Projects 1959 impala convertible brings big$$$$

https://www.foxnews.com/auto/junky-1959-chevrolet-impala-engine-sold

 

Almost 90k for a project.
If the hobby is slowing down it’s going out with a bang.

 

Yea, that’s my thought. I still can’t believe a project 59 convertible could bring that much.

 

A fiend bought a very badly rotted 59 flat roof for 3k just for the factory AC.

 

Yea, a guy I work with mentioned that he had a front seat out of a 59 Impala two door that they didn't use when they rebuilt the car. I was shocked when I saw what folks want for one of those as well. Nuts...

 

I just cant make any sense of that... I know Impalas are huge w Lowriders here (especially converts) & alot guys are oppisite of us in that they brag about how much they have in thier rides. Opposed to us who brag how little we spent on ours.. but damn these prices seem a bit insane.

 

It’s worth what someone will pay.
I’ve probably got 250 hrs of metal work in a 59 ragtop.
If it’s a complete rust free shell, it’s a nice head start for a builder.
missing an engine is nothing.

 

@anthony myrick I totally understand starting with the best possible candidate, I hate doing rust repair and time is $$$. I guess I just didnt realize the value on these we're so high. Id figured a nice restored one would run those kind of prices. Ive been in the market for a 63 or 64 Hardtop for awhile, they are high but not quite this bad.. Either way Im glad to see em outta the field and back to the streets.

 

The Tony Montana’s don’t care how much it cost.

 

I watched it sell on the internet while the auction was live. It was a pretty clean body and looked to have the key convertible pieces, a very buildable car. It could easily cost 100K to build it to an extremely high standard, stock restored or custom or lowrider maybe even more, but finished ones are rarely for sale and they have been bringing solid 6 figures when they do, so maybe it's worth it? Especially if you really want to do the build and not buy someone else's where you can't see what was done.

Part of the shock of that price is just inflation though, $88,500 doesn't even buy you the really high end dually trucks new anymore, and I see those driving around nearly every day and I don't even give them a second thought. I'd much rather have a '59 Impala convertible if we're being honest.

Same auction an equally buildable '38 Ford Cabriolet sold for I think $6850, that was a deal. Some of the parts cars were very reasonable too if you needed a donor. It wasn't all ultra-high prices, but there were definitely some guys hungry for Impalas in Colorado last weekend.

 

Location matters, too. I recently sold my really nice 59 Bel Air and had several people tell me it would have sold for a lot more if it was out west. Maybe, maybe not. Bel Airs are not Impalas.

 

Every time my friend with the 59 drop top calls out west for parts he get asked to name a price.
he called a large shop out west that makes custom wheels and they tried to buy the car over the phone.

 

Don't forget there was a buyer's premium on top of the hammer price. 8% for onsite, 10% for internet sale.
If 10% that would put final cost around $97,000

 

Found this in the hills of Missouri 10 years ago for $8500.00 with the original 348 tri- power and air cleaner and yes I took it home.
Little rust in the back floor's and trunk I polished a spot on the front fender and damned if it didn't look pretty good.
So I guess I'm wondering if it's better just to spot paint it with some quarts of auto zone black lacquer and Polish her up and wait till the bouncy boys come knocking for stupid money. lol.

 

Clean it up
Make it go and stop
Enjoy until someone hits ya with a roll of cash
The biggest profit margin isn’t in restoring it.

 

Two '59 Impala convertibles on eBay right now. Ask on one is $250K and the other is $300K.

 

Friend of mine sold his restored 58 Impala convertible 2 years ago here in Ontario Canada for 120,000.00

 

I just added it up, all the cars auctioned brought $1,402,650

 

That's not super crazy around here in So Cal (just regular crazy).

Sadly, '58s aren't as popular as the '59 in the circles that will pay that much as the '59 brought.

 

When it’s done I hope to see it on Whittier Blvd cruising on 3 wheels and hopping at a stop light. The rear 1/4 windows will be 30% up and the top down. When it parks I’ll be able to admire all the engraving on the chrome.

 

Yes Jimmy that's were it needs to go after I'm done in joying it the level of talent in southen California is nothing short of amazing!

 

Just remember at an auction it takes at least 2 to get the price to that point. That is why I like listing my old parts auction style but stuff for newer vehicles get a fix price format.

Hopefully whoever brought it has his own skills to bring it back alive. Hate to see how much it actually cost him to redo if he doesn't.

what really would floor me is if we see it for sale in the near future in the same condition for x amount more. Just never know nowadays.

I wonder how much that ghostbusters afterlife tribute/clone will sell for Saturday?

 

A friend of mine sold one for 6 grand earlier this year. No front clip. Rear quarters were torched off. No drive line. And rusted out floors and rusted out trunk floors. The convertible stuff was all there. I told the guy by selling it, he saved himself 3 years off work. He originally paid 450 for it.

 

I couple years ago I seen a video of a 59 conv a guy bought that was rusted in half and the WS posts were crushed. Think he pad 8k ish for it

 

Well, there were at least 2 bidders that wanted it BAD...

 

Since the 1970's, restorer's were focusing on the more popular 55-57 Chevy convertibles. There wasn't much interest or money to be made restoring a 59.
As unrestored 55-57's dried up, other years became more popular, but the fact that those cars sat an additional 20-40 years filling up with rain and snow = less surviving project cars.

I think one of the biggest drivers is the change in the Lowrider movement over the last 20 years. Traditional Lowriders were usually 2 dr hardtops. Lately, the creme de la creme is an Impala conv Lowrider.
While Lowrider's always pumped a lot of money (chrome and paint) into their cars, most of them were (like other car enthusiasts) middle cl***/mostly home built. It seems some big money high rollers have entered the Lowrider scene, bank rolling mega expensive Lowrider conv builds. Successful business men, rappers, athletes... It's "In" and Chic. Sort of what hit the Harley scene a couple decades ago.
100 k for a starting point is nothing for someone such as Shaq or Snoop Dogg...

 

70-80-90’s Cadillacs and Lincoln Town Cars are also big in the low ridder scene today. By watching You Tube you can see what I mean. These cars are pristine. Many are bought at the big auctions on the off days when the least expensive less desirable cars sell.
While famous sports and entertainers MAY own these cars I guarantee in SoCal that is not the case. No doubt some of the money to purchase these and build them come from questionable means but many come from Hispanics that do work most won’t do and are highly paid. They are family cars with families in them when cruising.

 

Interesting it had a ***le but the vin tags are missing. Wonder if those tags are on a different car already? Maybe in the future there will be more to this story? this might get more interesting.

 

I got the impression it was just the cowl tag that was missing from the '59 convertible, which ****s but isn't the end of the world.