1996 Chevrolet Impala SS

Description

Almost 20 years after it went out of production, the Impala SS is still cool. With perfect specimens trading hands for well over sticker price, they're one of the most stable Chevrolet investments you can make. And if you're just looking for a clean one to drive and enjoy, you won't do better than this clean, unmodified 1996 example.

Wearing its factory Dark Gray Green metallic paint (yes, that's the factory name), you can see how straight this Imp really is. Original sheetmetal, straight doors, and very little road rash all contribute to this car's preservation. Having spent its life in the warm, dry southern US, it's very clean underneath with the factory paint now some modest signs of living in the sun, which is probably inevitable. From the blacked-out grille to the unique quarter windows, to the body-color 'Impala SS' badges on the quarters, all the unique Impala features remain in place, giving it the same imposing, sinister look it had when it was new. And even though it's coming up on 25 years old, it looks quite presentable overall; not perfect, but offering a heck of a bargain at this price. The color is hard to reproduce in our studio, but this on eis correct, don't worry, and it's impossible to mistake these big cruisers for anything else on the road. When they styled this one, they got it exactly right.

Gray leather was your only choice in an Impala SS, and like the exterior, the upholstery in this one is nicely preserved showing careful use, but no issues. The leather on the driver's seat remains supple with a few "comfort marks" but no split seams or damage, and everything works as it should. The carpets are original so they're showing a few minor signs of age, and they're protected by floor mats that will keep things tidy. The SS offers a full array of instruments, but somehow the instrument panel's lens has gotten cloudy, so it should either be polished or replaced, something that'll remove years of age from the car's appearance. The back seat looks almost completely unused, with cavernous legroom and cool embroidered Impala SS emblems on the seat backs. And, as a full-sized American rear-wheel-drive sedan, you know the trunk is positively cavernous, offering correct mouse fur mats, a cargo net, and a spare tire with its own cover.

The Corvette-derived LT1 V8 under the hood is one of GM's best powerplants, and this one shows just 55,713 original miles so it runs quite well and will probably continue to do so for quite some time. Making 260 horsepower in Impala guise, the big car moves like a machine half its size. With meticulous maintenance by just two owners, you can buy this one with confidence, too, and know that it is mechanically excellent. The engine bay is exceptionally clean given the car's age and mileage, with factory-style equipment used throughout; there are no questionable aftermarket mods. The 4-speed automatic transmission shifts like it should, and it rumbles through a dual exhaust system that is neither too loud nor luxury car quiet. Most remarkably, this car has not been modified in any way, which is not only easy, but extremely popular with Impala SS enthusiasts. 4-wheel disc brakes are powerful and live behind some of the most beautiful factory-issued alloys ever made, which show no curb rash and wear relatively recent 255/50/17 performance radials.

If you've been looking for an SS to drive or to serve as the foundation for a custom build, this is an awesome choice at a great price. Call today!