1961 Chevrolet Impala

The 1961 Chevrolet Impala is known for pretty much one thing: the SS trim of the car. Of the 491,000 Impalas produced, only 453 were sold with the SS trim. Those lucky enough to get one could pull up next to any other car on the road and expect to leave them in a cloud of dust.

The 409-cubic-inch V8 was rated at 360 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and put out 409 pounds per foot of torque at 3,600 rpm. (See why they call them "the good ol' days"?) This Super Sport package cost just under $54 in 1961!

Restoration fanatics beware: The SS is not an easy core to restore. Since only 453 SSs were sold, parts can be very difficult to find.  

As for the remaining 490,507 non-SS Impalas, these were great cars as well. The base engine was a 348-cubic-inch V8 rated at 305 horsepower. They had lost the tailfins of earlier years, and had a more rocket-like look with smoother lines.