I call this one “The Time Machine”. I’m tooling along Route 46 in Denville, and I see this car parked just off the highway on Legion Place next to a Sunoco station, and it’s as if I’m back in the early ’70s when this would have been a common sight. This is not one of those over-restored, hopped-up, antiseptically clean Chevy Impalas seen at car shows. No, this is how they actually were in “The Real World” after a few years had passed: no hubcaps, mis-matched tires, some rust forming, a few dents–but intact and running. A true Curbside Classic. What is the secret to its longevity? I think I have a clue . . .
But first let’s see what we have here: a 1961 Chevrolet Impala 4-door hardtop in Ermine White. If you order a white Impala, you get a Roman Red sweep-spear along the side. While I like this car overall, I’ve never been a fan of the optional bumper guards this car has. I think they clutter up the purity of the original design. But let’s not quibble–finding this car is a delightful surprise no matter what!
Massive and sparkly–Detroit Iron!
There’s this little Chevy emblem up front which I never noticed before.
The iconic six taillights (Bel Airs and Biscaynes only had four).
It’s a nice look. But see how the bumper guards clutter things up? Oh, well–we won’t dwell on it.
Impala, baby! The best-selling American car of all time!
The hardtop roof has this landau-like crease in it, which I also never noticed before.
I tried to get an interior shot, but it’s hard to photograph through a dirty window in direct sunlight. Fuzzy dice–because, of course!
To make things a little more interesting, I pulled my ’59 Chevy next to the ’61 so you can see the dramatic style change after only two years. The ’59 looks so much bigger!
Walking along the sidewalk, suddenly it’s 1970! (Except for the modern car in front).
Mechanically and chassis-wise, I believe the cars are the same–it’s all styling! However, it is true that the ’61s were 1.6″ shorter and 1.5″ narrower, but on the same 119″ wheelbase.
Now here’s that interesting clue I was telling you about. Apparently this car was sold new at Gearhart Chevrolet in Denville, NJ–just about a mile down Route 46 from where the car was today! So here is a car, 61 years later, being photographed within such a short distance of its point of origin. I think that’s pretty rare, considering that cars typically get traded from owner to owner as time marches on. No wonder it survived this long–it stayed close to home. I’m sure there is a story here, but I don’t know what it is.
Gearhart (now Schumacher) Chevrolet, Route 46, Denville NJ
So keep cruisin’, brave ’61 Impala. You’re one of the few remaining originals. Just don’t travel too far from home–it’s a dangerous world out there!
This is a great sighting, and a great pairing with your 59.
In my part of the world, a 61 Chevy in 1970 would have been one rusty hulk. Only a real grandma car would have looked this nice, but then no self-respecting grandma would drive without hubcaps. It seems like the 63-64 was seen so much more frequently back then than the 61 would have been, which seemed much older in style than the cars only 2-3 years newer.
I had no idea that all the white Impalas got the red trim on the sides. Did all other colors get white in the trim?
Oh my, and it’s got new plates on it, and not QQ’s. Maybe a barn find that found it’s way out? My brother lives in Denville and I’m here in Jersey. I should ride around Denville more often. I have a coral ’59 Chevy Corgi 1/43 scale.
Stephen,
Thanks for presenting this beautiful 1961 Impala.
We had a 1962 blue bubbletop Impala and a black Brookwood wagon. Most unique Impala year design!
The front Impala badge is a hood release. I think it came on big block Impalas.
Gary
Not a hood release. Chevys of that vintage had a hood release right under the bumper above the license plate. My family had a 1964 Impala wagon.
Chevys from 1958 to 1964 had the same X-frame chassis, despite having radically different styling year to year. Interestingly enough, although the body panels were different, they bolted on the same, so you could graft a 1964 nose onto a 1963 body.
The 63 and 64 Chevy’s really look like the same car is underneath. Is it true that the 59 thru 64 is the same car underneath. Growing up, I had always thought that the 59-60 was one car. The 61 was a one year only, like the 58 and the 62 – 64 are the same car. I now know that’s not true. But are the 59 and 64 really the same car?
They’re not “the same Car”. They share the same basic X Frame and suspension, but the body of the ’61 – ’64 is new. It has a taller roof, different seating proportions (higher seats) and is just all-round different. But yes, the chassis and drive trains were carry-overs.
Morning the chassises & engines are the same from 58-64 but look how the body style has changed ! I personally like the 63 4 dr ht which I own 2 This was probably a grand ma/pa car at one point now some kid’s with those fuzzy dic ! as a real car guy would have much better wheels & tires ! at least good matching ! me it was always black-walls & small 63 caps as I was big on handling but theses cars are horrible handlers but most are just happy to drive normal ! theses cars decent brakes steering is slow & very sloppy P/S mine is manual they disparately need up-graded sway bars ! now that side trim can be black, white & red as I have not seen any other colors As I am near 70y.old and started my driving life with the tri 5s ( 55-57 ) the best handling 50s cars but fell in love with the 63 style & it too is a 4 dr ht ! as I liked the lower windshield & cleaner lines I never liked that fake convertible top look on the 2 drs Well that’s just me hope the 61 lives on !
My Dad had a 61 Impala Hardtop Sedan from 61-68. I rode home from the hospital in it in 1965. The only reason he had to get rid of it in 1968 was that a bunch of joyriders stole and wrecked it one night. The car was left undriveable so Dad junked it and bought a clean, used turquoise 65 Biscayne.
is the Denville Shack still there?
It was the “Home of “Pizza ala Mode”
We had a ’61 Chevy back in the day as our family car. It looked like the one pictured except without the contrasting white roof, a Bel Air 2-door sedan with the six, 3-on-the-tree, and no radio. (I would carry my little transistor radio with me for tunes.)
Back then, I didn’t appreciate the brilliant styling of the ’61. I much preferred the 1960 models with what I thought was the coolest windshield of all time and that jet motif on the side trim. Today, the ’61 is my favorite of all the X-frame Chevys.
I recall our car as being mostly reliable in the 6 years we had it from new. On its inaugural ride with the whole family on board, I rolled down the right rear window. It then became stuck partway as I tried to roll it back up. We managed to free it, but there always was some stiction at that position during the rest of our ownership. I also remember rust starting to bubble up through the fender tops behind the headlights.
what is the ride like in a 1961 Chevrolet impala?
The ride was very soft ! which made handling bad ! but just serious shocks , sway bars with urethane bushings & serious wheels & tires would help a lot ! as I own a 63 4 dr.ht. since 73
Totally disagree! Heavy sway bars, urethane (in particular) bushings and after market wheels / tyres totally destroy these cars. If all the suspension bushings are original spec and in good condition these cars ride and handle very well even on conventional tyres. They are of course never going to handle like a Chevrolet Corvette and thats not what they were designed to do.
Their smooth “jet smooth” ride is something todays cars simply don’t offer. Their handling was better than most other vehicles of the period. The main problem with these cars today, is worn out components. Urethane bushings will over time cause permanent damage to suspension components and give your a rack hard ride in the bargain.
Well all the other bushing can & should be replaced with urethane ! the factory very much under tired these with dortelly 14”s most after factory wheel style aluminum are now 17” I done this on all my old cars it helps with braking & emergence maneuvers ! as in today’s traffic around you can do dangerous moves ! wen you compare the tri 5s ( 55-57 ) Chevys the 58-64 did not handle well !! the 65-70s were better ! I wish these up-grades were available in the 70s wen I drove both my 55 convertible & 63 ! its no wonder the 55 took stock car wins from then Hudson ! there will always be a trade off ! at near 70 I don’t mind a harsh ride & in favor of safety ! my daily driver is a 2000 24v GT package Taurus wag with orig. suspension parts at 135,000 ! to bad GM stopped making wagons !!
No first-hand experience driving any of the 1958-64 X-framers, but I’ve always felt the styling of this generation peaked in the ’61 and ’62 models. The earlier models had too much bulbous bling. In ’63/’64, I think they went too far in removing the character lines and ornamentation, and the styling became too plain.
I prefer the more complete delta wing design of the ’62, all sharp lines and angles. Now I can see how this was a transitional design to bridge the gap between the over styled ’59’s and the simpler looking cars that were going to set the style of the 1960’s. It’s kind of funny how Chevy had their last finned car in 1960, while Cadillac retained fins until 1964, though the vertical quarter panels and tail lights have remained a prominent heritage feature even until Today. It’s good to see a real survivor, though I bet this car spent some time in storage out of the elements. I remember how back in the 60’s, people used to keep their cars in the garage most of the time. This really helped preserve them. Today many, if not most cars spend their entire life out doors.
Great find, and I was pleased to see your 59. I had hoped you were driving it and would do a comparison shot or 2.
Does NJDOT and the localities use salt on their roads? I figure they do but I can’t remember. I haven’t lived there since I was 12 in 1992, moved to PA which I know uses a ton of salt…as bad as where I live in VA now…
With the newer plates perhaps it was barn find and didn’t/doesn’t see the winter roads.
Thanks for some great shots of a car I’ve liked since my teens.
NICE!
Two bowties on the front of this beauty!
I wonder if the license plate number gives any clue as to the date of the most recent registration.
What a difference between the two years in styling. It’s like Chevrolet decided to sack all the designers of the ’59, or told them to forget everything they had ever done and start from a clean, smooth piece of drawing paper.
Great shots!
Love this! I’m wondering about the side-spear colors… a quick Google search shows the white cars appeared to have come in a range of spear colors: red, blue and black, and possibly silver (although I only found a couple of pics online with a silver spear). I presume too these colors would match the interiors, as in the featured car. Can anyone confirm?
Not for certain but I believe you are correct. We had an Impala 4 door sedan, white with turquoise interior, and the side spear was turquoise. It was a good car, 283, powerglide, power steering, radio and heater, tinted windshield and padded dash. Remember when that was a well equipped car?
PRNDL approves of the featured car and the author’s ‘59 as well!
The ‘61 and I share a birth year.
That pull handle with chevy crest in bumper guard with rubber tits is an option it does not matter the engine size ! the front & rear badging indicates it has the 283 the 6 has no Vee & the 348 BB has cross flags
you are correct its a 283 6cyl just chevy sign 283 sign and v. 348 cross flags same with 59s and 60s
My dad had a ’61 Biscayne, but after 14 years in New York it rusted out so bad it had to be junked. Too bad; that was a really nice ride while it lasted.
We have a 61 bubble back Chevelle still all original
Hi the chenille name did not appear till 64 The bubble Top appeared in /on the 61 impala then again on the 62 Belair Hope this helps your readers Thanks
I just notice I misspelled Chenille I see how that mistake happen the f**ken nerd box changed the word Chevelle to what-ever chenille is ?? sorry
Don’t that just p*** you off!
Chenille is some kind of fabric
Remember boys & girls always spell check ! bad nerd box bad ! lol and thanks for that word’s description / definition Thanks
Hero car from the movie “Blue Crush.”
Great shots of the old Chevy’s. I’ve had a 58 convertible, 64 conv. 2 66 Caprices, and several 66 Biscaynes and Belairs. Small blocks and big blocks 396 and 427. Chevy is the best for any kind of enthusiast. Easy to work on and fun to drive. Keep looking for the “good old stuff”.
I think the bumper guards in the rear bumper are there to protect the taillights.
If you often parked on the street in urban areas, getting bumped was common. Not having the guards there could mean the other bumper riding up and breaking your taillights or damaging the body. That was one reason for the later loop bumpers, to protect the whole front end – also the Endura bumpers
Those weird bumper guard bars, sort of a second beam above the middle of the main bumper bar, seem to have been oddly popular in 1961. A very similar one was available—to equally ugly effect—on the ’61 Valiant (also on the ’61 Plymouth, which has to have been somebody’s idea of a practical joke, or maybe someone wagered they could make the ’61 Plymouth even uglier). They seem to have gone away very quickly after ’61. Weird, eh!
I love the roofline on the ’61-’64 B body four-door hardtops, along with the car’s overall proportions. The ’63-’64 have a slightly different shape on the C-pillar, but only someone who really knows these cars would likely notice.
This is a lovely car in decent shape, particularly given its age and location. The original interior appears to be intact. A correct set of wheel covers or even dog dishes, either of which are easy to find online (https://www.ebay.com/b/Hub-Caps-for-1961-Chevrolet-Impala/33744/bn_7060611751) would do wonders for the car.
C-pillar photo from my ’64 didn’t take the first time.
How much
The 1961 Chevy Impala 4 door was my first car at age 17, in 1969. I paid $250, and my father paid the insurance. A few months later he took my keys and forbade me to drive because my hair touched my ears. I lost my girlfriend.
Aaahhh those were the good old days.. ha ha.
Dad died a chain smoker, I sold the Chevy, and still have long hair.
The raging alcoholic that lived nest to us , when I was a kid, had a blue “61 Impala” Ws still her regular ride when she passed in early 70’s.
As I recall, it was a sedan ((posts/window frames)).
Car rarely moved but i do recall her rolling out in a few times. Spotted it one time in A&P parking lot. not sure why I remember that but I do.
Just spotted my typo.. “next to us”; not “nest to us”. Apologies.
1961 & 1962 Chevrolet Impala Sport Sedans (4 door pillarless hardtops) are my all time favourite car. I much prefer them over the more common two door hardtops (Sport Coupes).
Unfortunately, for to many years collectors have taken the view that a car has to have just two doors to be of any value. In my view pillarless styling (lack of a ‘B’ pillar) is best displayed in 4 door form. Classic Car Shows around the world, regularly display endless rows of Impala 2 door hardtops but the real rare model is a 1961 or 1962 Impala Sport Sedan (4 door hardtop).
An often unappreciated fact, is that Chevrolet built, in small numbers export right hand drive 1961 & 1962 Impala Sport Sedans. I own a very original black with red interior 1962 export RHD Chevrolet Impala Sport Sedan and attached a photo of this car,
Wow, what a sweet car! Reminds me of the RHD ’59 Impala I saw in England years ago. I’m guessing yours was originally destined for someplace like the UK or South Africa—do you know where?—as the Australian-spec model had amber rear turn signals.
(I agree with you about 4-doors, and about endless car show rows of tiresome 2-doors)
G’day Daniel,
I am actually just the second owner of my much loved black ’62 Impala Sport Sedan. I purchased it from the first owner back in 1977. So I have owned it for over 45 years!
It was delivered as brand new car in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia where I live. The amber rear turn signals you mentioned, were fitted to General Motors – Holden (GMH) assembled 1962 Chevrolet Belair 4 door sedans. GMH assembled these Belair sedans in RHD form from C.K.D. packs.
Fewer than 100 right hand drive ’62 Impala Sport Sedans came to Australia as fully assembled cars. Some were fitted with amber rear turn signals and some retained their red turn signals. Interestingly 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965 Australian (GMH) assembled Belair 4 door sedans had ‘six tail lights’ or in other words Impala trunk lids.
Hi, Carl. Interesting! My understanding (at a distance) was that Australia’s mandate for amber rear indicators—along with Italy, one of the world’s first in ’59/’60—applied to both locally-made and imported cars. I guess the rules were a little porous for the first few years; perhaps some states were stricter about it than others. Thanks for increasing the detail of my understanding.
G’day Daniel,
Your thinking is basically right.
Australian mandated rear amber turn signals from 1960 and for the most part, perhaps in as much as 90% of cases, all new cars registered for road use after 1960 had to have amber rear turn signals. GMH fitted rear amber turn signals under the tail fin on the 1959 Belairs that they assembled in Australia, but legally GMH did not have to do this until 1960.
However, for whatever reason, there were a few, that managed to slip through the regulations. In the case of fully imported 1961 – 1964 Chevrolet Impala 4 door hardtops most had rear amber turn signals installed before they were sold as new cars, but a small number of privately imported examples retained their original red turn signals.
The whole issue changed again in the early 1970s, but that’s another story.