1965 Chevrolet Impala

1965 Chevrolet Impala SS Sport Coupe — 327 V8, Red on Red, Floor-Shift Console

The 1965 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport is one of the most complete expressions of what Chevrolet's full-size performance lineup had to offer in the mid-1960s. By 1965, the Impala had become the best-selling car in America, and the Super Sport package elevated it above the standard lineup with a dedicated set of interior and exterior distinctions that set it apart at the dealership and on the street. This particular 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS is a Sport Coupe — the pillarless hardtop body style — finished in red over a matching all-red vinyl interior, carrying the 327 cubic inch V8 backed by a Turbo-Hydramatic 3-speed automatic with a floor-mounted shifter. The combination of the SS package, the console, the 327, and a single-color red-on-red presentation makes this a well-optioned example of one of the most recognizable American cars of its era.

The VIN on this car decodes to confirm it was built as a genuine Super Sport. The fourth and fifth characters identify it as a 1965 Impala SS Sport Coupe (model 66837), and the engine code within the VIN sequence confirms the 327 V8. This is not a base Impala wearing SS badges — it is a factory Super Sport.

For context, Chevrolet sold over 243,000 Impala SS units for the 1965 model year, which was the final year the full-size SS lineup could be ordered across multiple body styles before the Super Sport designation was dropped to coupe-only configurations going forward. The 1965 model year also represented the last of the "classic" Impala body generation before the 1966 refresh, which makes it a natural stopping point for collectors who want the cleanest version of the mid-sixties full-size Chevy design.

The 327 small block is among the most respected engines Chevrolet produced in this era. It shared its basic architecture with the Corvette's 327 and was available in multiple states of tune in 1965.

Key details
Transmission: 3 Speed Automatic
VIN / chassis: 166375F336023

Offered by Skyway Classics, 10420 Portal Crossing, Bradenton, FL 34212. Taxes, title and fees not included.

Photos courtesy of Skyway Classics.