1965 Impala SS Convertible L78 396/425 Production?

[quick-bowtie]

Just curious if anyone has a close break down or estimate on how many 1965 Impala SS L78 396/425hp 4speed Convertibles were produced? I've seen the numbers that say around 1800 +/- full size of all Chevrolets were produced but really cant find anything on Impala Convertibles. Is there a registry? or guesstimate on production? I can only seem to find a couple different ones when googling them. Thanks for the help, Andy

[Verne_Frantz]

1,838 across all models. Nothing by individual model has surfaced yet. Of course, there are a lot of guesstimates.

Verne

[novadude]

I have never actually seen a factory 425hp '65 in all the years of going to shows, etc. Of the 1,838 built, I wonder how many actually survived? Wonder if anyone campaigned one of these cars in NHRA stock eliminator back in the day? For some reason I have a fascination with 61-69 hi-po full size Chevys.

[quick-bowtie]

Verne what would be your guesstimate? not holding you to it lol.. I just cant seem to find much online anywhere about the convertibles and have only found a couple documented cars

[SeattleCarGuy]

I was at a show in the Seattle area about 6 years ago and a guy had a '65 Bel Air L78. Car was out of Canada and was unrestored. A very cool car and I left him my card in case he ever wanted to sell. Have not seen or heard from him since.

[69L78]

I believe this car was sold to a guy in Harrisburg, PA, I saw it at a local show this year.

[Charley Lillard]

Neat one sold at Barrett Las Vegas.
http://barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1965-CHEVROLET-IMPALA-SS-396-CONVERTIBLE-198439

[Verne_Frantz]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: quick-bowtie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Verne what would be your guesstimate? not holding you to it lol.. I just cant seem to find much online anywhere about the convertibles and have only found a couple documented cars </div></div>

If I had to guess (and I'm usually wrong) I'd say around 200 SS convertibles. I think most of those 425hp engines were split between cheaper bodies and the SS hardtops.

Verne

[John Brown]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: novadude</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have never actually seen a factory 425hp '65 in all the years of going to shows, etc. Of the 1,838 built, I wonder how many actually survived? Wonder if anyone campaigned one of these cars in NHRA stock eliminator back in the day? For some reason I have a fascination with 61-69 hi-po full size Chevys. </div></div>

Pete Russell, of Elkhart Indiana, raced a black 425 horse 65 Biscayne two door post back when it was new. Along with Osceola Dragway, he also ran NHRA and AHRA tracks around the area. Far as I know, he still lives in the Elkhart area. Car of course is ancient history.

[marxjunk]

i have/had a friend that bought a brand new 65 425 horse impala. Bench seat 4 speed, 2 door hardtop..white with red/orange-ish metallic looking cloth interior, i saw pics from 65..unfortunately he passed, and possessed a window sticker and some other documentation...including doodles as they worked the deal..

he was a Galaxy 427 freak..but said he test drove the 65 and never looked back..traded a 427 500 XLT in on it...decades later he bought the 427 back, but lost track of the Impala...he talked about it aaall the time..

[old5.0]

I know of a dark blue 2dr hardtop, non-SS. 4-speed and top end are gone, short block's in the trunk.

[bigsixman]

A fiend of mine was living in Anaheim, CA in 1965 and he ordered a 65 Impala SS with the 396/425 L-78 motor right away when they first released the L-78. His was sierra tan with a black vinyl top, black buckets, L-78, M-20, 3.55 gears and posi. The car keep getting held up because Eaton Corporation was on strike and they couldn't get the posi unit. He finally said to build it with the open rear and he would put a posi unit in it later. I believe that he told me that it was built at the Van Nuys, CA plant.

He drove it back to MN late in the summer of 1965 and all of us had never seen one before and we were very impressed with the big car with the solid lifter 396.

[Jeff H]

Wasn't there a magazine article years ago about somebody who ordered a 4 door with the L78 so he could get the motor to put in his other race car and then planned to drop another motor in the car and be his daily driver. I thought it was because there was a backlog in buying the L78 over the counter so he ordered the car with it.

[Verne_Frantz]

I've posted this before, but this was my high school buddy's L-78 he had in '69 in my parent's driveway. Originally had a black vinyl roof over the green. Black interior and 4.11s. He drove it from NJ to Long Beach, Ca for his Navy duty then sold it out there.
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2016/10/full-1145-51174-j.holland_65l_780001.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2016/10/full-1145-51175-j.holland65l_78_69.jpg

[KM265S]

Jeff,
The 4 door you mentioned is owned by a friend of mine. `65 Biscayne 4 door, L-78, 4 speed, Black, Red interior. The original owner was a drag racer and wanted an L-78. The only way he could get one at the time was to order one in a car. It was either a Corvette or a full-sized Chevy. The Biscayne 4 door was his cheapest option. My friend has talked to the original owner's son. Cool car.

[PeteLeathersac]

'
I recall reading that same story before too, 80's Car Review maybe?
I've been saving old ads for '65 L78 big cars to post in the Old Newspaper Ads thread but this looks like a good place to land them.
Cool if any ads match known existing cars, better if someone can run the old CA Plate #'s and track one down!
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif
~ Pete

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[PeteLeathersac]

'
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif
~ Pete

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[travlnz28]

Here is mine. Very patiently waiting it's turn in the restoration line.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2016/10/full-5192-51248-p1050750.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2016/10/full-5192-51249-p1050751.jpg

[mockingbird812]

Nice! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[m22mike]

And a cool color too..... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif

[mssl72]

What's the dealership name in Glendale that it came from? Allen Gwynn maybe?

[PeteLeathersac]

'
Way cool car, love to see/hear more of it!
I was going to ask about Allen Gwynn too, note the plate frame on eBay at this link...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Glendale-Califor...e-/121061452682 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Glendale-California-Allen-Gwynn-Chevrolet-Vintage-Dealer-License-Plate-Frame-/121061452682)
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif
~ Pete

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[bigsixman]

Anyone ever heard of a 1965 L-78 Impala wagon? The above ad states that either motor was available in any Impala model.

I realize that the L-78 found its way into 4 doors, but it does bring up the question about a wagon being built with the big L-78 motor.

[Verne_Frantz]

I don't think I've ever heard of one in a wagon, but it certainly could have been ordered in one. The ad is misleading because that engine was available in any full size model.

Verne <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[travlnz28]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mssl72</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What's the dealership name in Glendale that it came from? Allen Gwynn maybe? </div></div>

In an email I received from the widow of the original owner she says they bought it new at Allen Gwynn. However, the Protection Plan booklet says Bob Wondries Chevrolet (also in Glendale). Did they change ownership around that time?

[marxjunk]

i'm sure there where a few 425horse wagons in 65..too cool not too....race teams used a bunch of 66 427 wagons as team cars...and several have rock clad documentation too

[travlnz28]

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2016/10/full-5192-51334-p1050764.jpg
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[427TJ]

Ha! The mechanic liberated them from the burden of the L78 engine! Probably wound up in his play car or he sold it.

[travlnz28]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 427TJ</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ha! The mechanic liberated them from the burden of the L78 engine! Probably wound up in his play car or he sold it. </div></div>

Seems a common story unfortunately.

[427TJ]

Think of all the police L78s that went missing from the police maintenance shops!