A couple of years ago, me and Lohnes got into a mud-throwing contest over longroofs. We went back and forth over them for a couple of weeks and dredged up everything from big-block, wood paneled 1970s machines to restored 1960s Ranch Wagons. We had our low points, like me trying to pass off a mid-1990s Roadmaster and Lohnes digging up a conspiracy theorists’ wet dream of a dually Ford station wagon (yeah, you read that right), but in the end, there really wasn’t a clear victor. Getting into these kinds of slapfights with Lohnes can be like playing chess with a parrot. It’s kind of like the old adage about playing chess with a pigeon, except this feathered fiend knows where to move the f**king pieces too.
The cool thing about that battle was that it actually did force us to consider what was good and what was only just passable when trying to satisfy that craving for the anti-SUV. And if this 1967 Chevrolet Impala had been up for sale then, it would’ve been a home run in my eyes. On the surface at first glance, not so much…it’s a survivor, in “Amazon three-day shipping” brown, with a white top and small spots of rust in the usual places. It’s got the stock caps and tires that I’m willing to bet were put on no sooner than the day I was born. But it’s a 1967 Impala, long roof or not, and this one is hiding the 396ci big-block under the hood. Yeah, the car needs cleanup work, some polishing up and for the love of God, someone to paint it ANY other color, but a real-deal Rat-powered wagon? All day long and then some, my friends. This car needs Cragars on pie-crusts as soon as possible!
The great thing about this Chevy is that it’s within Rough Start budget…the purchase price eats every last cent of your five thousand dollars, but what the car is and what it can be makes up for going for broke early. Start putting in hours and start dreaming of a period-correct Top Fuel push car!
I want this car BAAAAAD….
Over 1600 miles away. My wife is glad of this I’m sure.
tent city!!!
Comments:
1) The interior must be pretty bad because no pictures of it!
2) Strike –> no factory A/C.
3) It is not brown, the paint is “Granada Gold”,
Wonder if this 396 has a 2BBL or 4BBL. Glad it’s on the other side of the country!
Jerry,
It is a 4BBL (QJet). RPO L35 396/325 horsepower. This is the only 396 offered in the full-size Chevrolet in 1967.
The only 2BBL 396 was the RPO L66 265 horsepower option and only in 1969.
About 35-40 yrs ago me and my brother looked at a 396 4 door Caprice with a 396 2BBL. Guess it was a ’69!
Excellent.
My own ride is an alloy headed, solid cammed, 393 Cleveland powered ’72 XA Ford Fairmont Station Wagon.
With factory hubcaps.
Did somebody say sleeper?
Very nice. I wish he delivered!