55 years of improvements ...

"John Norris (AngryDrifter)" (angrydrifter) 09/17/2016 at 00:54 • Filed to: None

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Style is not one of them. I think the 1961 Impala’s got it all over the 2016 Impala. Sure, the ‘61's got no back up camera, no air bags, no crumple zones, no collapsing steering column, ah, no seat belts ... but yes style. Plenty, plenty of style.

I’m visiting family in Chicago. My Nephew there has a not perfect, but really cool, 1961 Impala hard top. It’s got a numbers matching 283 2 bbl with a powerglide. He let me drive it. It is a great car. I think I need one. Here are a few photos.

AfromanGTO > John Norris (AngryDrifter) 09/17/2016 at 01:04

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Improvements isn’t the word I’d use. Degradation is more like it.

wafflesnfalafel > John Norris (AngryDrifter) 09/17/2016 at 01:05

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Parked right off Route 66 after making the run between Flagstaff and Winslow at something above triple digits this past summer. Will that ‘61 kick down a gear at 85?

RallyWrench > John Norris (AngryDrifter) 09/17/2016 at 01:11

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There are few things in life as cool as old American cruisers. Safety is great, but supreme style and kickass engines are greater.

Birddog > wafflesnfalafel 09/17/2016 at 01:20

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The latest Imp is a really nice machine.

Birddog > John Norris (AngryDrifter) 09/17/2016 at 01:22

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That 61 has all types of crumple zones. The X frame lets any portion of the passenger compartment crumple like a foil ball.

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > wafflesnfalafel 09/17/2016 at 01:25

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Seeing as the powerglide only has two gears, no, no it won’t. I’m not sure it will get to 85 either. But it was a blast to drive anyway.

wafflesnfalafel > Birddog 09/17/2016 at 01:29

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It’s a little boaty around town I thought, but out on the road, damn, that newer 3.6 v6 pulls hard all the way to the limiter. Awesome seats too.

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > Birddog 09/17/2016 at 01:30

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If you look at the last picture there’s a 2016 Impala in the driveway that Avis owns but I am driving this weekend. Last night on the first drive out of the Avis parking lot, we couldn’t get the display screen for the radio/backup camera/all other digital stuff to work. It worked okay this morning and this evening but so far, at least until the reliability batting average creeps up a bit, I’m not real impressed.

Birddog > John Norris (AngryDrifter) 09/17/2016 at 01:41

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My pops is holding on to his 2011 Imp. The reliability is there and it drives ok. But good god, it’s dated on the outside and just horrible inside.

There’s been progress.

X37.9XXS > John Norris (AngryDrifter) 09/17/2016 at 09:15

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61= parochial school

59= pure, raw, pagan sex

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > X37.9XXS 09/17/2016 at 10:21

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By 1961 everyone had calmed down a bit. Everyone was going over the top with fins in 1959. I think Chevrolet did over-the-top correctly with the 59.

Where Chrysler just went over-the-top.

And Ford couldn’t choose between pointy fins and round stuff.

X37.9XXS > John Norris (AngryDrifter) 09/18/2016 at 11:11

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And, of course, the Megalodon