Guy with a lot of kids wants to trade his '59 6 cyl 3 spd 4 door Impala for my '01 dented 150k Suburban. I have a '59 389 and 4 sp that would go in, but as a 4 door, is it worth the trouble? Advice please.
The Suburban needs to be rough, or the Impala either a clean hardtop or a like-new sedan, for that to be an even trade. I don't think the Chevys had the side motor mounts in '59 yet, so a Pontiac 389 is going to need mounts to go into a Chevy frame.
Thank you gentlemen. There's another car for me in the trade too and the suburban had a Whipple and pulled a racecar for 100k and is now formally a rat, so I'm not really worried about coming out even, I'm worried about shutting myself in the garage for 6 months with something that's not worth the effort at the end of the day. I sometimes do that... because I can. Also my dad, for some reason had 2 blue '59 Kingswood wagons at the same time. I'm a ****er for those fins.
Its worth it cause that newer truck is only going to depreciate in value that 59 unless you just **** it up badly it will just go up in value. Guess I'm partiall I have a 60 4dr that I have been customizing for years. Oh yea 1958 was the first year for the side motor mounts on all engines I know because I've pulled many engines out of those body styles of cars infact I just pulled a 348 powerglide combo out of one of my 60 chevy 4dr parts cars. I would do it if it was me those cars make great cruizers and 4drs DO sell you just sometimes have to wait a little longer for a buyer is all. Now days people don't care as much about the 4dr 2dr thing and alot of people my age anyway have family's so the 4drs are a bit handier to have than a 2dr when you have kids. Want pics of mine PM me and I'll send ya some so you can see what I've done with a lowly 4dr impala sedan.
The four door hardtop '59 Chevy is somewhat desirable, the four door sedans are the lowest notch in the '59 Chevy totem. But the sedans have the possibility to be converted into 2 door sedans with the right parts if you're willing to do the work. If you're going to spend 6 months on a build on a 4 door post it's probably not worth it in the end. But the trade probably isn't a bad deal if the car is nice.
If the Suburban is rough and the 4-door is nice (inside and out), I'd probably make the trade. I wouldn't go in with the expectation of being able to make any money off the '59, though; it'd simply be just to have a "neat" driver.
the way i do it is this .take a ride thru town,how man burbs do you see at the mall/car lots how many 59s do you see? if its a driving running car,go for it
I do the trade, is it a 4 door hard top? That would be cool. Some of the 59 4 doors had a weird roof line/back window thing going on.
If the '59 is in good shape I'd grab it, even a 4 door sedan is cool these days. You don't mention if it's a hardtop, if so it's a Flat-top and super cool! Either way, polish 'er up, put on some swap-meet mags and go kroozin'!
The Jalopy Journal
