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Chevrolet Impala: Prestige for Everyman

One fine winter day 50 years ago, my father pulled into our driveway with a new Chevrolet, a ’58 Bel Air Impala Sport Coupe in Panama Yellow, according to The New York Times' Jerry Garrett.

At the time, the Impala was not yet a separate model in Chevy’s line, just a nameplate that designated its status as the top trim level for the popular Bel Air coupes and convertibles.

But Dad did not buy this car to signal his upward mobility or to be part of some Chevrolet plan to nudge buyers upmarket. No, he was smitten by the car’s handsome details — and the 283-cubic-inch Ram-Jet fuel-injected V-8 under the hood.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:25 AM to Collecting | Permalink

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