1960 Chevrolet Impala

1960 Chevrolet Impala Bubble Top — 348 V8, Twin Edelbrock Carbs, Air Ride, Red and White Two-Tone Custom

Why This Car Is Special

The 1960 Chevrolet Impala holds a specific place in American automotive history that no other year can claim. Chevrolet's full-size line received an all-new body for 1959, and the 1960 model refined that design into what many collectors consider the cleaner, more resolved version of that generation. The wrap-around rear window, the flat roofline of the hardtop Sport Coupe — what enthusiasts call the 'bubble top' — and the massive horizontal tailfins were all design elements that existed in this exact combination for one model year only. By 1961, the fins were gone and the roofline had changed. That makes the 1960 Impala hardtop a very specific target for collectors who know their Chevrolet history.

The Impala nameplate itself had only been around since 1958, when it debuted as a top-trim Bel Air. By 1959 it became its own series, and the triple taillight signature — three lenses per side — was already established as the visual shorthand for a premium full-size Chevrolet. Those six taillights became one of the most recognized styling details in postwar American car design, and on the 1960 model they are framed by some of the most dramatic sheetmetal Chevrolet ever produced.

The 348 cubic inch W-series V8 under the hood is the correct engine family for a high-specification 1960 Impala. Chevrolet introduced the 348 in 1958, and it was the performance engine of choice in the full-size line before the 409 arrived in 1961. This particular car pairs that displacement with a twin four-barrel carburetor setup on a polished intake, a chrome finned open air cleaner, and a detailed engine bay that presents the package the way it deserves to be seen.

This is not a car that was built to sit in a climate-controlled garage. It has power steering, power brakes with front disc conversion, factory air conditioning with a new compressor, and a full air ride suspension system. It is a driver-quality custom build with show-level attention to detail.

Features List

348 cubic inch V8 engine
Orange painted engine block and heads
New Edelbrock twin 4-barrel carburetors on a polished intake
Polished Chevrolet scripted valve covers
Chrome finned open air cleaner
Factory cast iron exhaust manifolds
Original factory air conditioning with new compressor
Automatic transmission
Power steering
Power brakes with front disc conversion
Full air ride suspension system
Polished 5-spoke mag wheels
Red line tires
Painted, detailed, and clean engine compartment
All new red and white leather interior
Restored dash with factory instrumentation
Red custom steering wheel
Sporty pod-style gauges
Correct-style red carpeting
Radio
Matching door panels and headliner
Restored trunk with custom inserts
Two-tone red and white exterior repaint
Bubble top hardtop body style
Wraparound rear window
Wraparound chrome bumpers
Triple taillights
Jet airplane inspired chrome and white body trim
Clean, painted, and detailed undercarriage

Mechanical

Pop the hood and the first thing you notice is how organized and purposeful the engine bay looks. The 348 cubic inch W-series V8 wears orange paint on the block and heads, which is correct for the period and gives the engine the factory-correct visual character that so many restorers get wrong. Sitting on top is a polished intake manifold feeding a pair of Edelbrock four-barrel carburetors — a twin-carb setup that was both a performance statement and a nod to the factory multi-carb options that Chevrolet offered on the 348 during this era. The chrome finned open air cleaner sits above the carbs and adds the right period-correct look. The polished Chevrolet scripted valve covers are a detail that enthusiasts immediately recognize and appreciate. The factory cast iron exhaust manifolds remain in place, keeping the underhood presentation true to 1960 while the rest of the components are clean and deta