Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1963 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe. Remember the song from 1962 by the Beach Boys called “409”? The lyrics said lines including, “She’s real fine my 409,” and, “When I take...
Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1963 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe.
Remember the song from 1962 by the Beach Boys called “409”? The lyrics said lines including, “She’s real fine my 409,” and, “When I take her to the track she really shines, she always turns the fastest times. My four-speed dual-quad Positraction 409.”
This song was part of the Surfin’ Safari album and marked its spot on the Billboard Hot 100 hits for one week in October 1962. Today’s feature car will give you a taste of what songwriter Gary Usher was so excited about when he decided to write lyrics about Chevrolet’s big-block 409 models of the time. It is being sold by a private seller in Phoenix, Arizona, and the auction ends tomorrow, so time is of the essence.
In 2017, this Impala went through inside-and-out restoration. The body was recoated in “Torch Red,” which sounds like the perfect hot color to warm up during this coldest season of the year. The seller says the body was rust-free to begin with, and the hardtop’s period-correct stance has been accentuated by a set of 14-inch Cragar chrome wheels on Firestone redline tires.
Full-size Chevrolets like this from the early to mid-1960s have become popular in the collector community. Model year 1961 marked the beginning of the third generation of the Impala lineup, and the car shared the General Motors B-body platform with the Biscayne, Bel Air, and Nomad. The quad-headlight front ends and unique C-pillar styling from 1962-onward gave it a distinctive look, and the Impala could be ordered in hardtop, sedan, convertible, and station wagon variants.
Power for today’s featured hardtop version comes from a rebuilt 409cid V8 mated to a four-speed manual transmission. The mechanical work was carried out during restoration in 2017, and about 1,100 miles have been added since that time. New parts and upgrades include a heavy-duty clutch along with replacement parts for the valve covers, water pump, and radiator.
Are you ready to say “Giddy up” to a 409 yourself? The Beach Boys would definitely approve if you decided to go place a bid on this Torch Red big-block beauty. In fact, the song would sound fantastic thanks to its modern RetroSound stereo with auxiliary speakers and a trunk-mounted amplifier.
The auction for this 1963 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe ends Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 12:15 p.m. (MST)
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery