Every once in a while, we get a car in that’s simply special. That being said, to truly stand out here in our showroom is quite a feat. We see them all, from rare muscle cars to exotics to incredible performance machines. This beautiful 1964 Chevrolet Impala SS is special for a lot of reasons that I will detail below, but to sum it all up, this car is like a fine wine. It’s authentic and has improved with age. It’s a 1964 Impala for the purist – for the guy that truly wants an original authentic car, one that has received an old-fashioned proper restoration. Not overdone with a bunch of repro parts. Not underdone. But just right.

Let’s start with the history and provenance. On November 2, 1963, Fred & Louise Hassett of Glendora, California, cruised into Davies Chevrolet of Glendora, California in their 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air four door sedan, and cruised away in this brand new 1964 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport. Usually, we see the opposite – some poor guy cruises into the Chevy dealer in his 1964 Impala SS and slinks away in a brand spanking new Bel Air four door so he can fit the entire family in the car. We don’t know much about Fred & Louise Hassett, but we bet Fred felt pretty lucky on November 2, 1963!

The transaction is documented by the ORIGINAL Davies Chevrolet Purchase Order, which reflects that Fred & Louise received a $316.00 trade allowance for their 1956 Bel Air, and put $50.00 in cash down towards a total sales price of $3,972.00 including tax and registration. We’re assuming Fred paid the balance on the contract when he picked the car up. In addition to the original Davies Chevrolet Purchase Order, we have the original California black plate that was issued to the car, as well as the ORIGINAL Owner’s Manual and bag, original Warranty Card, original Seat Belt Instruction Sheet, original AM/FM Radio Guide, original Owner’s Manual, original Custom Feature Accessories booklet, an original Owner Warranty Booklet and, original paperwork bag. These aren’t reproductions purchased off of Ebay – these are ORIGINAL pieces.

As identified by the VIN number, Fred’s new Impala was a true (14 47) 1964 Chevrolet Impala 2 Door Hardtop Sport Coupe. The “L” designation in the VIN number verifies this is a Los Angeles built car. And here’s where the special starts to kick in. First off, this isn’t a black on red dual quad 409 4 speed Impala. But it IS a strikingly beautiful 327 Turbo Fire 4 barrel, 2 speed Powerglide car, finished in color code 932 Saddle Tan Metallic with a color code 22162 Medium Saddle Poly interior. And in a sea of red, blue & black cars (most of which were green to begin with), this car stands out with a period correct, classy look. This car LOOKS like 1964!

Now let’s move on to the options. As laid out in the original Purchase Order, this Impala SS came equipped from the factory with a ton of options, including: Power Steering; Power Windows; Tinted Windshield; AM-FM Pushbutton Radio; Rear Speaker control; 14: Wide White Wall tires; 14” Wire Wheel Covers; Front Seat Belts; Deluxe Steering Wheel; Passenger Side Mirror, Padded Dash, and, last, but not least; Factory Air Conditioning. This is one loaded Impala SS!

Fast forward to 2004. I wish I could tell you how long Fred owned the car, but I can’t. What I can tell you is that an Ohio resident purchased the car in California with 89,000 original miles and brought it back here for a restoration. At that point, the Impala had been lovingly cared for and was in beautiful original condition. The car had apparently never seen a fender bender and never saw much moisture, because all of the original factory sheet-metal was present, and the original frame was pristine. All of the original factory chrome, trim, glass and stainless was present, and nearly every piece was flawless. The Impala still had its original R code 327, 4 Barrel Turbo Fire engine and its original Powerglide transmission.

Over the next five years, this Impala was lovingly restored with a mixture of original and quality aftermarket parts. It was an easy restoration. First, let’s start with the body. As an original sheet-metal car, the body is exceptionally straight, with great panel gaps. The doors open and shut like they did when the car was new. Note that the body has never been taken off of the frame on this car. Those are original floor pans, original trunk pan and original, unmolested frame rails.

Repainted in two-stage Saddle Tan Metallic, this Impala looks better than when it rolled off of the assembly line. The paint is very nice and the car stands out in a sea of the same old, same old. Every single surface of this Impala was properly restored, included the often neglected hood underside, deck lid underside and door jambs.

Every single piece of trim on the car was either restored or replaced. Take a good look at the side moldings, the rear panel molding, and the tail panel letters. Those are ORIGINALS and they are some of the nicest original pieces I’ve ever seen. Both the front and rear bumpers were re-chromed, and new side mirrors were purchased from Sinclair’s Impala Parts and installed. The glass is original to the car and in very nice condition. Take a look at the original factory A/C decal in the rear window. It was left alone.

The Impala now rolls on the original wheels, properly restored and repainted, shod with brand new Coker Tire reproduction BFG 1” wide whitewall 14” tires. 4 brand new spinners adorning the original 14” wire wheel covers complete the rolling stock.

Mechanically, this Impala performs like a brand new 1964. The engine received a complete rebuild, as did the original Rochester 4 barrel carb. The engine was then properly finished and detailed using a smattering of both original and reproduction pieces. New wiring harnesses were used front to back. The engine runs cool thanks to the brand new reproduction radiator and new water pump. A correct reproduction Delco battery from Antique Auto Batteries fires the engine up with a twist of the key. The A/C compressor and components were rebuilt, and a new starter and rebuilt alternator supplied. The two speed Powerglide was rebuilt as well, and functions as new.

The front suspension was rebuilt using stock components, with new stock Monroe shocks at all four corners. The dual exhaust is new and stock, except for a pair of Flowmaster mufflers, which allow for a deeper, throatier sound.

The interior of the restored Impala is absolutely gorgeous. Sure, there’s the usual new carpeting, door panels, door handles, window cranks, etc.. But look at the beautiful seats. Yes, they have new covers, but also new foams as well. The original seat belts were restored by Ssnak-Oyl Products. The original steering wheel was restored. The original center console was re-died. The original instrument cluster and padded dash are a testament to the pristine condition of the Impala. Finishing off the interior is a new set of reproduction 1964 rubber floor mats. Operationally, all gauges operate as new. The factory air conditioning blows cold and the original factory AM/FM radio with rear speaker control comes in clear as day. Twist the key, tune in your favorite FM station, turn on the air, and you’re ready for a hot summer night of cruising! Moving to the trunk, a new three piece reproduction trunk mat protects the restored trunk floor, while a full spare, and correct jack assembly and hardware rest comfortably on their perch.

As a long-time member of the now defunct Late Great Chevy Club and an attendee at more than a dozen of their national shows, I had the opportunity to judge these cars. I can confidently say that based on the fit & finish of this Impala, this is a gold level car (950 + out of 1000).

If you are a 1964 Impala fan and you want something truly special, THIS is your car. Documented, original sheet-metal, original drive-train, great color combo, great options and an authentic restoration! This is the perfect Impala for the purist who wishes to both stand out at any show and drive and enjoy his car. This one is ready for another four decades of enjoyment. It doesn’t get much better than this one.