1968 SS427 Convertible. This original unmolested car is a numbers matching survivor. This car has the original interior with all panels and dash in original condition, no cracks in the dash. The original 427 c.i. engine has 385hp. Runs very strong. The SS427 is the top of the line Chevrolet Impala. Rare Convertible with the factory power bulge hood. This car has been owned by the same owner for 25 years with history dating back to new. Much documentation comes with this factory authenticated car. Canadian built car, this is a great example of less than 200 SS427 Convertibles built.
I took pictures of that car the first time I saw it in Scarborough in July 1991. The guy that owns it is the 3rd owner. He owned the Sunoco along Kingston Road & Brimley (EDIT: I originally said Bellamy, I always get confused...) that later became Burman's Automotive. The original owner was a Doctor in Gravenhurst, the 2nd owner was the Gravenhurst mechanic that looked after the car for the Doctor. The third (current) owner is a friend of the mechanic in Gravenhurst. I believe he had just become the 3rd owner in 1991.
The car was built in Ste. Thérèse, PQ and sold new in Gravenhurst, Ontario. It is one of only TWELVE Canadian 1968 Impala SS427 convertibles.
The picture below is one of the pics I took in 1991 of that car. If you look you can see my white 1989 Corolla GT-S reflected in the side glass. Taken at Metro Transmission where Kingston Road & Danforth Avenue split.
-- Edited by CdnGMfan on Friday 8th of February 2013 01:22:48 PM
Tripolli Turquoise, black buckets (it is also a Z03 Super Sport, some Z24 SS427s were not), power steering, factory 4-piston power disk brakes, N34 simulated walnut steering wheel, F41 suspension, 15x7 Rally Wheels (factory were 15x6), A01 tinted glass all around, A31 power windows, D33 outside remote-controlled mirror with rectangular head, U63 AM radio, U57 8-track stereo tape, U73 power rear antenna (I think it has been running a manual rear mast for years). TH400.
I don't know if it has Positraction. I remember him telling me it was a bit lazy off the mark, suggesting that it had the standard 2.73 rear gears (standard with the L36 / M40 combo). I think 3.31 gears would really wake that car up, or even 3.07.
I believe I actually have the v.i.n. from when I talked with the owner and looked at the car again in 1995. It probably isn't my place to share it publicly. If the owner wants to, that is his call.
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
This is an interesting car and I would be quite serious - but have concerns about what I see for the rust. The emails for the current owner say its 100% rust free - but the pics show quite a different story.
Is there anyone close to this car that can verify some of the key issues - (rust, #s etc)?
P.S. - I had George Zappora check my CDN-Built 1968 Z24-equipped convertible and his documentation indicates there were 14 converts built with Z24 and two of them were non-Z03, ie. bench seat - mine is one of the two with bench seat.
-- Edited by 73SC on Friday 8th of February 2013 11:13:39 PM
As I recall, the car looked a little tired but not bad overall. It is complete and rust free; I don't think it has ever been driven in winter. When I saw it 22 years ago it looked about the same as it does now, so it is not deteriorating, or at least not rapidly. The grille had been mildly tapped in the middle, putting a small indentation underneath the SS427 grille badge. The rear bumper had contacted something, not bending the bumper but the bumper bracket needed attention. It may have been fixed since then. The 427 callouts on the front marker lights are unmatched; one is a faded red one (original and rare) and the other has a ribbed black background (like the repros). As I recall the engine had the original aircleaner but it didn't have a chrome lid, and the valve covers were painted (I think the owner said they originally were chrome but painted over). I believe because of the chrome components on the engine, and due to the way the original engines were treated as a unit, the SS427 had a different engine code from the non-chromed L36 427s. I didn't get a chance to check the engine code, as I was examining the car without actually being invited. I had merely been driving past when I saw it so I pulled a U-turn and forgot about my other plans. At any rate I think the owner said the engine was original.
I would so love to have that car and see it properly restored. I think it deserves to have someone forensically disassemble it to note marking and paint details. I have no idea if the Canadian SS427 for 1968 carried the same grille blackout as the U.S. cars, but that detail sure looks nice. The fender gills had always been left chromed and unpainted; they do look nice painted with chromed edges though.
The car needs redline tires, a quality paint job, probably a top, weatherstrip, grille repair, chrome and detailing, but in my opinion it would really make a great candidate for a body-off restoration. It is a solid car and super rare; even the simulated walnut wheel is uncracked. GM documentation would be available from VVS. I never saw any documentation, I simply observed with my own eyes what the car was.
-- Edited by CdnGMfan on Friday 8th of February 2013 04:09:00 PM
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
I appreciate the xtra information from an eye witness.
The car sounds great to me when I read the words "rust free" - "no rust" and "zero rust".
But when I see the pictures posted on Kijijji - I see the bubbling in the paint above the passenger side fender bezel and the flacking paint beside the bumper and - even worse the glue-on rocker mouldings with the black rocker guard painted underneath I just have to wonder why - if it is rust free - they would do these things.
Not that I expect the car to be perfect - but it would be nice if the photographic evidence was supporting the words I read.
black rock guard was a sales pitch by body shops to "protect'your car in the rocker area back in the 60's & 70's. Had that pushed on me a couple of times
The louvers are actually chromed to start off, and then (moving front to back) painted with the body colour over the front or leading edge, the chrome is left exposed over a narrow band approx 1/8" wide right on the tip or opening of the louver and then painted satin black for the inside surface.
SInce the paint flakes off the chrome over the years - and when getting cheap repaints its easier to convince a customer to just strip the paint off and go with chrome - its very typical to see cars with the chrome louvers. To get it right takes knowledge, a bit more time and cost.
WHile we are on the topic of fender louvers, notice the hole in the one louver on the car in Toronto? - That is a sign of a louver either being installed on the wrong side - or over bad body work - then being tightened down until the stud busts off the back - either way, not cheap to fix properly since these are pot metal.
Yeah, I've been keeping track of the 67-69 SS427's in my fullsize chevy database. I have over 200 entered built in the states plus at least another 15-20 built in Canada. Love to see ones not in the list yet. The database/registry is kept private and not shared for obvious reasons.
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Warren Leunig
The 1967-1969 Impala SS427 registry: 135 and counting!
Any luck on getting someone to see this car?? As CdnGMFAN id saying it was 22 yrs. ago that he saw it!!! Alot can change in that peroid of time. Hope to hear what the condition it is in????
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Some times I wake up GRUMPY, but today I let her sleep in !!!!!!!!BLACKSTOCK Ont.
Any luck on getting someone to see this car?? As CdnGMFAN id saying it was 22 yrs. ago that he saw it!!! Alot can change in that peroid of time. Hope to hear what the condition it is in????
I hear you on that. 22 years is a long time. I remember a super nice 1970 Impala convertible in my hometown. It truly was showroom condition, being garage kept and driven sparingly in nice summer weather only since brand new. Well, the original owner, a woman, died at the end of 1982. Her son, who must have been in his 40s, took over on the car. He drove it in the worst weather, salt-covered roads, and washed it whenever the rain did it for him. It rusted through in 2 years, but it held on another 4 before the idiot scrapped it before the 1980s were over. Cortez Silver, 400 small block.
Back to the car in question. With the present owner the Toronto SS427 only came out occasionally, and condition has more or less stayed the same. He did not appear to have invested much into it, nor did he let it deteriorate. The top looked a bit ratty when I saw it for the first time, and he has fixed it at some point. I can't speak on behalf of the owner; he knows the full story on the car.
I think a detailed inspection, with photos, is the best plan.
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
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why the Hell would anyone pay 25+ shipping for a car needing restoration?