Chevrolet Impala 3rd Gen

The 3rd generation Impala, built from 1961 to 1964, represented a significant design shift for Chevrolet. It shed the fins of the '50s for cleaner, more modern styling. The 1961 2-door hardtop is famous for its thin-pillared "bubble top" roofline, a one-year-only feature that's highly prized by collectors. From 1962, the hardtop coupe adopted a more formal, convertible-inspired roofline. This generation also saw the birth of a legend: the Super Sport (SS) package, which, when paired with the new 409 cubic inch V8, created one of the first true muscle cars.

Collectibility is driven by body style and powertrain. The '61 "bubble top" and all convertibles command a premium. The most desirable models are factory-documented Super Sports with a 409 V8 and a 4-speed manual transmission. These cars defined early '60s drag racing and street performance, cementing their place in automotive history. Less common wagons and sedans offer a more accessible entry point into ownership of this classic full-size Chevrolet.

The market for 3rd gen Impalas is broad and mature. An average sale price sits near $38,000, but this figure masks a huge spread. At the bottom, you'll find 4-door sedans and project cars for under $10,000. At the top end, pristine, numbers-matching SS 409 convertibles and bubble tops can exceed $200,000. The majority of clean 2-door hardtops with small-block V8s trade consistently between $30,000 and $60,000.

Prices for the 3rd generation Impala range from $3,200 for projects to $215,000 for concours-quality SS 409 examples.