[1]When people were buying their brand-new Chevrolet Impalas, Bel-Air’s, and Nomads off of dealership lots back in the 1950’s, we doubt any of them had an inkling of what lie in store for some of these cars. From big engines to bigger wheels, 1950’s Chevy’s are among the most customized cars in all of history. And yet it seems the most valuable ones have the fewest modifications possible.
While we may have gotten used to seeing Bowtie-wearing automobiles selling for $100,000 or more, most often those cars are either classic Corvettes or rare Camaros. So when Hemmings Auto Blog [2] reported that the highest-priced Chevy sold at the most recent Mecum Auction was a 1959 Impala convertible, well, we just had to double check.
And it was true. The car, a high-option ‘59 Impala convertible, comes from the Salmon Brothers collection and has just about every feature you can imagine. This includes premium features we now take for granted like power brakes, power windows, and a rare four-speed manual transmission with a “coat hanger” shifter. This Impala even included a tissue dispenser!
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This ‘59 Impala with its huge fenders, dual antennas, and tri-carbureted 340 cubic-inch, 280 horsepower V8 epitomize the 1950’s like few other cars can. When the gavel fell, bidding had reached $110,000, making it the third-highest selling car that day, and the top-selling Chevy. Not many Chevy’s ever break that $100,000 threshold, but to us this beautiful Impala is worth every penny.