Impala or Not?

[LMH]

Im looking to buy a car and its listed as a 1963 Chevy Impala 4 door Hardtop. However the rear end has the 2 tail light on each side instead of 3 and theres not that big piece of trim around the tail lights above the rear bumper. Is it really an impala or is it mislabled as another model from 63? Any help would be great, thanks!

[bigrod118]

ummm link would help so we can look at it too. its hard to say just by hearing about it.

[tbuckit1]

Sounds like Bel-Air trim to me. ALL Impalas of that year had six taillights and also the aluminum trim covering the back panel surrounding the taillights. Also, the Impala had side trim on the lower portion of the body, extending from the rear bumper, just above the rear wheel opening, to the front fender, just behind the front wheel opening. The Bel-Air had a chrome(aluminum) moulding just below the upper body crease, that would be just below the side windows, extending all the way from the rear part of the rear quarter, to the very front of the front fenders.

The dash trim on the Impala would also be different from the Bel-Air, as well as wheelcovers and other minor trim mods.

The taillights and side trim are the most noticable at a glance.

Hope this helps,
tbuckit1

['97ventureowner]

I also would say it's a Bel Air. I own a '64 2 dr hardtop and it also has 2 taillights on each side instead of 3. When I purchased the car back in 1992 it had very little of the chrome trim on the car, so I couldn't help you much in that area, but I do know there wasn't trim around the taillights like tbuckit1 says. These cars are constantly being mistaken for Impalas of the same year as not a month goes by when someone stops by my house asking if the Impala on the side of the driveway is for sale. Or when I'm driving it, I'm asked what year my Impala is. I'm always telling those who inquire, the difference between the Impala and the Bel Air in the number of taillights.

[Gems]

Sounds like a Bel Air to me also... I had a '64 Bel Air and many people would call it an Impala until they looked more closely... Or maybe it's a Biscayne?... If I remember correctly during those years there were three trim levels... Biscayne, Bel Air and then Impala...

Damn I'm getting old!!!!

[tbuckit1]

I know what you mean about getting old, Gems. Thinking back, I think maybe the model with the side trim running front to back along the upper body line is the Biscayne. The Bel-Air had the side trim in the same location as the Impala, but the Impala had a plain aluminum insert in its side trim, which was repeated on the dash and rear taillight insert, while the SS had faux engine turned aluminum inserts in the same places. The Bel-Air had no taillight insert, with only four taillights, and the side trim was just plain with no inserts at all.

tbuckit1

[ole69]

BelAir Biscayne or Belvedere not an impala

# Bel Air (1950 - 1976)
# Biscayne (1958 - 1972)
# Caprice (1965 - 1996, North American market)
# Caprice (1970s, South African market, rebadged Holden Statesman)
# Caprice (1999? - Current, Middle East market, rebadged Holden Statesman)
# Impala (1958 - 1985, 1994 - 1996, 2000 - Current)



errrrr Something like that..................

[knuckle]

Originally Posted by LMH

Im looking to buy a car and its listed as a 1963 Chevy Impala 4 door Hardtop. However the rear end has the 2 tail light on each side instead of 3 and theres not that big piece of trim around the tail lights above the rear bumper. Is it really an impala or is it mislabled as another model from 63? Any help would be great, thanks!

That would be a Bel-Air, the four door HARDTOP was only available in Bel-Air or Impala trim. The trim level you are describing is Bel-Air.

[57chevyragtop]

Didn't the 63 Impala also have chrome trim rings on the lenses as well? Bel Air and Biscayne were plain as I remember them...and for ole 69 above the Belvedere was a Plymoth, not Chevy. 63's were one of the sweetest though, especially the convertable. Bring the big bucks these days. A trivia q for ya...first year for Impala model was???