The funny thing about the Chevrolet Impala SS is that many people think it’s a performance car. They could be forgiven because the Chevelle SS 396 was a performance car, but if you look at a 1964-65 Malibu SS (and the Canadian 1966-67 version), it suffers from the same problem.
Image courtesy of Jim Campisano
Both cars were sporty, but they were available with six-cylinders and small V-8s. The Super Sport meant it came with bucket seats and console as part of the trim level, plus extra brightwork outside. If you wanted to equip the vehicle with performance equipment, you could since Chevrolet always had horsepower up its sleeve.
Image courtesy of Jim Campisano
Interestingly, there was one year that the Impala SS was a dedicated performance car: 1961, the first time it appeared in the marketplace. No, it wasn’t a buckets-and-console car, but it came standard with a 348ci big-block. The 305-horsepower version was available with 4-speed or Powerglide, while the 340-horse and 350-horse versions were only available with the four-speed.
Image courtesy of Jim Campisano
In this Muscle Car Campy presentation, Wayne Smith gives us a ride in his 1966 Impala SS. Yes, it was just a sporty trim level, but the original owner spec’d it out with 325-horsepower 396, four-speed manual, gauges, mag wheel covers, and more. Today, it is powered by a 600-horsepower 496 big-block and a five-speed. Interestingly, this car originally came with shoulder belts — an ultra-rare option — but it lacks power steering, making this two-ton-plus stick-shift vehicle a handful.
If you dig American muscle, be sure to check out more Muscle Car Campy videos here.
