1962 Chevrolet Impala - Repair Manuals Blog

Chevrolet first produced Impala for the year 1958, and this model gained much popularity because of its world-class quality and performance. The 1962 Chevrolet Impala is one of the favorite passenger cars of Americans that they could initially differentiate because of the featured triple taillights. It continued as a full-size passenger car model till the 1980s. Its 1962 model became the center of attention for all the right reasons.

Overview of the 1962 Chevrolet Impala:

Styling

The 1962 model of Chevrolet Impala came with a new “C” pillar styling that was standard on all its models except the four-door hardtop. This sports car came with convertible roof styling in 1962 that it shared with other General Motors “B” full-size hardtop coupes. It had an earlier overhang roof style that the company replaced with a wider “C” pillar with a wraparound rear window.

Engine Choices

The engine choices didn’t vary much; However, it was the last year for the 235-horsepower producing Inline-6 engine that came along the small block 283 fixed with a two-barrel carburetor. The 283 got upgraded to 327 cubic inches, a 5.4-liter engine with two versions; one was 224 kW, and the other was 186 kW. The 283 kW replaced the 5.7-liter V8 engine, while the 6.7-liter or 305 kW, or 6.7-liter engine also came as a replacement option available with a manual transmission. The Turboglide didn’t come anymore, and the automatic transmission came only with the Power glide.

The Beach Boys

It was the year of rising popularity for the 1962 Chevrolet Impala for The Beach Boys produced a hit single, 409, dedicated to the Chevrolet that turned out to be an amazing and iconic song for these cars.

Interior

This model year featured luxurious interior appointments, and the customer could also get plusher seats from the dealerships on request. Impala manuals also highlight its more chrome trim outside with a full-width aluminum and chrome panel that housed the triple unit tail light assembly.

SS

It also had a super sports model that featured a panel in engine-turned aluminum that the company also used to fill the side moldings; It made the SS model more distinctive and appearance. It also came with a top-trim station wagon body design in 1962, replacing the Chevrolet Nomad model. Unlike the passenger cars, these wagons had a distinctive appearance with dual unit taillights. The optional Turboglide feature with automatic transmission was minimized for reliability issues, and the radio feature was optional.

Forgotten Facts about Chevrolet Impala 1962:

The 1962 Impala was a competent sports muscle car that could have been forgotten if it didn’t have such a splendid history. It has been one of the leading car models and held this position for so long. Let’s tell you why the 1962 Chevrolet Impala deserves to gain a prized position in your hearts forever.

The Manual Transmission:

The base trim of the 1962 Chevrolet Impala came with manual or automatic transmission. However, the impeller SS with a 409 engine didn’t get this privilege and was limited to manual transmissions for its reliability issues. Customers and automobile enthusiasts paired it with an optimizing transmission.

The Optional Big Block:

Automobile awareness was raised in the 1960s and made consumers more demanding performance and fuel efficiency. The main concern of most customers used to be the power under the hood, and the cars that could give street racers an adrenaline rush would win the game. The 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS could offer this to its customers with an optional big block 409 engine under the hood: it could generate 400 horsepower with 425-foot pounds torque that had the power to propel the car through the quarter-mile track in 15 seconds as per experiments and Impala Manuals.

The Redesign:

Chevrolet never meant to make Impala look aggressive in the first place, but the cars in 3rd generation became a little more muscular. The X-shaped frame changed to the General Motors B platform. This design was exclusively for full-size passenger cars but also worked for huge muscle car options. The main redesign change included the exterior design transition from bubble back style to a convertible-type look. This redesign made it look more docile, but the power and torque surprised the buyers.

The Light Weight:

The basic 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS was not lightweight and weighed around 3450 pounds. The huge weight influenced the car’s performance, and engineers leaned towards performance-based word guns that resulted in a lightweight 1962 Chevrolet Impala. They made only 18 of these cars since they were not for sale to the public. These lightweight models came with a Z11 engine that included rectangular intake ports, raised cylinder heads, dual 4-barrel carburetors, and aluminum parts and pieces.

Standard Luxury:

The automobile enthusiasts didn’t expect Chevrolet to come with luxury options, but General Motors corporation made it possible with the 1962 Chevrolet Impala. These features came as an option for additional prices, I.e., additionally installed plusher seats—the engine-inspired aluminum with the part of trim with the iconic triple taillight assembly. Luxury was not the sole characteristic feature of the Chevrolet Impala, but what’s bad in enjoying a little luxury with outstanding performance?