POLL: Does a 1965 Impala look 50 million times better than a 2014 Impala? (Page 9): Most definitely. With VMFA 542 & VMFA 323 in Vietnam, 1966~67 and back again in 1968.

WereWolf1967 Loc: Knoxville, TN

Red Bear wrote:

Did you fly one? I had a business partner, USAF Lt. Col. (rtd) from about 1988 until 1993 that did two tours in SEA flying them.

Most definitely. With VMFA 542 & VMFA 323 in Vietnam, 1966~67 and back again in 1968.

Patriot66 Loc: Minnesota

PrairieSeasons wrote:

I do miss the styling of those cars (although the '57 Impala was the best and the '59 Impala the most iconic). Have you driven one of those old boats lately, though? I much prefer the starting, steering, braking, general suspension and long life of today's cars.

With all due respect the first Impala was a 1958. The top of the line Chev in 57 was the Belaire (sp?)

Red Bear

WereWolf1967 wrote:

Most definitely. With VMFA 542 & VMFA 323 in Vietnam, 1966~67 and back again in 1968.

Glad you got back. Welcome home. Marines, right? If you haven't watched me on here I was USAF NCO and I jumped outta perfectly good aircraft many times and places. Took a hit in Sept., 1967 and got 100% disability. BTW, my oldest and "bestest" friend going back to playing against each other in high school football (over 60 years ago) lives within 20 miles to this day. He is a Marine, 34 years active duty, retired Master Gunnery Sergeant. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

WereWolf1967 Loc: Knoxville, TN

Red Bear wrote:

Glad you got back. Welcome home. Marines, right? If you haven't watched me on here I was USAF NCO and I jumped outta perfectly good aircraft many times and places. Took a hit in Sept., 1967 and got 100% disability. BTW, my oldest and "bestest" friend going back to playing against each other in high school football (over 60 years ago) lives within 20 miles to this day. He is a Marine, 34 years active duty, retired Master Gunnery Sergeant. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Glad that we were both of service to our country.
Yes I was a Marine Naval Aviator, I did 6 years active and 2 in the reserves. I was an O-3 captain.

RichieC Loc: Adirondacks

I had an Impala, it was thirsty even with gas $.80 a gallon, but I had fun on those bench seats....

rplath60 Loc: Indianapolis

Neither one. I had a friend in high school who talked his father in getting him a 1958 anniversary gold Impala convertible. It was way cool. Of course, he couldn't afford it and had to beg all of us for gas money, which is how we managed to always be with him so much of the time as we tooled around town.

countryman60951 Loc: Bourbonnais, Il

Shutter Bugger wrote:

Is it just me, or does a 1965 Impala look 50 million times better than a 2014 Impala?

OH the 65 looks by far better. My favorite was the 1958 Chevy Impala. Why? Simple because it did not look like anything prior to or after. One of a kind as far as I know. I am sure there are some small things that it came from before but overall it is vastly different, inside and out. By the way a good picture of the 65.

bodacious Loc: Oregon

Shutter Bugger wrote:

Is it just me, or does a 1965 Impala look 50 million times better than a 2014 Impala?

Ah yes, back in the day when you could tell the brand and model of cars. Since the Japanese invasion of the auto industry all brands foreign and domestic look the same to me. I'll stick with our 47 Olds for fun and the remembrance of when a car was more than just a car. Thanks for the post. :thumbup: :thumbup: :lol: :lol:

Speedy Loc: Alabama

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: I agree . I owned a 65 Red Convertible back in early 80's. It was a nice ride and a lot of fun. When was the last time you had fun driving. Newer cars are nice to drive but when you are behind the wheel of a classic it just plan fun. I like driving my 57 Belair wind noise and all.

Speedy

akfishguide Loc: PA

How could you see the gauge with the quads in full use? Like a rocket sled on rails as I remember.

WereWolf1967 Loc: Knoxville, TN

Speedy wrote:

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: I agree . I owned a 65 Red Convertible back in early 80's. It was a nice ride and a lot of fun. When was the last time you had fun driving. Newer cars are nice to drive but when you are behind the wheel of a classic it just plan fun. I like driving my 57 Belair wind noise and all.

Speedy

I thoroughly enjoy driving the classics as well. I have an almost fully restored 1967 L-88 (yes there is such a car, not just the engine) Corvette that I acquired back in 1973 while on a vacation out west. The only thing not original is the all aluminum 427/430 HP L-88 (it was missing). So I've settled for a close second, a cast iron block and aluminum head 427 with a true L-88 dual plane high rise factory aluminum Chevy square port intake. On top is an 850 cfm Holley Double Pumper right from Chevrolet parts. That baby will raise goose bumps the size of golf balls on you when I'm pulling 7,000 rpm in the Vette. It's got 3.73 gears in the differential and at 7,000 rpm it indicates 165 mph on the calibrated speedometer. I think that the factory speedometer that goes to 200 mph is a bit optimistic. Maybe in its day in full racing trim it might have been able to do it but I won't push it that far. A neighbor of mine who is a Tennessee State Trooper and has driven it that fast says he wants our Governor to buy it from me for an "Interceptor".

WereWolf1967 Loc: Knoxville, TN

akfishguide wrote:

How could you see the gauge with the quads in full use? Like a rocket sled on rails as I remember.

Yes, it's a real rush, nearly as good as a cat shot off of the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk back in the 60's in an F-4.

Murray Loc: New Westminster

hopthecop wrote:

that 58 impala was the last decent auto Chevrolet made....
gm now stands for garbage motors....

I liked my '64 two door ht

Red Bear

WereWolf1967 wrote:

I thoroughly enjoy driving the classics as well. I have an almost fully restored 1967 L-88 (yes there is such a car, not just the engine) Corvette that I acquired back in 1973 while on a vacation out west. . . A neighbor of mine who is a Tennessee State Trooper and has driven it that fast says he wants our Governor to buy it from me for an "Interceptor".

WereWolf1967, with our back-and-forth, I've forgotten to mention that the grandson of the local Colorado Springs Chevy Dealer and I were the owners of the only (I think) 1965 Chevelle RPO Z16's sold in Colorado. Sorta fast cars. :lol: :lol: :thumbup: :thumbup:

bodacious Loc: Oregon

Speedy wrote:

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: I agree . I owned a 65 Red Convertible back in early 80's. It was a nice ride and a lot of fun. When was the last time you had fun driving. Newer cars are nice to drive but when you are behind the wheel of a classic it just plan fun. I like driving my 57 Belair wind noise and all.

Speedy

We have fun driving frequently, I think our 47 Olds is what people mean by Land Yacht, you don't really drive it, its more like floating it down the highway.