Less than a Minute of the 2015 Mustang GT Engine Sounds

Read More

1970 Impala

The 1970 Impala looked significantly different than their 1969 predecessors, but the only real differences were changes to the front and rear ends of the car. While 1969 models featured recessed front headlights in a combined grille and bumper setup, the new separate grille brought the lights back to the front and made the car look more similar to the 1968 Impala. But all body shapes were the same as they had been in 1969.

There were also some shake-ups under the hood – most notably with the introduction of the bigger engines. The new 454 V8s replaced the 427 CID V8 that was discontinued after the previous year. This was more of a move to adhere to changing emissions standards than it was to increase power. In fact, maximum power stayed exactly the same at the year before, with the top 454 V8 producing 390 horsepower. The other version of the engine was rated at 345 horsepower.

The base engine stayed the same as it had been the previous year and was a 250 CID six-cylinder engine. But while this engine has previously been available in any Impala, for the first time in 1970 it was available only in the four-door sedan. The 327 CID V8 was eliminated for the model year, so the base V8 moved up to a 350 CID engine rated at 250 horsepower. A different version of the engine increased that horsepower to 300. Finally, a new 400 CID V8 also was offered that was rated at 265 horsepower.

1970 Chevrolet Impala

1970 would mark the end of the fourth-generation of the Impala, and unfortunately it wouldn’t go out with a sales bang. Though it still far outsold any other full-size Chevy car model, production was cut by more than 270,000 from the year before. This was due in large part to a 65-day GM workers strike during the year.

In all, 505,471 Impalas were built. The second best-selling full-size Chevy was the top-of-the-line Caprice, and only around 92,000 of those were built.

But with that said, the Chevy full-size line built on GM’s B platform from 1965-1970 is the fourth best selling automobile line in history. The car models included in this line were the Impala, Impala SS, Biscayne, Bel Air and Caprice. Sales numbers of the great selling models were only eclipsed by the Volkswagon Beetle, Ford Model T and the Lada Riva.

Competition

The Impala faced stiff competition from the full-sized car lines of both Ford and Chrysler, but the line had other more indirect competitors, as well. During the early 1960’s, American drivers had fallen in love with the idea of a large, full-size performance machine that was sporty and had a large V8 under the hood. This was what made the Impala Super Sport models so popular. But the excitement about the big sports cars had waned as the 1960s wore on, hence the elimination of the SS model for 1970.

Many drivers desiring performance had turned to the smaller muscle cars at the time – or even the pony cars. They often got the same engines used in the full-sized cars in smaller and lighter machines.

The Impala model would continue after 1970, but it would never be viewed as the performance vehicle it had been in the early to mid 1960s.

 ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

 PERFORMANCE STATISTICS

Read More

1969 Impala

The 1969 Impala continued a long-standing trend of continually making the body style more and more squared off – and the new version did have a distinctive and bolder look that complimented the car nicely. Buyers must have thought so, too, because sales were once again on the rise.

But the sales of the Super Sport package were once again in decline. The sporty and luxurious option package had proved so popular throughout the early 1960s that Chevy had made the Impala SS its own model. But after a sales high in 1965, sales of the model had been falling drastically every year. In 1968, the SS designation was returned to an option package for the Impala rather than its own model, and sales continued to fall following the move. It makes sense, then, that Chevy opted to only allow the package to be sold with the most powerful engine it had available – to be the true sports version of the Impala.

That engine was the 427 CID V8 that produced 390 horsepower, so Impalas with the SS package were known as the Impala SS 427. Unfortunately, the model had its worst year ever – only 2,455 were built – and the option package would be discontinued after the model year.

For all of the other Impalas, the engine lineup was also slightly changed from the year before. The base engine was still 250 CID six-cylinder engine that produced 155 horsepower, but the base V8 had been upgraded to a 327 CID V8 that produced 235 horsepower. This was a result of the elimination of two 283 CID V8s that had been in the lineup for years. There were also two versions of a 350 CID engine that produced 255 and 300 horsepower. Finally, a 396 CID V8 that was rated at 325.

1969 Chevrolet Impala

The new look of the car was achieved by a new grille/front bumper combination that gave the quad headlight setup the look of being recessed into the front of the car, and there also was new rear bumper that incorporated new rectangular taillights. Part of the bolder look was the bulging wheel wells around every wheel. Despite the slightly longer car, the wheelbase remained the same 119-inches that had been used for a few years.

Total production for the Impala in 1969 was around 777,000, which represented an increase of about 66,100 from the year before. The base price of the car for the year was $2,911.

Competition

While the Impala was still obviously selling extremely well, the SS package had competition from multiple angles that likely led to its down fall. The first was from within the Chevy full-size ranks themselves.

The Caprice model was selling more and more every year, and represented the most luxurious, top-of-the-line model of the full-size cars. It had replaced the Impala SS in this role in 1966, and the SS had never really recovered.

Additionally, many car buyers looking for sporty cars like the SS were turning towards muscle cars like the Chevelle or GTO or even pony cars like the Camaro and Mustang. The smaller cars were becoming much more fashionable for those who wanted a sporty look for their performance car – and many offered the same or better performance than the Impala SS.

With all that said, the Impala SS, whether as its own model or a package option for the Impala sold very well throughout its lifespan. In all, around 918,000 were built during the nine years it was available.

 ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

Type	Size	Carb	Horse Power	Tourqe
L72	427ci	1x4bbl	425 hp @ 5600 rpm	460 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
LS1	427ci	1x4bbl	400 hp @ 5400 rpm	460 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
L36	427ci	1x4bbl	390 hp @ 5400 rpm	460 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm

 PERFORMANCE STATISTICS

Read More

1968 Impala

When the 1968 Impala lines rolled off the line, they were very similar to the 1967 models. Other than the aforementioned changes, Chevy opted to leave the car pretty much as is, despite the fact that sales had been falling for the past two years. Fortunately, sales would once again pick up for the Impala line as a whole. Unfortunately, the same would not be true for the Super Sport versions of the car.

In 1964, the SS option package that had been available as an addition to the Impala was made into its own model, as sales of the package had been continually increasing. But by 1968, sales of the Impala SS had fallen so drastically that Chevy decided to revert the SS distinction back to an options package. The package added $179 to the price of the car, and could be added to coupe and convertible Impalas. This did not, however, increase the sales of the SS.

Beginning in 1967, the SS model was very similar to the regular Impala. It added black accents to the grille and rear fender moldings, had special instrumentation but otherwise changed the regular car very little. It also could be ordered with any engine available to the Impala, including the six-cylinder option. The SS package for 1968 was essentially unchanged from the previous year’s model.

There were still a slew of engine options to choose from, beginning with the aforementioned six-cylinder, which was a 250 CID motor. Next were two versions of a 283 CID V8, followed by a 327 CID V8 that produced 275 horsepower. Like the previous year, there was only one version of the 325 CID V8, and it was rated at 390 horsepower. At the top of the performance line was a 427 CID V8 that produced 385 horsepower.

1968 Chevrolet Impala

Total Impala production for the year was around 710,900, which was about 61,300 more than the previous year’s total. However, Impala SS production had dropped even further. While about 74,000 Impala SS models had been sold the year before, only 38,210 were manufactured in 1968. Of those, only 2,124 included the 427 V8 engine. The base price for the Impala in 1968 was $2,846, which was about $50 less expensive than the 1967 models.

Competition

In 1968, the Impala, and more specifically the Impalas with the SS package, faced competition on a couple of different fronts. One of them was a member of Chevy’s full-size line along with the Impala.

When the SS package was first introduced, it represented the top of the line Chevy full-size car. It was luxurious and, when equipped with the powerful V8 engine options, very fast. But when the Caprice line was introduced in 1965 and made into its own model the following year, it surpassed the SS model as the most luxurious Chevy full-size car. As SS sales were going down, Caprice sales were rising.

Another competitor was the many muscle cars and pony cars that buyers were flocking to at the time. May offered the same performance as the Impala in a smaller and lighter car. These small models were quickly gaining favor with baby boomers, as full-size cars were seen as too large and old fashioned.

 ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

Type	Size	Carb	Horse Power	Tourqe
L30	327ci	1x4bbl	275 hp @ 4800 rpm	355 lb-ft @ 4200 rpm
L35	396ci	1x4bbl	325 hp @ 4800 rpm	410 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
L72	427ci	1x4bbl	425 hp @ 5600 rpm	460 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
L36	427ci	1x4bbl	390 hp @ 5200 rpm	460 lb-ft @ 3400 rpm

 PERFORMANCE STATISTICS

0 to 60 mph	Quarter Mile	Engine	Source
7.0 sec	15.4 sec @ 90.0 mph	427ci/385hp	Motor Trend

Read More

1967 Impala

Other than during years when new Impala generations were introduced, Chevy appeared to work with the modus operandi that the best way to improve the Impala was to make small changes to the car over a number of years. The results led to an ever-evolving car, and nothing was different in 1967. With the a few small-scale changes, the most noticeable was the new, flowing roofline for the Sports Coupes and Impala SS models. The sleek new look gave the cars a similar shape as the pony and muscle cars that were all the rage in 1967 – though of course it was still bigger than all of those.

Other than this roofline, Super Sport (SS) models were probably the most changed. They became less decorated than the other Impala models, and were distinguished by a black grille accents and black body-side and rear fender accents. These models also lacked the bright wheel well trim of other Impala models. Now that the Caprice had become its own model after being introduced as an option package in 1966, it served as the top-of-the-line full-size Chevy, and the SS models seemed to be reverting back to being more of an appearance package than a luxury model – which is similar to how they began when introduced in 1961.

The other main shakeup concerned the engine lineup. The top engine performance was a 427 CID V8 rated at 385 horsepower. This was down five horsepower from the year before, and further hurting maximum power was that the “special performance” version of the 427, which was available the year before and produced 425 horsepower, was no longer offered as an option. There also was only one version of the 396 CID V8 available for 1967, and it was rated at 325.

Those that didn’t want the most powerful V8s could choose a 327 CID V8 rated at 275 horsepower, and there were still two versions of the 283 V8. At the bottom of the line was the poor-selling 250 CID six-cylinder engine. All Impala (and Impala SS) buyers could choose from all of those engine options.

Total production fell for the second year in a row, though not as drastically as it had the previous year. Approximately 649,600 Impalas, including the Impala SS model, were built throughout the year.

1967 Impala

Of the total number of Impalas built, the vast majority were regular Impalas. About 575,600 were built, and this year they had a base price of $2,740.

1967 Impala SS

The Impala SS was still saw quickly decreasing sales. Only about 74,000 were built during the year, down from nearly 120,000 the previous year. These cars had a base price of $2,898.

Competition

Obviously, Impala sales (and particularly Impala SS sales) were on a steep decline by 1967. The majority of the reason for this likely came not from a direct full-size competitor, but to performance car enthusiasts switching their allegiance from the full-size models to the smaller muscle and pony cars that were filling up American roads. As the decade wore on, Those cars continued to see sales rise as baby boomer came of age and wanted cars that were smaller but still packed a punch under the hood. And Impala sales would continue to decline.

 ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

Type	Size	Carb	Horse Power	Tourqe
I6	250ci	1x1bbl	155 hp @ 4200 rpm	235 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm
V8	283ci	1x2bbl	195 hp @ 4800 rpm	285 lb-ft @ 2400 rpm
L30	327ci	1x4bbl	275 hp @ 4800 rpm	355 lb-ft @ 4200 rpm
L35	396ci	1x4bbl	325 hp @ 4800 rpm	410 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
L72	427ci	1x4bbl	425 hp @ 5600 rpm	460 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
L36	427ci	1x4bbl	390 hp @ 5200 rpm	460 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm

 PERFORMANCE STATISTICS

0 to 60 mph	Quarter Mile	Engine	Source
8.4 sec	15.8 sec @ 86.5 mph	427ci/390hp	Car Life

Read More

1966 Impala

After the Impala sales high of 1965, which has yet to be topped by any car company, there was unfortunately nowhere for the car to go but down. And while sales of the Impala line as a whole remained relatively high, the Impala suffered the worst fate as its production was cut by more than 50 percent.

The reason for the sales decline had to do with a number of factors, not the least of which was Chevy’s decision to make the Caprice– introduced as an upgrade package for the Impala the previous year – into its own model this year. A luxury model of the car, the Caprice replaced the Impala SS as the top-of-the line Chevy full-size car, and Impala SS sales would never fully recover.

But there were still many high points for the car, including the 427 CID V8 introduced for the year. There were two versions of the engine, one rated at 390 horsepower and another “special performance” option rated at 425 horsepower due to its aluminum manifold and heavy duty four-bolt main block.

The previous year’s 396 CID V8 was still available, as well. This year, however, there was only one version of that engine, and it produced 325 horsepower. The base V8 was once again a 327 CID motor that produced 275 horsepower. Impala-buyers also could choose a 250 CID six-cylinder engine that had been introduced the previous year, though relatively few did.

1966 Impala

The regular Impalas were slightly more boxy than the previous year’s models had been, and in addition to the new grille also got revised fenders and bumpers. The new taillights were rectangular and wrapped around the rear of the car.

Throughout the production year, about 654,900 Impalas were produced, not including the Impala SS models (or the Caprice model that was now its own line). The cars had a base price this year of $2,678, which was just about the same as it had been the previous year.

1966 Impala SS

As it had been since 1964, the SS was its own Impala line not grouped in with the other models, and could be had with any engine in the line including the six-cylinder. The model distinguished itself from other Impalas with slim-profile Strato-bucket front seats which were new for the year, as well as other sporty trim both inside and outside the car.

The total production for the Impala SS for the year was 119,314. This was disappointing considering the huge sales numbers the model posted the previous year. The Caprice model outsold the SS, with around 181,000 models produced in 1966.

Competition

The Caprice wasn’t the only thing holding back Impala SS sales, it was also losing sales to smaller and lighter muscle cars that were taking over American cars at the time. The Impala had played a large part in making sporty and more powerful cars popular throughout the early 1960s, but as the end of the decade began to come near, the smaller cars that had nearly the same performance were gaining greater favor from drivers. And as sales of those cars continued to rise, sales of the Impala SS would continue to fall throughout the rest of the decade. The mighty Impala that had started the muscle car craze would, unfortunately, never return to its former glory.

 ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

Type	Size	Carb	Horse Power	Tourqe
L30	327ci	1x4bbl	275 hp @ 4800 rpm	355 lb-ft @ 4200 rpm
L35	396ci	1x4bbl	325 hp @ 4800 rpm	410 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
L72	427ci	1x4bbl	425 hp @ 5600 rpm	460 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
L36	427ci	1x4bbl	390 hp @ 5200 rpm	470 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm

 PERFORMANCE STATISTICS

0 to 60 mph	Quarter Mile	Engine	Source
7.2 sec	16.2 sec		Estimate

Read More

1965 Impala

The newly restyled full-size Chevys, including the Impala models, grew even bigger than they had been before during the 1965 restyle that ushered in the fourth-generation of the car. After four years of growing progressively more boxy, the 1965 models featured more rounded sides. Additionally, curved window glass, and new hood and a brand new front end help further distinguish the model from those that came before it. Sport coupe models of the car received the newly fashionable semi-fastback roofline, and the instrument panel was completely redesigned as well.

For the second year in a row, the Impala SS was its own distinct model rather than an optional upgrade package. Chevy had realized that car-buyers were pining for more and more power in sportier car models, and answered by making a sports version of its full size models. This would prove a good idea as sales of the SS would also reach all-time highs.

Along with the restyle came a few changes under the hood. Among the most notable was mentioned in the above quote from Chevy’s sales literature that announced the introduction of the new 396 CID V8. The engine was introduced mid-way through the production year, and when it was Chevy began the process of phasing out the legendary 409 V8s.

The 396 engine came in two different versions – one producing 325 horsepower and the other rated at 425. The latter equaled the power produced by the previous year’s top performing 409 that was not available for any of the 1965 model year. The two 409 CID V8s that were both single 4-barrel engines producing either 340 or 400 horsepower. There were also two versions of the 327 CID base V8 engines that were rated at either 250 or 300 horsepower.

Impalas (including the Super Sport models, surprisingly) were also available with six-cylinder engines, though relatively few customers chose this option. Those that did got a new 250 CID engine, replacing the 230 CID motor used as the base the year before.

1965 Impala

As mentioned before, 1965 Impala production hit an all-time high not seen before or since in the auto industry. Around 1,046,500 Impalas were produced throughout the model year. The cars had a base price of $2,672, which was less expensive than it had been the previous year.

The new Caprice Custom Sedan package could be added to the Sport Sedan for an additional cost of around $200. The package provided a black out grille, vinyl top and an extensively redone luxury interior. The option would prove so popular that the Caprice would become its own series in 1966.

1965 Impala SS

Relative to the previous year models, the new Impala SS differed little from the regular Impala models. The package did include a unique instrument panel and center console between its unique bucket seats. Of the total Impala production, 243,114 were SS models.

Competition

In terms of sales, there obviously wasn’t much competition to the Impala in 1965. However, the sales high reached in the year would drop tremendously in the years to come, particularly for the sporty SS models. Though the Impala SS had basically created the muscle car back in 1961, by the mid-60s drivers were wanting the same powerful engines in smaller and lighter cars. As those cars (including the Chevy Chevelle) took off at the end of the 1960s, Impala SS production would decline drastically.

 ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

Type	Size	Carb	Horse Power	Tourqe
I6	230ci	1x1bbl	140 hp
V8	283ci	1x2bbl	195 hp @ 4800 rpm	285 lb-ft @ 2400 rpm
L74	327ci	1x4bbl	300 hp @ 5000 rpm	360 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
L30	327ci	1x4bbl	250 hp @ 4400 rpm	350 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm
L78	396ci	1x4bbl	425 hp @ 6400 rpm	415 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
L35	396ci	1x4bbl	325 hp @ 4800 rpm	410 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
L31	409ci	1x4bbl	400 hp @ 5800 rpm	425 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
L33	409ci	1x4bbl	340 hp @ 5000 rpm	430 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm

 PERFORMANCE STATISTICS

0 to 60 mph	Quarter Mile	Engine	Source
7.0 sec	15.8 sec		Estimate

Read More