So let us get one thing straight, some dad walked into a Chevy dealer in 1966 and ordered a new family car. He decided to go with the big and roomy Impala station wagon. He could haul the kids, have room of luggage, fishing poles, and all the other junk that would fit in the car’s copious storage area. He then proceeded to order this thing with a 396ci big block, bucket seats, a console, and a freaking four speed manual transmission! This is so awesome we can hardly stand it. Seriously, this 1966 Impala SS 396 4-speed station wagon is BangShifty as all get out and as best we can tell, there’s no reasons someone could not order this car, this way when new. Chevy freaks, correct us if we are wrong.
According to the eBay listing, the car has less than 70,000 original miles and it has undergone a nut and bolt restoration at some point in its life. Clearly that is the case because the exhaust is clean enough to eat off of, not to mention the entire undercarriage and suspension.
So why would a guy buy a car like this? Well the first reason would be that he wanted some zip to go with his practicality but we’re guessing it was more than that. In an era when people did not look to buy a pickup truck to handle their every need, this wagon would have done it well. Perhaps this car towed a camper on trips? Perhaps it was actually used to haul stuff in the area behind the seats? Perhaps this dude was just a street racer that loved to screw with the kids once in a while on a dark road, late at night.
At the end of the day, this 52 year old car is freaking awesome and we hope someone grabs it and drives it like the original owner clearly intended it to be.
Link: eBay listing for this 1966 Impala SS 4-speed station wagon
In 1962, remember seeing a 62 Chevy 4 door wagon 4 speed 409/409, at the drags at Atco NJ. He was running A Stock, and had PIGGY written on the side of the car.
Boot the w/walls and put a proper 2 spoke sport wheel on it , drop it about 4″ and your done. Neat car..
had a unicorn like this in the shop—original owner,1966 impala wagon with a small block and a 4 speed—he had a family,so needed the room ,but wanted something a little sporty—–of course,this was when you could order what YOU wanted,not what the dealer wants to sell you
Chad needs this car badly!
Just perfect – just like it is. I’d rock this car for the rest of my life!
Add two more gears to the transmission and leave the rest as is. This is something I would’ve ordered if I were alive back then.
I’d probably have gone with a 440 wedge powered Mopar B body wagon, but if I were a Chevy guy and could have ordered a family car at the time, it would have been like this.
Of course, I didn’t order a Cadillac CTS-V wagon with a 6 speed while they were available, but there was the problem of it costing more than a year’s take home pay…
The 66 Chevy SS was all ways my favorite we had one when we were kids all of us would pile in and go for Sunday drive so to have a 66 again would be great to just have fun whit it
This car could be ordered just like you see it, except the SS option. No SS station wagons. I have an original paint 396, 400 turbo, 12 bolt posi wagon, factory AC, power steering and brakes. I\’m the second owner. I\’ve owned it for years.
No bucket seats or console on station wagons.
Dean is right. You could get everything on it but the SS option. My father sold Chevrolets during the “golden era”. I may still have the sales manual somewhere. There were more than a few station wagons and also 4 door Impalas ordered with 409’s and 396’s between 62 and 66.
Well, I call bullshit on the SS option. Chevy never made an SS wagon. Only Biscaynes, Impalas & Caprices. SS’s didn’t have the aluminum trim piece at the bottom of the dash. Also the console gauge cluster trim piece molded right into the heat-A/C controls. This one is cut up. SS door panels had small medallions attached to them, & this has none. It is the born with color inside and out & is a v8 car. It very well could have been a 396 4 speed. The one to have would have been the 427-425 4 speed wagon.
Impala SS only. No such thing as a Biscayne SS or Caprice SS.
It is freaking awesome and I guess the Chevy freaks did correct you, no SS option on wagons? Takes a bit of the horn off the unicorn, but still TONS of FUN
Unicorn is right. Surprised it took 8 posts to establish that. Y’all are slacking. Either that or the BS pool is oversaturated with Moparts nuts. I’m a Ford guy, but I have a soft spot for the full-sized 65-70 Chebbies. A 65 Impala was my first money pit.
Hey! I resemble that remark about Mopar nuts!
I see nothing in the 1966 brochure that says you could order bucket seats or a console:
http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/chevy/66wag/bilder/10.jpg
Strato-buckets were standard on the Impala SS and optional on the Caprice 2-door.
Caprice had its own special seating, Astro Seat option for bucket like bench as well as the Strato buckets.
It\’s not a super sport but man is that the coolest leave it just like it is.
Well not big on car’s bit would like to own one thow my dad had one but it was white
Chevy made an SS wagon one year only in 1973. It could be ordered with a 350 or 454. There weren\’t a lot produced so they are really rare. So there is such a thing as an SS 454 station wagon.
These cars are the definitions of flimsy and rust prone.
Decade ago I owned both a \’66 Impala and 68 Impala, Each car had a 327 and a powerglide.
Both fell apart as rust disintegrated the read end mounts,gas tank, and floors.
These cars also highlighted trash engine mounts, junk electrical systems, and leaky engines.
These cars were clunkers when new.
Being from PA and my dad was supervisor of a CHEVY store we had plenty of Chevys. Only issues with rust was the lower frt fenders & lips of the rear quarters and the problems of vinyl top on one Malibu. And that motor mount issue had a recall. So you’re right.
My parents did the recall with their 67 Impala wagon (396, turbohydromatic, and trailer towing suspension) the final solution was a steel strap, essentially making it a solid mount on the one side.
Super Sport was only available as a 2-door hardtop or 2-door convertible.
All bucket seat cars had consoles –> Standard in the Impala SS, optional on the Caprice 2-door.
It\’s hard to tell if this example of an SUPER SPORT is the real deal from the VIN tag. But as a teen working in a Chevy store during the Vietnam era, GIs ordered a few Chevy SS wagons, mainly Malibus because the SS Impala was discontinued in1969. Having owned Impala SSs and a 396/325 66, this is a good example of SS detail, I\’m sure whoever ordered this SS, wishes they\’d added power windows/locks.
My Dad found an all-factory \’64 Chevelle with a H.O. 283, M21 4-speed, tachometer, top-dash clock, dual pipes, with bench front seat! The shifter was made with a forward-back crook in it to clear the seat. Obviously a special order, and an amazing runner. Lasted all through 4 kids from grade school to international college trips. Appears to have been the same color as this \’66 Impala.
How much did this car cost .if I wood to by it I wood keep it just like it is .
My dad drag raced a 427 cu in, 396 horse modified automatic; those were the days.
BS needs to work a little harder to not put out incorrect info. Now there will be a slew of clowns that will go out & state that ’66 Impala SS wagons are a thing & they saw an article about it on Bang Shift. Not an SS, it’s got the wrong VIN for a true SS. I’m a mopar guy & even know that, you guys just hard up for stories or what?
My late dad told me back in the day if you had the money up front they would order a car about anyway you wanted one.