Why This Car Is Special

The 1965 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport is one of the most complete expressions of what Chevrolet's full-size performance lineup had to offer in the mid-1960s. By 1965, the Impala had become the best-selling car in America, and the Super Sport package elevated it above the standard lineup with a dedicated set of interior and exterior distinctions that set it apart at the dealership and on the street. This particular 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS is a Sport Coupe — the pillarless hardtop body style — finished in red over a matching all-red vinyl interior, carrying the 327 cubic inch V8 backed by a Turbo-Hydramatic 3-speed automatic with a floor-mounted shifter. The combination of the SS package, the console, the 327, and a single-color red-on-red presentation makes this a well-optioned example of one of the most recognizable American cars of its era.

The VIN on this car decodes to confirm it was built as a genuine Super Sport. The fourth and fifth characters identify it as a 1965 Impala SS Sport Coupe (model 66837), and the engine code within the VIN sequence confirms the 327 V8. This is not a base Impala wearing SS badges — it is a factory Super Sport.

For context, Chevrolet sold over 243,000 Impala SS units for the 1965 model year, which was the final year the full-size SS lineup could be ordered across multiple body styles before the Super Sport designation was dropped to coupe-only configurations going forward. The 1965 model year also represented the last of the "classic" Impala body generation before the 1966 refresh, which makes it a natural stopping point for collectors who want the cleanest version of the mid-sixties full-size Chevy design.

The 327 small block is among the most respected engines Chevrolet produced in this era. It shared its basic architecture with the Corvette's 327 and was available in multiple states of tune in 1965. Paired here with the Turbo-Hydramatic automatic and a floor shifter console, it delivers a relaxed but capable driving experience — enough performance to be engaging on the road without demanding the mechanical attention a big block would require.

Features List

- 327 cubic inch V8 engine, painted in factory Chevy orange/red - Turbo-Hydramatic 3-speed automatic transmission - Floor-mounted shifter with SS console - Console-mounted clock - Manifold vacuum gauge - Power steering - Power brakes - Dual exhaust - Red vinyl front and rear bench seats - Red carpet throughout - Red headliner - SS emblems on door panels - SS badge on grille - SS badge on trunk lid - "Super Sport" fender script - "327" fender badge with crossed flags emblem - Impala SS wheel covers - Whitewall tires - Chrome front and rear bumpers - Delco AM radio - Front and rear seat belts - Independent front coil spring suspension - Rear coil spring suspension - Coated and undercoated floor pans - Solid undercarriage

Mechanical

The 327 cubic inch small block V8 is dressed in factory Chevy orange/red engine paint and presents well in the engine bay. The block, intake, and valve covers carry the correct finish, and the overall engine compartment appearance is consistent with a car that has been maintained and cared for rather than neglected and patched. The Turbo-Hydramatic transmission — Chevrolet's improved automatic that replaced the earlier two-speed Powerglide in higher-spec applications — shifts through three gears cleanly via the floor-mounted console shifter.

Power steering and power brakes are both present, which is a meaningful combination on a full-size car of this weight. The 1965 Impala's suspension uses an independent front coil spring setup with an upper and lower A-arm arrangement, and coil springs at the rear as well — an unusual choice for the era, as most domestic manufacturers were still using leaf springs out back. This four-wheel coil spring setup gave the full-size Chevrolet a noticeably smoother ride than many of its competitors. The undercarriage has been coated and undercoated, and the floor pans are solid. Dual exhaust exits the car correctly for the SS application. The underside photos show a clean, coated structure without the rot or patchwork that disqualifies so many cars of this age from serious consideration.

Interior

The interior of this 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS is done entirely in red — red vinyl bench seats front and rear, red carpet, and a red headliner. The consistency of the color throughout the cabin is a defining characteristic of this car. The seating surfaces show the vertical pleat pattern typical of the 1965 Impala SS interior, and the vinyl retains its shape and structure without the cracking or collapse that comes with sixty years of sun and heat in an unprotected car.

The SS-specific door panels each carry the factory SS medallion set into a brushed aluminum trim plate, which was a Super Sport exclusive in 1965. The instrument panel is the standard Impala configuration for this year — a horizontal speedometer cluster with a round gauge pod to the left housing the fuel and temperature gauges. A separately mounted manifold vacuum gauge is installed on the driver's side dash, a period accessory that added an actual data point for monitoring engine load and efficiency. The Delco AM radio sits in the center of the dash, flanked by chrome knobs, with the correct Chevrolet bowtie logo on the face.

The center console runs between the front bench seats and houses the Turbo-Hydramatic floor shifter and a round clock with an SS emblem. This console configuration is one of the visual hallmarks of the Impala SS and gives the interior a sporting character without removing the full-width seating of the bench setup. Front and rear seat belts are present. The rear seat shows the full-width bench with the Impala's distinctive sculpted vinyl backrest, centered with a chrome impala leaping deer emblem — one of the more elegant interior details Chevrolet produced in this era.

Exterior

The 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS Sport Coupe body style — the two-door hardtop with no B-pillar — is widely considered the most attractive body configuration in the 1961–1965 full-size Chevrolet run. The roofline flows cleanly into the rear quarters without the interruption of a center post, and the greenhouse is large enough to give the car an airy, open look from any angle. The 1965 body represented the last iteration of the design language introduced on the 1961 models and refined through several cycles, arriving at what many consider its most polished form.

This car is finished in red, which pairs directly with the matching red interior. The chrome front bumper carries the SS badge in the grille, a correct placement for the 1965 Super Sport. The trunk lid carries an SS emblem as well, flanked by the four round taillights — a signature element of every Impala from 1961 through 1964 that carried over in modified form into 1965. The rear bumper is chrome and presents without significant damage or distortion. On the front fenders, this car wears the correct "Super Sport" script in chrome and the "327" badge with crossed flags underneath — details that are present and accounted for on both sides.

Wheel coverage comes from Impala SS-specific full wheel covers, which have a different design from the standard Impala units. White sidewall tires complete the period-correct look. The undercarriage photos confirm what you want to see on a car of this age: coated floor pans with solid structure, properly routed dual exhaust, a clean rear axle housing, and intact suspension components on all four corners.

Conclusion

The 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS is at a place in the collector market where solid, honest examples with the right factory options continue to hold their ground. This car has the factory Super Sport credentials confirmed in the VIN, the correct 327 V8, the floor-shift console, power steering, power brakes, and a complete red-on-red interior that shows well and remains structurally intact. The undercarriage is solid. The exterior badging is complete and correct. For a buyer who wants a full-size mid-sixties Chevrolet that drives, shows, and represents the era authentically — without the complication of a numbers-matching big block or the expense of a frame-off show car — this 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS is a direct and honest option.

To arrange a viewing or ask questions about this 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS, call Skyway Classics in Sarasota, Florida at 941-254-6608.

Disclaimer Information found on the website is presented as given to us by the owner of the car, whether on consignment or from the owner we bought it from. Some Photos, materials for videos, descriptions and other information are provided by the consignor/seller and is deemed reliable, but Skyway Classics does not warranty or guarantee this information. Skyway Classics is not responsible for information that may incorrect or a publishing error. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the vehicle or by a professional inspection service prior to offer or purchase being made.