Classic Enigma: The 1958 Chevrolet Impala, Resilient Yet Fragile, Yearns for Its Restoration ! -23

1958 was the year when the first Impala got to see the daylight, with Chevrolet originally offering this model as the top-of-the-line Bel Air hardtops and convertible.

So obviously, the engine lineup available on the first Impala was borrowed from the Bel Air, with the standard option coming in the form of a 235 (3.9-liter) six-cylinder. The base V8 was the 283 (4.6-liter) Turbo Fire, while the third and top unit was the 348 (5.7-liter) Turbo Thrust V8.

The Impala that we have here left the factory with the most powerful V8 under the hood, though as you can easily tell by simply checking out the photos in the gallery, the engine isn’t necessarily the biggest concern right now.

This is because the car doesn’t come exactly in the best condition, and unfortunately, it’s pretty hard to figure out just how many boxes for a restoration candidate it really ticks without checking it out live.



Especially given the Craigslist seller hasn’t shared too many specifics about the vehicle, that is, though they did say the “floors aren’t that bad, but lower quarters will need repair."

Indeed, the body looks solid, though not the same thing can be said about the trunk, so a visual inspection in person should help determine just how much effort this Impala requires to re-become the genuine head tuner a 1958 model totally deserves to be.

The good news is the 348 V8 is still around, though once again, no specifics have been shared on it either. So we don’t know if it’s still running or whether it’s the original unit or not.



At the end of the day, this 1958 Impala is as mysterious as it gets, and while it does seem prepared for a full restoration, such a decision can only be made after examining everything yourselves.

The seller is ready to let this Impala go for $14,500, and the vehicle is parked in Modesto, California.