The 1962 Chevrolet Impala introduced a series of changes in terms of engine choices, and while the standard units were pretty much the same as for the model year 1961, not the same thing can be said about the small-block offering.
So the 1962 Impala could be ordered with the same 235 (3.9-liter) six-cylinder as before, this time generating 235 horsepower, and with the base V8 coming in the form of a 283 (4.6-liter) with 170 horsepower.
But as compared to the model 1961, when Chevrolet also offered a more powerful 283 version, the company now decided to introduce a new 327 (5.4-liter) small-block unit with either 250 or 300 horsepower.
The 348 (5.7-liter) V8 was dropped as well, and now Impala customers could order the 409 (6.7-liter) with either a single and dual four-barrel configuration developing 380 and 409 horsepower, respectively.
The Impala that we have here was born with the new 327 V8 under the hood, but unfortunately, the engine is no longer around. This could be good news or bad news, depending on your plans for this SS, as the lack of an engine indeed makes it harder to restore a car to factory specifications, yet on the other hand, it reduces the price of a restomod candidate.
Except for the engine, almost everything is there, eBay seller fingerlakesvintageautoparts claims. And as you can see, there’s some rust in the typical areas, including on the floors, with some holes also seen in the trunk as well. This isn’t necessarily surprising given this Impala looks like it’s been sitting for a while, so some patching would obviously be required.
The current owner says a restoration has actually been started but never got finished, so there are lots of extra parts that could help you with this. Some extra trim is also available, though they’re not coming from an SS, we’re being told.
But at the end of the day, except for the missing engine, this Impala SS looks like a pretty solid candidate for a restomod treatment, especially given it’s 99 percent complete. It remains to be seen if the price ends up becoming a problem, as the top bid right now is $7,650.