1996 Chevrolet Impala SS

Description

The best cars to own are those that have been cherished by previous owners, and this 1996 Chevrolet Impala SS definitely qualifies. Treated to some tasteful appearance and performance mods, it has obviously led a life where it was cherished and not merely a transportation appliance.

The Black Cherry paint is perhaps the best of the three Impala SS colors, being at once subtle and striking, keeping the car's sinister vibe and giving it some distinction. That's factory paint on the bodywork, lovingly buffed and waxed over the past two decades, and it shines like it was brand new. Even the bumpers are remarkably free of stress cracks and the blacked-out trim doesn't have that chalky look that cars that are stored outside often get. A few tasteful mods include the red bowtie up front, an LT1 badge on the front fenders, and a pair of shiny exhaust tips out back, but there's no denying that this car was one of GM's major home-runs of the '90s. Tinted glass certainly helps with the sleek, low profile look and adds to the brute-force vibe for which these cars were famous.

The Impala SS got exclusive bucket seats wrapped in gray leather, making them unique among their full-sized GM siblings. Obviously the interior has been as well-maintained as the bodywork, and aside from some light comfort marks on the driver's seat, looks almost new. That's real carbon-fiber on the dash and it really dresses up the Imp's 100% plastic interior (don't worry, it'll come off without a mark if it's not your thing), and a set of Auto Meter white-faced gauges were installed on the A-pillar for a cool high-performance look. But beyond that, this sucker's quite stock and honestly, there's not much that can be improved. Power windows and locks, A/C, cruise control, and a great-sounding AM/FM/CD stereo were all part of the package. And a big part of the Impala's appeal is its size, so there's acres of room in the back seat for even your biggest friends, plus a gigantic trunk for all their gear.

Under the hood you can clearly see where a lot of money went, and it looks incredible. It's shiny, well-detailed, and incredibly clean, with a lot of focus on making it look special. Polished aluminum and chrome are the dominant themes, along with some braided stainless just to dress it up even more. A cold air induction system feeds the Corvette-derived LT1 350 cubic inch V8 and the ECM has been augmented with a custom tune from a Hypertech programmer (included with the car), but otherwise the hardware is stock for long-lasting reliability. The 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission always seems to be in the right gear for acceleration and 3.08 gears allow this car to just loaf along at highway speeds, making it one of the best road trip cars ever devised by man. The underside is incredibly clean, with factory overspray still visible on the floors, and a Flowmaster exhaust system has been recently installed to give it that muscle car sound. Flashy red brake calipers are on prominent display thanks to the chrome ROH wheels that carry factory-sized 255/40/17 performance radials.

This is an extremely impressive car, and one that will surely be a hot collectable in the not-so-distant future. With tasteful mods and expert care, it's one to own for the ages. Call today!