64 Impala SS Convertible Complete

Very nice "tcoat". I always enjoy doing replicas of my former rides.

Great job!!!!

This came awesome. Slick paint job for sure. I'm really diggin that interior and chassis. I 'm going to have to give that a try on one or two.

Nice old impala. I like the mix of weathering ages. to build an eagle talon you might be able to start with a honda prelude. its a similar shape and the mitsubishi is available from aoshima, tamiya and fujimi. the b210 is also out there but its a simplified kit. the cheyenne is available as a 3d print but the geo isn't available but there are prints of the very similar fiat punto

Here are some interesting things I came across while going through some old boxes.

Car was bought with a cosmetic "restoration in 1976.
Found the bill of sale. $800 with $56 taxes and $2 fees.


The poor old girl saw a lot of miles through high school and Sea Cadets as I was often the only person with my own car much less one that could hold so many people. For the next couple of years I had no real issues and it was trouble free.

In 1977 I was stationed in Germany with the Army and left the car in the care of a buddy. When I returned in late '78 I went to pick up my car and he told me he hadn't driven it all summer since it was making a "funny noise". Took me all of five minutes to find the 6 inch crack up the side of the block where it had frozen after he had put pure water in it. Since the engine was toast and he was paying I went off to the wreckers and found a low miles '66 300HP 327 to swap for the original base 265hp one. Since I was in barracks and had no place to work on the car I took it to the garage I worked in as a kid and had them do it.

Engine itself cost $20 so I don't think I was overcharged for labour.


It ran like a dream and all of a sudden could do burnouts that it would never do before. Unfortunately the rest of it was still a 14 year old car and one day while going down the highway at 60 the diff locked up solid. Both hubcaps shot straight down hit the road and headed for the horizon. I came to a screeching halt without further incident retrieved the one cap that headed into field and gave up on the other which was someplace far, far down the road.

About 5 years ago I was cleaning up some boxes and found this in the bottom. Somehow I had hung onto it for 40 years! It doesn't look bad in the picture but it did not take the situation well I assure you.


Of course I had to have the diff replaced.
$67 for the diff, parts and labour.


Although the garage did some work I did a bunch my self with the help of a library repair manual. Found it in a box as well and still have it. Any idea what the library late fees would be from July 1975 until now?



While it was in for repair I stumbled across a highly modified '64 Econoline van (More on this in another thread) and bought it as my daily. Although I still had the SS and it would carry on for a few more years in a secondary role it was the beginning of the end for the poor old Impala. In '84 the starter went on it and I parked it at the end of my apartment complex parking. Some kids slit the top climbed in and slashed ever single soft surface in the car. Dash pad, seats top cover, door panels, EVERYTHING was cut up. Since I still didn't want to give it up as the body was still great and other than the starter (intermittent) it ran perfectly I towed it over to my sisters shed. On the way the passenger side of the rear bumper dropped almost to the road. A quick look showed the worst! As many of these cars were inflicted the frame had rotted off right where the exhaust crossed it by the gas tank and the center of the X frame. That was the last straw and the car sat in the shed for a few more years before I finally broke down and sold what was left of it for $3,000. Today it would probably be seen again on a Barn Find Will It Start YouTube video but back then I had no clue where it went. Due to the era I wouldn't doubt it became a Lowrider someplace and could still be around today.

Well done. That thing really looks the part with tall the weathering. Awesome sauce!!

Those vandals were between 6 and 10 years old! Wasn't a great neighbourhood so no doubt they grew up into model citizens. 

 Yup......definitely a parenting problem right there. Those same kids would be a totally different personality under the right guidance......a real shame.