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Posting here because I don't belong to a '64 Impala forum, and from reading some of them, a whole lot of people on them have no clue at all, about anything..
I have seen two types of side trim on supposed SS model cars.
One type, is a single, wide (three piece per side) trim strip that is just below the door handles, and encompasses the door lock.
The second trim style, is a long thinner 7 piece per side "C" trim that surrounds the cove on each side, the top piece of the trim is below the door lock.
Are both correct? Maybe one was trim package upgrade?
or, were SS emblems added to a regular impala on one of the trim styles?
I'm no expert, I had a '64 Impala SS in the early eighties. I think the regular Impala had the mounding pieces that were thin and went around the cove and the SS had the wide spear with the engine-turned inserts with the SS emblem inset in the rear piece. But I could be wrong!
The "SS" package was a trim package. Look at a regular impala (if you can find one) and a known SS . This is from memory from years ago. I did have a friend who had the side mouldings done with graphics , Unless you touched it you couldn't tell . He passed and I have no pictures or idea what happened to the car.
The photo above is the Impala. The SS had the single wide strip along the top below the door handle. Had an Aqua blue with white interior
64 SS when in High School.
Thanks. I have seen several Impalas, with the SS emblems attached apparently later on in the cars life. Which is why i was confused.
I guess it was too much trouble to fill all the side trim holes that the "C" trim used to make it look more authentic, plus trim tag changing (IIRC there is diff trim tag number for a true SS model vs an Impala), so we have wannabe SS cars.
Back then, as a teenager, I never though about vin or tag identifying numbers, so I can't help there. Found this page online that should give you a lot of information/
Thanks. I have seen several Impalas, with the SS emblems attached apparently later on in the cars life. Which is why i was confused.
I guess it was too much trouble to fill all the side trim holes that the "C" trim used to make it look more authentic, plus trim tag changing (IIRC there is diff trim tag number for a true SS model vs an Impala), so we have wannabe SS cars.
Doug
Doug, I've spent time in the past discussing the '64 SS Impala with the gent I mentioned above. One of the most interesting things he told me about them was that GM did not keep records of the SS Impala's in 1964, or what options were included when they left the factory. So there is no real way to prove a particular Impala left the factory as an SS unless you have a completely documented paper trail from the original dealer on. There may be a few nuances that he didn't share, but essentially, if you know what you're doing it is an easy car to clone.
My uncle purchased a 1963 Impala SS 409 (340hp) new, back in the day and owned it for most of the rest of his life. He was always quite proud of that car and the the condition he kept it in.
Good luck, they are terrific looking cars... GUSTO
1964...
Biscayne--no side trim
Bel Air-- single spear center of the body below door lock
Impala-- upper and lower trim following the body side cove connected by a "C" molding at the end of the cove in the quarter panel
Impala SS-- single spear upper body in line with the door lock with engine turned accent insert
Trim tag ID can be found here-- https://www.tpocr.com/chevybp4.html
64 2dr hardtop(Sport Coupe) SS style number will be 64-1347 with a 6 cylinder, 64-1447 with a V8
OK I'll jump in here. I do know '64 Impala SS cars fairly well. I've had my cars judged and have done some judging in years past at National Impala Association events. I've owned as many as 3, 1964 Super Sports at the same time.
I just sold the '64 SS car seen above on BaT last Saturday, May 1 and I still have one '64 SS car remaining, also a 4 speed car. The car I sold wasn't pristine, terrible paint but it was solid mechanically, very presentable and pretty correct. Here's the link to the BaT auction:
There are lots of good pictures for you there. The cowl tag will tell you if the car was a Super Sport or just an Impala.
Look at the cowl tag decoded in my auction to see how to decode all of it, but only Super Sports were 1447 on the style line. In 1964, Super Sports were their model so GM knows how many were made, over 185,000. The factory options can also be found on the cowl tag, though dealers added many options themselves.
My car had old, dull paint, but all the trim is straight and correct, as is most of the interior for an SS car. Verne Frantz who recently passed away in February, fully documented this car.
The one I'm keeping is in the background.
Shoot me a PM Doug if you have any further questions. Cheers,
Been a long time ago but the single upper trim was for bucket seat cars and the bench seat cars had the wrap around trim
In 1970 I paid South Tacoma Chev 900dollars for a 64 vert with 41K a nice car. Times do change.
OK I'll jump in here. I do know '64 Impala SS cars fairly well. I've had my cars judged and have done some judging in years past at National Impala Association events. I've owned as many as 3, 1964 Super Sports at the same time.
I just sold the '64 SS car seen above on BaT last Saturday, May 1 and I still have one '64 SS car remaining, also a 4 speed car. The car I sold wasn't pristine, terrible paint but it was solid mechanically, very presentable and pretty correct. Here's the link to the BaT auction:
There are lots of good pictures for you there. The cowl tag will tell you if the car was a Super Sport or just an Impala.
Look at the cowl tag decoded in my auction to see how to decode all of it, but only Super Sports were 1447 on the style line. In 1964, Super Sports were their model so GM knows how many were made, over 185,000. The factory options can also be found on the cowl tag, though dealers added many options themselves.
My car had old, dull paint, but all the trim is straight and correct, as is most of the interior for an SS car. Verne Frantz who recently passed away in February, fully documented this car.
The one I'm keeping is in the background.
Shoot me a PM Doug if you have any further questions. Cheers,
Thomas
Hell yeah you sold an impala ss but you never answered the question… An original 64 ss what was the trim package it had??? The thicker machined trim or the thinner that wrapped around ???
05-05-2021, 04:22 PM
OT: 1964 Impala SS side trim questions
