Having launched the third generation of the Impala with the 1961 model, the '62 received only light styling changes. It was still most easily distinguished from its more plebeian Chevrolet kin, the Biscayne and Bel Air, by the chrome spear with a contrasting painted insert running the length of its flanks. On this Ermine White ragtop, the Roman Red inset is eye-catching.
The "V" badge sans crossed flags on the front fender indicates the presence under the hood of Chevrolet's 283 cubic inch Turbo-Fire V-8 with a two-barrel carburetor and an 8.5:1 compression ratio, making 170 SAE gross horsepower. The transmission backing it would have either been a three-speed manual or a two-speed Powerglide automatic.
Checkered flags would indicate a 327 Turbo-Fire, rated at either 250 or 300 horses. A "409" badge above the checkered flags signified the flagship motor, in 380 horsepower trim with a single four-barrel, or 409 horse dual-quad form. All these more powerful motors could be had with a four-on-the-floor, and the 409 was too torquey for the Powerglide slushbox.
The one in the photos was snapped in January of 2016 using a Nikon Coolpix P7000.
What a great-looking car! Were the fender-mounted dual mirrors an Impala-only option? Dual rear aerials would look good, too.
ReplyDeleteMy bet is that there's a Powerglide behind the 283. Based on what I know about social norms back then, this strikes me as what would've been a woman's car. A man would've been more likely to jump up to a 327 or a 409, maybe in an SS.
My dad's first car was a '62 Impala SS convertible with a 283. According to family lore, my grandparents agreed to help pay for the car with the agreement that my dad could pick the model, but they got to pick the specific car. Dad went for the ragtop SS (they were a Chevy family) because that was the only way grandma & grandpa couldn't stick him with a six cylinder.
DeleteHere's a PDF of the brochure for the '62 full-size Chevies:
Deletehttps://xr793.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/1962-Chevrolet-Full-Size.pdf
Cool story! Did he research all the local dealerships to make sure there wasn't a 6-cyl. SS hanging around? Although I think the odds were overwhelmingly in his favor to begin with; I have to believe that something like 99.9% of sixes were customer orders. It wouldn't make any sense for a dealership to order in a floor model SS that wasn't packing a V-8.
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