There were only two times Chevrolet introduced a high-performance full-size car in the 1960s. What about the Impala SS? Most of the time, it was a trim package, available with a six or V8, so no. However, the Z24 package that was introduced for 1967 certainly counts. A convertible that has that option is our Pick of the Day. This 1967 Chevrolet SS 427 convertible is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller out of Candler, North Carolina.
The first full-size Chevrolet performance car was the 1961 Impala SS. If you glance at the specs for the SS package, you’ll notice there was a big-block engine requirement – in this case, a 305-horsepower 348 backed by a four-speed or Powerglide. Variants offering 340 or 350 horses were also available. Other Super Sport features included a consolette (with a four-speed), passenger assist bar, electric tachometer, padded instrument panel, special wheel covers with simulated knock-offs, power steering and brakes, sintered metallic brake linings, heavy-duty suspension, and special SS ornamentation. Believe it or not, this package was available on all five Impala models, including four-doors. Only 456 were built, plus possibly several more packages installed at dealerships.
Starting in 1962, the SS package was repurposed. Now only available on the Impala Sport Coupe (hardtop) and Convertible, the package consisted of bucket seats, a console with a locking compartment, a passenger assist bar, special wheel covers with simulated knock-off hubs, distinctive side molding inserts, and Super Sport identification. Engine choices ranged from the inline-six to the 409-horsepower 409. This basic theme, either as a package or individual model, would continue through 1968.
Starting in 1967, a performance-focused Impala made an appearance for the second time. Order an Impala SS Sport Coupe or Convertible with the Z24 package and your car would be transformed into the SS 427. Akin to the SS 396 model in the Chevelle’s roster, this package included an L36 385-horsepower 427 paired with a three-speed manual, special hood with ornamentation, unique 427 emblems and SS 427 badging, F40 suspension, Super Sport wheel covers, special gauges, Strato-bucket or Strato-back front seating with a center arm rest, and more. This package was available through 1969, with the L72 427/425 added for 1968-69.
This Ermine White 1967 Chevrolet SS 427 Convertible is quite a rare piece: 2,141 Impalas were built with the Z24 package, and there’s no telling how many were ragtops. Aside from being a standout unto itself, there are several other aspects that distinguish this car even more. According to the seller, it was an executive-ordered car, which was then put in GM’s car pool with 1,500 miles. The owner of Berger (burr-jurr) Chevrolet (one of America’s premiere high-performance Chevrolet dealerships) selected it as his summer car, making several personalized modifications along the way. He subsequently put it on his used car lot.
Options include air conditioning, special instrumentation, Strato-back seating with Custom seat belts, a three-spoke steering wheel on a tilt column, a Multiplex stereo with an 8-track tape player, power windows, a TH400 automatic, Rallye wheels (it has 15-inch x 8-inch Corvette wheels, which are supposedly original), and the very rare D96 stripes (one of 200), which were only available on cars with the Z24 package. “Frame-off, nut-and-bolt restoration,” the seller claims. “Complete rebuild of the 385-horse engine,” though the transmission has never been apart.
Nineteen sixty-seven was one of the best years for Chevrolet—note the strength of its styling for all models, from the Chevy II to the Corvair, Camaro, Chevelle, and full-sizers. If you are a big-car fan, here’s an example that has all the good stuff (note the data plate’s accessory codes, including the 4D for the Z24 package), an interesting history several times over, plus a blue top that goes down. Do you really want to experience the summer rays without this Bow Tie? It’ll cost you $110,000 for the privilege.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
