1974 Chevrolet Impala

Description

Just try to find more car for the dollar than this 1974 Chevrolet Impala hardtop. It's a great survivor from an era that often gets overlooked when searching for an affordable old car. With great road manners, a smooth 350 V8, and looks that define an era, it shouldn't be a surprise that the '70s are suddenly hot with collectors.

There's a lot of sheetmetal here, representing the great days of the '70s when cars rode like clouds and looked a mile long. We're fairly certain this car has been repainted, but it was a while ago and now looks quite authentic and could almost be passed off as a quality original job. Regardless, white is this car's original color and it looks right on the angular Impala bodywork. Note the crisp folds, the good panel alignment, and the fender skirts that make it seem even longer and lower than it is. There's a perfect vintage shine to the finish and aside from a few minor nicks and scratches that are inevitable over time, it's in great shape. The matching white padded roof is an ideal addition for the '70s vibe and yes, there's plenty of chrome to go with it. The massive front grille is in excellent shape, the bumpers shine up nicely, and all the stainless trim around the windows remains in great shape. For fans of '70s Chevys, this one has the right look.

The white vinyl interior is absolutely original and looks great with contrasting blue carpets and dash. The durable materials mean that it's holding up nicely and there's easily enough room for three-across seating both front and rear. The big coupe feels spacious and airy thanks to the hardtop body style and massive rear window and we love the ornate door panels, which are showing a little discoloration but no critical damage. Gauges cover only the basics, with the secondary controls underneath, including factory A/C and an AM/FM stereo radio, which is supplemented by a modern AM/FM/CD head unit tucked in under the center of the dash. The wheel should look familiar to anyone who drove a Chevy in the '70s and it's kind of remarkable to see a car of this vintage that's completely bereft of fake wood trim. Nice! For road trips it's ideal, thanks to a massive trunk that still carries its original mat and a full-sized spare (plus a studded snow tire, just in case, I suppose).

We have every reason to believe that's the original 350 cubic inch V8 living under the massive hood. It uses that quaint '70s technology that everyone hated, the starter interlock, so you'll need to buckle up to crank it. But once it's running, the 2-barrel carb ensures that it's smooth and torquey. It's a bit dirty but a bit of clean-up work would really pay dividends, especially since you can still see original Chevy Orange paint on the block. On the road there's plenty of punch, even with that much sheetmetal to pull around, and with cast iron manifolds and a slightly aggressive muffler on the single exhaust system, it has a nice V8 burble that never gets annoying. Likewise, the TH350 3-speed automatic transmission is unobtrusive and there are easy-cruising gears in the rear end. The floors are shockingly clean, so you know this car lived someplace warm, and the recent shocks ensure it rides and handles like 1974 all over again. Simple hubcaps are framed by a set of 205/70/15 whitewall radials, which are exactly the right choice.

Just a cool old Chevy with a lot of eyeball appeal and luxury for not a lot of cash. At this price, how can you go wrong? Call today!