From the economic end of the spectrum, old iron is far more expensive than it was 20 or 30 years ago; who in the world would have ever thought that a clean Tri-Five or a 2nd-Gen Vette would be a $100k+ piece of machinery?! But no matter how much of a fight inflation may put-up, Street Dreams of Fredericksburg, Texas still believes that collector cars are “one of the safest places to have your money stored.”
Critics of the classic auto restoration industry would indefinitely argue that spending significant money on the frame-up build of an old ’50s Chevy is a whimsical investment, especially in times of such economic distress as has probably not been seen since the Great Depression. In a lot of cases we would probably agree, but in the case of our featured ’59 Impala from Street Dreams the car is just too optimally-loaded to pass up even for a massive price tag.
The fact that the ’59 Chev sled is an original 348 Tri-Power car is outstanding, but it’s not nearly as fascinating as the fact that our featured convertible has a factory-correct 4-speed, rare for a 1st-Gen Impala but even more rare for a 1st-Gen drop top. The car’s red interior further compliments the package, and as Street Dreams so intelligently points-out, the “bold styling influences” of the C1 Vette can clearly be seen in the ’59’s dash and steering wheel.
The early Impala is also built as nicely from the bottom as it is from the top, as the chassis has been prepped with red oxide primer and is surrounded by a full-painted frame.
Early transmissions like the Muncie 4-speeds of yore were never known to be the easiest to manhandle, but Street Dreams describes their ’59 convertible’s gearbox as “smooth shifting,” not to mention that the sled is luxury-equipped with power steering and brakes.
The car is currently up for bid and with this kind of an era-correct package, it’s a sure steal. Our hope is that you may be the owner of Street Dreams’ ultra-clean ’59 Impala drop top, but if not then make sure to check out their full showroom, as they always have stored at least 55 classic cars and trucks that are sure to have you yearning for some vintage American steel!