Nicely finished 1965 Impala SS tribute. Straight black paint, recently rebuilt 350 cubic inch V8, automatic, and more. Nice original interior with custom shifter. Clean and solid underneath, lots of recent service work. A popular heavy cruiser with the right look!

The all-new 1965 Chevrolet Impala was unquestionable a home-run for GM. The full-sized styling was muscular yet athletic, and the ever-growing list of available engines meant that a customer could build almost anything he wanted, from a simple commuter car to a street-dominating muscle car. This handsome black hardtop is somewhere in-between. It’s not a real SS, although it wears Super Sport badges, but it does pack a rather stout small block V8 and a sporting interior. Black paint means that shoddy bodywork has nowhere to hide, and the sheetmetal on this big Impala is commendably straight. Doors fit well, the hood closes without a big slam, and even the trunk lid lines up right, which is especially critical on these cars due to the iconic triple taillights. A few splashes of chrome make it look upscale and all the brightwork is in excellent condition, including the bumpers which appear to have been re-chromed recently. From any angle, this is a very good-looking car.

The two-tone black and silver interior appears to be original and in fantastic shape. There are a few areas of wear, including the driver’s outer seat back, but the carpets are recent and in excellent condition. There’s a wood-rimmed steering wheel that warms up the monochromatic interior, and during the mechanical rebuild, a Lokar floor shifter was added which is a nice improvement over the old column shift. Factory gauges are still original and include a cool vacuum gauge on the far right, as well as a trio of aftermarket dials under the dash. There is no radio and it uses a factory block-off plate for a clean look, but that means you can install the system of your choice without having to undo someone else’s hack work. That’s always better. There’s a taut headliner overhead, the back seat is in excellent condition, and the massive trunk is super solid and includes a correct mat and full-sized spare tire assembly.

The engine is a 350 cubic inch V8, which slots neatly into the Impala’s big engine bay. Wearing Chevy orange paint on the block and a few Edelbrock dress-up pieces, it looks suitably racy and runs quite well. It starts easily, idles well, and generally works like you’d expect. The big Impala feels quick and light on its feet, but settles down as an easy highway cruiser thanks to 3.36 gears out back. Upgrades include a big aluminum radiator, an Edelbrock aluminum intake manifold and carburetor, HEI distributor, and a set of long-tube headers feeding a Flowmaster dual exhaust system. A TH350 3-speed automatic transmission snaps through the gears like it should and all full-sized Chevys received a heavy-duty 12-bolt rear end. There are a lot of new parts underneath, including steering components, springs, shocks, and more. Power front disc brakes are a nice feature on a big cruiser like this and obviously ride quality is excellent (this is a luxury car, after all). 15-inch Rally wheels look right even though the car pre-dates the wheels by a little bit, and they carry fat 235/60/15 front and 275/60/15 rear Firestone radials.

Extras include some spare trim parts and a clock.

These are unquestionably handsome cars, and their road manners match their good looks. They’re easy to drive, always attract a lot of attention at shows, and represent one of the best all-around cruisers of the 1960s. This one is tastefully upgraded and offers a fantastic color combination that will always be in demand. If you’re an Impala fan, you know the ‘65s are special and this one deserves a second look. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.