The Rarest Impala Body Style Ever Created
The 1961 Chevrolet Impala 2-door sedan stands as the most uncommon Impala configuration in the model’s history. For reasons that remain puzzling, Chevrolet decided to offer its premium Impala trim in the typically conservative 2-door body style, a design normally reserved for the budget-friendly Bel Air and Biscayne models. With only 11,719 units manufactured—representing less than 1% of all full-size Chevrolets produced in 1961—these vehicles have become true automotive rarities.
The Mysterious Super Sport Connection
Theoretically, one could have ordered the newly introduced Super Sport package (launched in spring 1961) on one of these distinctive models. Unlike subsequent years, the 1961 SS package was available on any Impala variant except station wagons—including 4-door sedans, hardtops, and the elusive 2-door sedan. Whether any 2-door sedan SS models were actually constructed remains a question without definitive authoritative answers, though at least one vehicle has been marketed with such claims, which we’ll examine in this article.
A Personal Fascination with Flying Roofs
As an enthusiast of GM’s flying roof design, I developed a significant fascination with the 1961 Impala 2-door sedan during my young age precisely because of its scarcity.
I’ve always wondered whether an SS version was ever manufactured—now I have some answers.
The Three Distinctive Roof Designs of 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS
Chevrolet specifically highlighted “A Choice of 3 new Roof Lines” available on the 1961 Impala lineup.
The “bubbletop” 2-door hardtop garnered the majority of attention, both then and now. Today, these models command at least a 100% premium over other body configurations.
GM’s bubbletops originated in 1959. Based on concept designs for a different coupe roof for the ’61 Impala, it appears the company considered discontinuing this style. They eventually did retire it from the Impala line one year later, but took a different design direction for 1962.
The innovative four-door hardtop actually represented the most forward-looking design, previewing GM’s future roof direction with more traditional profiles and broader C-pillars—a style that would emerge on the new convertible-inspired coupe roof in 1962.
The glass-heavy, fin-dominated aesthetic of the late fifties was gradually disappearing.
Yet my appreciation for the flying wing roof style that debuted in 1959 wasn’t quite ready to fade.
Personal Connection to the Flying Wing Design
My admiration for this style was ultimately fulfilled when my brother gifted me my first vehicle, a ’63 Corvair Monza 4-door sedan, complete with the flying wing roof. The Corvair maintained this roof design through 1964—a style that looked impressive then and retains its appeal today.
While the full-size Chevy 4-doors seemed somewhat bland for my taste, the 2-door featured a distinctive flair, especially in Impala trim with its additional simulated exhaust outlets and typical Impala embellishments.
Visibility was, of course, exceptional. And passengers avoided sunburned necks unlike those riding in the back seat of a bubbletop.
The 1961 Chevrolet: Leaner and More Efficient
The 1961 Chevrolets were slightly trimmer in all dimensions, reflecting the reality that Detroit had overreached starting in 1957 just as a recession struck and large vehicles suddenly lost appeal.
The ’61 full-size GM vehicles were actually taller and offered improved interior space utilization. Perhaps the lingering recession mindset prompted offering the 2-door sedan in the Impala lineup?
Understanding the Rarity
Consider just how scarce the ’61 Impala 2-door sedan truly is. With Chevrolet producing approximately 1,194,000 full-size vehicles in 1961, those 11,719 2-door Impala sedans represent just under 1% of all ’61 full-size Chevys and slightly over 2% of all Impalas.
Some examples have survived; this is the only unmodified one I could locate online, featured in someone’s photographs of their vehicle offered at North Shore Classics several years ago.
It’s equipped with the very common 170 hp two-barrel 283 V8 and Powerglide transmission. It also features power steering. Surprisingly, the one I owned in my imagination back then had the 230 hp 4-barrel 283 and the 4-speed T-10 manual transmission. Why I didn’t opt for the larger 348 engine in my mental customizations is forgotten, but I had an appreciation for the high-revving 283, and I recognized even then that it would deliver better handling with reduced weight over the front wheels. I was never particularly impressed with the 348, which never matched the small block’s reputation. The 409 became available late in the model year, but realistically, almost all went to racers, as only 142 were manufactured.
Let’s appreciate this fine survivor, and acknowledge that it hasn’t been resto-modded or converted into an SS clone, unlike the example we’ll discuss shortly. But first, let’s examine the actual 1961 Impala SS.
The Original 1961 Impala Super Sport
It’s very important to understand that the ’61 SS package differed significantly from what it became in 1962 and later years, when it evolved into strictly a trim package with no mechanical enhancements over a standard Impala, available even with six-cylinder engines.
The ’61 represented a serious attempt to create an all-around high-performance sport sedan/coupe; it bears the unmistakable influence of Zora Arkus-Duntov. He allowed some journalists to drive a specially-equipped ’59 sedan a couple years earlier—it was a genuine performer. Chevrolet even advertised a similarly equipped version.
In 1961, Dan Gurney believed he could defeat a field of Jaguar MkIIs and others to claim the British Saloon Championship. He ordered a 409 coupe with heavy-duty police suspension and brakes, along with several other performance upgrades. During its first competition at Silverstone, Gurney qualified the Impala on pole position, lapping the circuit 1.2 seconds faster than Graham Hill in a 3.8-liter Jaguar. Gurney led most of the race, proving a saloon-car lap record in the process. However, two laps from the finish, Gurney’s right rear wheel detached, forcing his retirement and giving victory to Hill.
Gurney installed sturdier NASCAR wheels and was prepared to compete again at Silverstone, but race organizers disqualified him, almost certainly due to intense pressure from Jaguar. The powerful Chevrolet was embarrassing them on their home turf.
The high-performance Impala remained in storage for decades before being returned to the United States and fully restored a few years ago.
The Versatile Super Sport Package
Interestingly, the SS package was available across all Impala body styles except station wagons. They even featured the four-door hardtop in promotional materials. This reinforced its image as a sports sedan rather than merely a drag strip special (where the lighter Bel Air and Biscayne were preferred). It came standard with a choice of 305, 340, or 350 hp 348 V8 engines and 4-speed floor-shift manual transmission (the 305 hp version was also available with Powerglide). Additional features included special badges and interior accents, a passenger “grab bar,” electric tachometer, full wheel covers with decorative knock-off hubs, large 8.00 x 14 narrow-band whitewall tires, power steering, power brakes, sintered-metallic brake linings, and heavy-duty front and rear suspension “to ensure true sports car handling.” Somewhat ironically, bucket seats—which would become the hallmark of later SS models—were neither included nor available.
This comprehensive package proved too ambitious; only 453 Impalas were designed with the SS package in 1961.
Of those, the vast majority were 2-door sports coupes, though some convertibles were manufactured as well. There is no completely reliable breakdown of these various ’61 SS body styles, but the generally accepted consensus is that no 4-doors were ever built or documented. Regarding the 2-door sedan, there’s no evidence that any were ever produced, despite certain claims to the contrary.
It seems highly unlikely that any were ordered in this configuration, as the 2-door body style in the Biscayne series tended to be favored by racers seeking the lightest and most affordable platform for the 348 or 409 engines. All components of the 1961 SS package were also available as individual options on all ’61 Chevrolets; in fact, the SS package essentially bundled several mandatory options on top of a $53 basic supplemental charge.
That base fee presumably covered the distinctive badges and similar cosmetic elements.
The tachometer was essentially an aftermarket unit sold through Chevrolet, but it offered far better readability than many impractical tachometers soon mounted on the front section of numerous consoles. A small “console” surrounded the floor shifter for the 4-speed transmission. Exclusive silver trim adorned the doors and related areas.
The Counterfeit 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS 2-Door Sedan
Regarding the fake 1961 Impala SS 2-door sedan mentioned earlier, here it is. It sold on Bring-A-Trailer in 2023 for $44,409. The surprising aspect is that challenges to the car’s authenticity didn’t emerge in the comments until extremely late in the bidding process, some not until after the sale concluded.
The seller, representing a deceased friend, presented “documentation” claiming the vehicle was ordered and raced at Pikes Peak by a mechanic at a local Chevrolet dealer in Colorado Springs, but nothing actually verified those assertions. And the story doesn’t make logical sense regardless.
