The 1962 Impala SS was not light by any means, weighing in at 3,450 pounds straight off the assembly lines without any added options. In 1962 NHRA was one of the significant driving forces for the major automakers, which is the real reason that the 409 became available in the Impala. Chevy engineers that swayed more towards performance-based versions for the track decided to make a “Lightweight” Chevy Impala to tear up the tracks. They were not made for sale to the public, so there were only about 18 of these cars, which are claimed to have been upgraded to the Z-11 engine. This engine is unfamiliar to most, but it included rectangular intake ports, dual four-barrel carburetors, aluminum parts and pieces, raised cylinder heads, and upgraded camshaft and valves. The 1962 Lightweight Chevy Impala is one of those cars called a “unicorn” because they are hard to find, and when they are, they are not for sale.
