Some days, hunting Craigslist for a project car that will fit within the $5,000 Rough Start budget is like pulling teeth with the pliers from a child’s tool set. Other days, they come out of the woodwork easily, and this 1970 Chevrolet Impala falls squarely in the latter category. At $4,200 right off of the bat, we’d roll the big green crew cab as it sits! Engine? Some kind of V8. Transmission? Automatic. Does it work? Does a bear do it’s business in the woods? If something is broken on this big B-body, a rock and a flathead screwdriver should take care of 90% of your worries. What’s not to love? Ok, the avocado green might not be to everybody’s tastes, but that’s really, really nit-picking. The rust around the rear wheelwells…ok, that’s a legit issue, but look at the bigger picture: you have a 1970’s spec big sedan that is in nearly-unmodified condition (hey, it’s Craigslist, not Barrett-Jackson), and it looks ready for you and your friends to pile in and drive out to the coast…doesn’t matter which one, either.
So there’s a split in the seam on the seat. Yeah, the rust will nag at you. But remember, you are buying a project car. Buy it, drive it, enjoy it, save your coins up, and when the time is right, bring the car up to snuff the right way. Big comfy yachts like this aren’t seen everyday, so do your part and make every crossover-driving dude envy you and the big bad Chevy. Even if this thing is a small-block pussycat, you’ll still have ten times the style any five-door lifestyle vehicle will ever hope to have!
Wrong year but it wouldn\’t keep me from going black for a supernatural clone.
Awful lot of rust for a Nevada car. That’s “Crack Pipe” at that price.
Yeah like 3000 too much.
Lower the front end and cruise!
Picture a 4dr Impala SS 454. Marina blue with a black vinyl roof, black leather interior. It’ll need a real Impala SS console, and all the Caprice interior trim. Go with an aluminum head 454, mild hydraulic roller, and any injection system you can tuck under a factory air cleaner. Make it look dead stock under the hood with stamped chrome valve covers, and heads and intake painted orange. Black chrome headers would be fine. 2 1/2″ exhaust all the way back to stock appearing tail pipes.
Graft a 70-72 Chevelle cowl induction bulge and flapper to the hood, complete with real Chevy style cold air hardware. Roll it on 15×8 Corvette wheels, and 235/70/15 rubber. Discs all the way around, and a good RideTech or similar suspension. It’ll need power seats both sides, power windows and locks, and A/C.
Have I missed anything?
yeah, the short bus.