Pick of the Day: 1958 Chevrolet Impala

Here’s a case where enough said is just not enough. The ad description on ClassicCars.com for the beautiful 1958 Chevrolet Impala coupe indicates in one short sentence that this Chevy is an all-original, low-mileage survivor, but leaves out the essential details.

“1958 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe, 21,000 miles, totally rust free, all original, rare gorgeous survivor!” is all the West Chester, Pennsylvania, dealer offers about the Impala. Enough said, right? Well, not really.

I would assume from reading this that the Impala has been driven just 21,000 miles during the past 59 years, and that the paint and interior are factory original. But why not say as much if that is so?

There must be some kind of interesting back story to why this car survived, essentially undriven, all this time. Family heirloom? Barn find? Left in a warehouse by some absent-minded professor? Enquiring minds want to know.

Whatever the case, the photos show a positively wonderful Impala in two-tone blue with all its layers of chrome glistening like a Benihana knife drawer. The interior also looks great, its cheerfully striped vinyl-and-cloth upholstery and trim certainly looking original.

The Impala sits on wide whitewalls with full wheel covers that look factory, a nice presentation of an unmolested Impala from its heyday. The photo under the hood shows the Chevy is powered by an inline-6 rather than the more-desirable V8, but no matter because this car is made for stately cruising, not stoplight sprints.

Although the 1958 full-size Chevys were something of stylistic stopgaps, they are well-appreciated among collectors today, especially the Impala coupes with their splashes of chrome across their flanks, and the roof vent above the back window. An exuberant design that was one year only, never to be repeated.

The Impala is certainly priced as a rare all-original, low-mileage car at $45,000, but any prospective buyer would need to call the dealer to get the full skinny on this apparently highly desirable example of mid-century design.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day