The rare factor: Rare doesn’t always equal valuable

Posted on May 14, 2016 in Featured | 2 comments

1963 Chevrolet Impala SS.

Just because a car is considered rare, it isn’t necessarily valuable. Case in point is this 1963 Chevrolet Impala SS convertible.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Melbourne, Florida, to drive and photograph this stunning piece of Chevrolet history for an upcoming feature in Hemmings Classic Car magazine. Recently restored, it is without question one of the finest 1963 Impalas in the country.

Better still, not only is this a factory-built SS model, but it’s a convertible, too. Yet, what makes this full-size Chevrolet truly rare is its engine. No coveted W-series 409 under its hood; instead it has the 230-cubic-inch Turbo-Thrift straight-six powerplant. Yes, it has a six-cylinder engine, and that’s the way it was built back in 1963. All 140 horsepower of it.

While the car in and of itself is a worthy collector’s item, especially considering its spectacular condition, its value doesn’t, and never will, match that of the 409 version, or even one with a 327-cu.in. V-8. In fact, value guides peg the price of the six-cylinder SS at around 20 to 25 percent less than the 409 equivalent. And all because its smaller-sized engine is lacking two cylinders.

Thankfully, the owners and restorers of this gem, brothers Joe and John Davis, know about the rare-versus-valuable factor, and are content with the car’s oddball specifications. In fact, they both enjoy and appreciate this Impala for what it is, which is why they went to the expense of having it restored to this high level of authenticity. We only wish more enthusiasts would feel the same way and restore cars to the way they were actually built. A car doesn’t have to have a V-8 engine to be appreciated.