This Time Capsule 1962 Chevrolet Impala was Stored for 40 Years

Imagine you’re a respected barn-find guru always on the hunt for the next great discovery. One day you get a call from an old friend, a class-act guy who has been stashing an array of vehicles over the decades; the kind that are desirable among contemporary collectors and enthusiasts. The friend asks if you’d help him liquidate some classics, so you oblige without hesitation.

At his place of business, mundane double doors creak open, exposing little beyond vast darkness. It’s a tough walk into the poorly lit space; shuffling feet as not to trip, you can barely make out ghostly four-wheeled forms surrounding you. Then he hits the lights. It’s almost too much to take in. Gawking, your mind races to capture as many images as possible. The sight is simply shocking.

If you areaveteran car hunterlikeJohnFardone,it takes something special beyond a collector’sdusty doorway to catch you by surprise.Perusinga stash ofvintage vehicles is old hat.That’s because sinceJohnwas a teen, hehas been scouringcountless urban jungles and the vast countryside of his native Pennsylvania for that next big automotive prize. Johnhasbasically seen it all but admitshe’sstill been awestruck by a fewdiscoveries when canvassing the region.

What you see on these pages is a case in point. Although John had an idea of what may have been inside a storage facility owned by his friend, Rich, the reality was astonishing. According to John, “Rich had the foresight to start collecting the vehicles in his stash while they were still affordable, figuring one day they would be valuable to collectors and hobbyists alike. He definitely did the right thing by saving the warhorses of the 1960s and 1970s.

“Rich asked me to help him take some of those relics out of storage and sell them,” says John. One, however, was to be saved for another friend. “A well-kept 1962 Chevy Impala. Basically, the car has sat for more than four decades, under wraps and dry in the warehouse. When Rich bought it, the Chevy was pushed to the back. It had not moved since,” added John.

Chevrolet’s Impala has reached and held onto legendary status as one of the premiere passenger cars ever produced by an Americanautomobile manufacturer. Since 1958, with a few exceptions, the model has been a mainstay on the General Motors assembly line andremains one of the most collectible nameplates in the collector car hobby.

The 1962 Impala John had cast his eyes upon could be best described as refined-yet-racy, compared to previous model years, with wider C-pillars, a new front facia and revised side trim adding sporty pizzazz to the two-door hardtop. Visually, these changes and others would net the full-sized ride ample attention on its own; and the introduction of the Super Sport (SS) package as a true factory option further cemented the ‘62 Impala’s legacy. As did the revised “Turbo-Fire” 409-cu.in. big-block V-8 that boasted 11.0:1 compression, four-barrel carburetor, and a bevy of internals that enabled it to belt out the ever-magical one horsepower per cubic inch. As history has proven, the engine wasn’t merely a corporate sales pitch or paper tiger. Costing $484 (or $4,899 in today’s currency), it made such a splash on the street and at the drag strip that a song heralding its power was recorded by no less than the Beach Boys, and it spent a full week in the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1962.

A milder, 380-horsepower version of the 409 came with a single four-barrel carburetor. For those wanting an upgrade from the standard, 170-hp 283-cu.in. small-block without going all the way to the 409, there were also two variations of the 327-cu.in. small-block available, with 250 or 300 horsepower.

Before they could determine if they had a Super Sport or even what engine was in thedust-coveredImpala, however, John and Rich hadto perform storage archaeology by clearing an assortment of parts and pieces that were placed on and around it. “The car was wedged in the back corner with virtually no room to maneuver, so we had to get everything outthat wasin front of it. Luckily for us, theChevy rolled freely when the tires were inflated,” says John.

Once it was out in the daylight, the duo got a good look at the car that had been motionless since the early 1980s. It is not a Super Sport, but it is still a great example of what Motor Trend called “about as close as one could get to the ‘average’ new Chevrolet sold” in 1962, when that magazine reviewed an Impala sport coupe in its July 1962 issue.

According to John, “The Impala was covered in dirt and soot, but overall, the body was in reasonably good shape for its age. You must remember that it spent two thirds of its 60-plus years inside, so that helped preserve a lot of it from the Northeast climate. Its original Roman Red paint has faded, but we won’t know how much until the Impala is cleaned thoroughly. It might be possible to get this paint to shine once again. There is a rot hole in the passenger fender, along with a small crunch in the passenger’s quarter panel.

There’s no rip-snorting dual-quad 409 in the ’62, but instead Chevrolet’s reliable, two-barrel small-block V-8.“Popping the hood, we finally got to see what powered this ride. The original Turbo-Fire 283 engine is intact, and spins freely. From the factory, this engine was ratedfor 170 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque, which made this Impala more of a pedestrian ride at best. It looks likeit’s barely been touched, and the original air-conditioning parts are still intact. It almost looks like a time capsule under the hood, with parts and pieces all looking close to the way it was delivered six decades ago,” says John.

While John finds the 170-hp 283 pedestrian, Motor Trend felt that it provided “all the acceleration and performance for normal driving” and noted that the 283 was “certainly as proven as any V-8 in existence.” While judging the 283 lacking in “flashing acceleration” (as provided with a 409), the magazine still clocked a 97 mph top speed, 12.75 mph 0 to 60 time, and a 20.3 second quarter mile at 73.5 mph. It also noted that even cruising at 97 “the Impala never gave the impression it was straining” because its horsepower peak is 4,200 rpm and the hydraulic lifters naturally govern engine speed to a gentle 5,500 rpm. Furthermore, Motor Trend opined that the 170-hp version was “so detuned that wear and staying in tune are minor problems.” All of which points to an easy, amusing maintenance regimen for a 21st century owner.

LikeMotor Trend’s test car, this ’62 Impala also boasts Chevrolet’s time-tested Powerglide automatic transmission, controlled via a column shifter. At full throttle, the magazine noted that its 3.36:1 geared Impala upshifted at 57 mph. Likewise, at speeds below 57, the Powerglide would automatically kick down into low gear for passing.Motor Trendpraised Powerglide takeoffs as “firm” and noted thatitdemonstrated none of the typical slippage found in other early automatic transmissions.

As to the Chevy’s interior, which Motor Trend described in its review as “trimmed and detailed in good taste with attention to detail,” it’s in pretty rough condition, though essentially complete. The air-conditioning ducts and outlets are all still there and in good shape, but the cockpit was littered with parts that had been removed from the car. The red upholstery has been chewed from years of rodent migrations and neglect, though the door panels look savable. Conversely, the instrument panel and wheels looked ready to be cleaned and put back to use.

Overall, John thinks this red-on-red Chevy is an eye catcher, and worthy of a good restoration. “You might be able to just clean it up and drive it the way it is. I haven’t tried to get it started yet, but I see no reason why this Impala can’t spring back to life with a little effort. It’s definitely desirable.”