Thread: 1961 Impala SS facts

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The thread about the '73 Nova SS got me thinking about two '61 Chevies I owned years ago.

I had gotten interested in the '61-'65 409 cars, since I had an original '63 425 horsepower car. In the process of buying and selling early Corvettes and Impala project cars, I happened across an early '61 SS. I found out these are very rare, and this reminded me that a friend of mine in Illinois had a red 3X2 348 SS years before, so I bought it.

A few months later I found a second car, and bought it. I don't know where they ended up, as I sold both unrestored.

I found the research interesting. There were only about 450 factory built cars, all equipped with the 348 or 409 engine. The majority of the SS models were Implalas that were "dealer equipped" with a package the factory sold them. The factory-built cars can be identified by a single or double "S" stamped on the cowl tag.

The difference between the Impala and SS models was generally a 348-409 grill emblem, modified spinner-style hub caps, a grab bar on the dash, a column mounted Sun tach, and SS emblems on the quarter panels and trunk.

Here are some pictures I found on the net.

If I remember correctly, that was a "bubble top" and was one of the best looking cars that Chevy ever produced.

You're right about that! All of the GM cars with that roofline looked really sleek!

Trivia fact:

In '62 they had leftover '61 hardtop bodies, so the outdated "bubbletops" were used for the '62 Bel Air hardtop. The Impalas got the new "convertible-styled" roof, that carried on through '64.

I can still remember when the 409 SS was introduced. They had a white convertible with red interior in a rear, 3/4, slight overhead pic in the ad posted on the back cover of Hot Rod.

Can't remember what I had for breakfast yesterday, but a 46 year old ad is no problem.

As for the '62, you mean something like this?

That's the one! Great looking cars, and many of those '62s got the 409, due to lighter weight than the Impala.

I'll never admit this to anyone else than you guys on here, but in 1974 I junked out a 64 Impala SS (was a rust bucket with a slice down the passenger side reminiscent to a can opener mark) to put the drive train in a 1947 Ford Coupe. Rear end, 409, 4 speed and all. Had to hack the heck out of the x-frame to make it work and split the wishbones. DOH

What a task....I wouldn't be leary of admitting a job like that. As I visualize the effort, hhmmmm, good job. I wish I could have seen it.

When I scrolled down your pictures, this blue convertible grabbed me. I bought the exact car in about 1967, a 283/ Hurst 3 speed on the floor, for $ 25.00. It was even blue, like the one you posted. Stored it in a garage for something like $ 10 a month, and for the life of me I can not remember what I did with it. I honestly think I just stopped paying rent and abandoned it. Boy, could I kick my butt now. Someday, some one will open those creaky wooden doors, and get a real surprise maybe.

Very pretty cars, these '61-64 Chev's.


Don

Originally Posted by Oldf100fordman

I'll never admit this to anyone else than you guys on here, but in 1974 I junked out a 64 Impala SS (was a rust bucket with a slice down the passenger side reminiscent to a can opener mark) to put the drive train in a 1947 Ford Coupe. Rear end, 409, 4 speed and all. Had to hack the heck out of the x-frame to make it work and split the wishbones. DOH

Not a great loss, especially if it was the standard 409. '64 SS models aren't rare, and if it was badly rusted, it might not have been worth saving.

Yeah, and it was just the 400 horse single 4 barrel version. Or at least I think it was 400 horse. I could be wrong. 74 was a long time ago.

I think NASCAR had something to do with the buble top 62 also. My dad had one these and I thought it was the coolest car on the planet.