Millions of full-size Chevrolets were made in 1965, but this one was the most powerful and well-equipped. The 409-cubic-inch V-8 was made for one last year. If you add a color that goes away every year, you have a rare Impala. Chevy gave the drag racing world the W-series big block 409-cubic-inch V-8 as a Christmas present in December 1960. It was so well-known that the Beach Boys talked about it a year before the Little Deuce Coupe came out. The 409 had two four-barrel carburetors and was later improved to make a 427-cubic-inch version for NASCAR and quarter-mile fans. It is very rare to find a 1965 Impala SS with the 409 option box checked. This choice was replaced by the new 396 by 1965, though. There is a 1965 Impala SS Sport Coupe for sale on Bring a Trailer. It is held by Hearst Autos, which also owns Invoice-pricing. The car features a 409 V-8 engine with a single four-barrel carburetor setup and a Muncie four-speed manual transmission. You can choose to have air conditioning, power windows, power steering, power brakes, and a limited-slip rear differential. Since 1965, when the Impala sold a million units, it’s been a great year to work for Chevrolet or own a dealership. With 1,046,500 sold, the Impala made up more than 11% of all U.S. car production and about half of all Chevrolet sales. So, full-size Chevys were popular. However, you might not want to park in your garage an exact copy of your neighbor’s car. Because many cars were being sold, Chevrolet added more choices and some very unique colors, such as the beautiful Evening Orchid. It looks stunning, and you can only imagine how it must have looked in the past, with its famous six-pack of taillights shining neon lights off that huge trunk. As was already said, the 409 was a speed racer’s dream, even though it only had a 6.7-liter engine. The output was slightly lower in this case, at 340 SAE net (the dual-quad-carb setup produced over 400 horsepower), but it was more than enough when paired with a manual transmission. Even with the Posi-trac rear axle, those 14-inch bias-ply tires would be hard to connect for a good hole shot. But this car was fast when it was new, and it’s not any slower now. It received new paint and new-old-stock bumpers in the mid-1990s to improve its appearance, but the driveline and other mechanical components in this example are mostly original. The inside hadn’t been changed much at that point, except for a full cleaning. The carpet had been replaced, though. The general condition matches the 58,000 miles indicated on the odometer. This is the last remaining 1965 409 Impala. The first one was made in early January 1965, and just over 2000 were made. The fact that it’s a one-year-only color makes it stand out more, but that’s not the most important thing about the car. This nicely styled car with big-block power is a cross between a stoplight warrior and a street cruiser. When you drive, you’ll be in the pink. Let’s go, 409. July 2 is the last day to bid.
