My 1968 Impala Convertible

[gmcbob]

These are pictures I took of my Impala back when the weather was actually bearable outside. I have the original 396 in my shed, but the engine in the car now is a 454 out of a 70 Chevelle (I think). It runs pretty good, but the rear main seal is shot and the transmission doesn't shift correctly (might be a faulty solenoid or something, not sure).

The heads on the 454 are actually off the old 396. I think if I keep her and do a proper restoration, I'll rebuild the 396 and sell the 454 to someone who wants to build a hot rod or something.

Edited July 27, 2008 by gmcbob

[A Horse With No Name]

I love it...I'm a sucker for ragtops, and that one looks good.

I'm also a sucker for big blocks...

Chris

[!!!TED!!!]

What a beauty!

[Sixty8panther]

I'm actually NOT a big fan of ragtops and would rather have a pillarless hardtop, BUT

this is one sharp, clean Impala. Sky blue on white? Sharp as a box of ginsu knives.

[Robert Hall]

Sweet...I love those big old ragtops...my favorites being the '71-73 or so B-bodies.

[CARBIZ]

No power windows?

[Robert Hall]

No power windows?

Well, it was 1968..I think most cars still had manual windows 40 years ago.

[Sixty8panther]

in '59 plenty of Cadillacs & Buicks had power windows, but that being said my '64 Super 88

had manual windows. I don;t mind manual windows, they are much less prone to breakage

and regulator damage, etc...

[Ravenfreak13]

I miss my electra....I wonder where it is right now....

[Robert Hall]

in '59 plenty of Cadillacs & Buicks had power windows,

Yeah, it was a luxury car thing then, though...in '68, probably very few Chevys had them. I haven't had a car with manual windows in over 20 years, never had a problem with power windows.

[knightfan26917]

gmcbob,

AWESOME Impala convertible!

I'd love to have a '75 Caprice Classic convertible someday.....

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Windows open on the rest of the world" ... Suzy Bogguss ... 'Drive South'

[gmcbob]

Thanks everybody for the good comments.

Yeah, I really wish it did have power windows, that would make things a lot easier when you want to put the top up and down.

[ocnblu]

I missed this thread... that's a sweet mama, Mr. Bob.

[Sixty8panther]

The oval-esque wheel well openings on late '60s & early '70s

B-body Chevys are sooo cool, as well as the concave rear

windows on the '70 coupes and big, chrome-laden noses.

I'd kill one of you guys and bury you in my backyard after

digging a shallow grave with a Taco Bell spork just to go back

to those days. Cars were CARS, unlike today.

[gm4life]

Put on a set of Torq-Thrust Mags powered coated in dark gray/silver and that would make that car perfect. Great looking old car, love the white interior.

[Camino LS6]

Nice cruiser.

[Sixty8panther]

Put on a set of Torq-Thrust Mags powered coated in dark gray/silver and that would make that car perfect. Great looking old car, love the white interior.

3 years ago I would absolutely agree with you....

Nowadays when EVERYONE has something kustom for RIMZ it's just nice to see original wheelcovers.

[Robert Hall]

3 years ago I would absolutely agree with you....

Nowadays when EVERYONE has something kustom for RIMZ it's just nice to see original wheelcovers.

Yeah, the stock hubcaps look fine...a set of Chevy Rallys would look good also. Something period correct.

[gm4life]

Thats very true.

[gmcbob]

Hey Guys - thanks again for all the great comments.

I actually do have a set of period rally wheels for the car - they're sitting in my shed with a set of old tires on them. I guess I've just been lazy about getting a set of tires for those wheels and putting them on the car. The original 14 inch hubs look okay, but I think the period rally wheels would give the car a much more "proper" look/stance.

One thing I'm a little worried about is how hot this thing runs and just how bad the rear main leaks. It even runs pretty hot when it's only 60 or 70 degrees outside. After about 20 minutes, I feel quite a bit of heat down by the pedals. I think if I don't get the original 396 re-built and put back in the car, I'm going to go ahead and make this thing run right with the engine that's in it now (the 454), I'm just not sure if I want to put the original motor back in it or not. I may even get air conditioning installed, if I decide to keep it for the long haul.

Under the doors I've noticed the sheet metal is beginning to rust. I think it's probably going to need some fairly extensive body work done to make it right, but I'm not sure how much that's going to cost (it could get pretty expensive I'm afraid).

I love looking at this thing in the driveway, and driving it around on the weekends when I can - really makes me think how cool it must have been to be a car guy in the 60s.

Knighfan26917 - those mid 70s GM convertibles were sweet! My Dad restored a 73 Buick Convertible a long time ago (white with white top) - car was absolutely cherry.

[balthazar]

In '68, only 3.6% of Impalas had power windows.

Jump over to Pontiac (full-size) and it's 21%.

Olds Delmont 88 : 4%.

Buick Wildcat : 27%.

Cadillac had power windows as standard equipment in '68.

Interesting disparity >> Pontiac was slotted below Olds, but it's my belief that Pontiac buyers on average spent more money on optional equipment in this era, because the average Pontiac buyer viewed the car as something quite special- they had a very enthusuastic pool. Logically, Pontiac's PW take rate should be in line with the others w/ respect to their position : Chevy @ 3%, Pontiac at maybe 10%, Olds at maybe 15%, Buick at maybe 25%.

I've owned 7 full-size Pontiacs from this era (actually: '64-66) and 2 of them had PW.

[balthazar]

On another note- it's this sort of exact thing that is no longer present in today's market, and it was a major factor in the unraveling of the industry.

A Chevy was unlikely to have power equipment - it cost money and Chevy buyers were by & large on a strict budget. Whereas in a Cadillac you could expect a full compliment of the latest amenities. And so it went.

Today we have the whiners and gripers moaning 'Just because I bought a cheap-assed econoturd, I should still have NAV & power everything and dual A/C... and did I mention NAV?' Now we have a worldwide industry so hopelessly choked with overlap we'll never straighten it out. Now so many are demanding & self-entitled, the only reason to 'move up' in the heirarchy is so your neighbors know by looking you spent more. What's the point?

[knightfan26917]

Knighfan26917 - those mid 70s GM convertibles were sweet! My Dad restored a 73 Buick Convertible a long time ago (white with white top) - car was absolutely cherry.

Ohh...sweet! Have any pics of that one, by chance?

Yeah, I wouldn't mind having any of the mid-70s GM convertibles...but, I'd prefer the '75 Caprice Classic convertible . he he

[gmcbob]

Ohh...sweet! Have any pics of that one, by chance?

Yeah, I wouldn't mind having any of the mid-70s GM convertibles...but, I'd prefer the '75 Caprice Classic convertible . he he

I actually do have some pictures of it (I think). But I'd have to scan them and put them on the computer. I need to find that photo album. I'll keep you posted on that one.

My Dad worked for Buick Motor Division back in those days so he took home tons of really cool company cars, but a few of them he bought, and they were pretty memorable cars I thought. Included in that fleet of personal Buicks that I recall was a forest green 75 Regal with the cool looking Buick steel "road wheels" (I remember that car, I'd love to find one in good shape now), a 74 LeSabre - yellow - that I believe rusted within a year or two. hehehe. I remember a silver 79 LeSabre with - get this - a Turbo V6.

Tons of cool cars my folks used to drive, I'll have to scan some photos if I can find those albums.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Ohh...sweet! Have any pics of that one, by chance?

Yeah, I wouldn't mind having any of the mid-70s GM convertibles...but, I'd prefer the '75 Caprice Classic convertible . he he

Here you go knightfan, I bought this for you and having it delivered. Look for it in your driveway soon!

[knightfan26917]

I actually do have some pictures of it (I think). But I'd have to scan them and put them on the computer. I need to find that photo album. I'll keep you posted on that one.

AWESOME! Looking forward to seeing those pics .

My Dad worked for Buick Motor Division back in those days so he took home tons of really cool company cars, but a few of them he bought, and they were pretty memorable cars I thought. Included in that fleet of personal Buicks that I recall was a forest green 75 Regal with the cool looking Buick steel "road wheels" (I remember that car, I'd love to find one in good shape now), a 74 LeSabre - yellow - that I believe rusted within a year or two. hehehe. I remember a silver 79 LeSabre with - get this - a Turbo V6.

Tons of cool cars my folks used to drive, I'll have to scan some photos if I can find those albums.

Ohhh...please do!

I've always thought I was born in the wrong decade. I love 70s cars...and was never able to buy one brand new .

Here you go knightfan, I bought this for you and having it delivered. Look for it in your driveway soon!

Ohhhhhhhhhhh...freekin' SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love it ... thank you!!! he he....

*sighs*

Wouldn't that be nice?

[CARBIZ]

On another note- it's this sort of exact thing that is no longer present in today's market, and it was a major factor in the unraveling of the industry.

A Chevy was unlikely to have power equipment - it cost money and Chevy buyers were by & large on a strict budget. Whereas in a Cadillac you could expect a full compliment of the latest amenities. And so it went.

Today we have the whiners and gripers moaning 'Just because I bought a cheap-assed econoturd, I should still have NAV & power everything and dual A/C... and did I mention NAV?' Now we have a worldwide industry so hopelessly choked with overlap we'll never straighten it out. Now so many are demanding & self-entitled, the only reason to 'move up' in the heirarchy is so your neighbors know by looking you spent more. What's the point?

+ 1000%

This is one more reason why branding is getting so tough. The 'reason' for buying a Pontiac over a Chevrolet has become confused.

What does a CTS have that a Malibu doesn't ? A bigger sunroof and 'pussy' ventilation in the seats? Why spend the extra $10k?