God! That’s my old Chevy!” LOVE IT!
PSS – It’ll be interesting to see if Chevrolet produces more “Chevy True Stories” as part of their “Chevy Runs Deep” sales campaign.
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