Found these on the LIFE magazine archive. Here's a link to the photos from this shoot: http://images.google.com/search?q=t...m=isch&ei=39K_T9eMLseKsAKAtK3pCQ&start=0&sa=N I don't have a 59-60 but have always liked 59 El Camino's. A friend in HS had a 348 tri-power, 4 speed, Camino that he'd built. Black laquer, chrome reverse rims, pancake moons, tuck n' roll and an 8 track. Anyways, post up your 59-60 Impala, Bel Air, Biscayne.. Pickups welcome too. What-cha got?? notice the painted exhaust manifolds.... but wait, I want a 4bbl carb Nevermind, I'll have the 348 please....... where's the tri-powers?
I think that out of the 100 or so pictures from Life magazine, the biggest revelation is the orange painted exhaust manifolds!! Who woulda thunk? Anyway, here's mine.
Outstanding post! Almost as cool as the 1936 Chevy being built movie. We had a 59 Sedan when I was young. Brings back memories. Yes orange exhaust manifolds, just was visiting a guy in ohio who has a 348, and the whole thing was orange. Man to go back in time and see the whole process. Guess the guy shooting paint didnt really need a respirator
And back in these days the GM cars would be hauled with a Chevrolet or GMC truck, Fords would be a Ford truck and Chrysler stuff would be by a Dodge truck. Now they are hauled on a Volvo!
Very neat pictures, man I'd love one of those 348's! That sedan delivery is cool to see too. Here's my winged wonder....
Here is a nice 348 powered 59 Impala I sold this summer for a friend of mine to Sweden to a real nice young family who are really stoked about taking it to car events next summer.
Guess the guy shooting paint didnt really need a respirator [/quote] Nope, he died of paint coated lungs just before retiring. One way to keep from paying retirement benefits. That's what happened to many of the auto workers before OSHA mandated safety. I've got about 20% of my hearing left because of working in a forging dept. with no hearing protection. When I started with GM in 1962 safety glasses were the only protection they provided for their workers. Frank
348 engines offered in 1959 4bbl engines: 300, 305, & 320 horsepower Tri-power 348's 315hp 335hp Introduced Feb '60 for '59 he total 348 production estimate is 40,000. Solid lifter versions: 8,000 Terry Prince's 1960 Chevy 320HP 348 13.37 @ 105 MPH at the 1962 Winternats for the B/stock win.
My buddy Meg-lite is having a cool 60 convert built. I keep bugging him to post pictures, but he hasn't, so check it out here: www.streettoysmx.com/60impala. BTW, it's Meg-lite's birthday today. Happy Birthday, Cabron!
Man, I loved those old factory pics, Especialy the one of the guy painting without a mask!!!!Feel bad 4 him, but then again he probley kept a big ass stoagie in his mouth all day, as those were the days... Here's my contributions, A 60' impala that I admired 20 years ago in high school, came back my way after all those years for 100 bones $. I got it running great, but it was too rusted out to keep so I started searching and found this 59 biscayne cheap on ebay... It was missing nearly everything other than the new floors that someone had recently put in but everything just so happened to be what the 60 had left in it. the 59 now runs like a dream. But boy, was the tow truck driver pissed when he saw what I had for him to tow. I wouldn't let him tag it on the back and he was barely able to get it up on the bed. Too long and too low.....
Boy, what was I sayin??? I should of been thanking this guy post humously for painting my car... I wonder what he thought of "Cameo Coral metallic". Or how it tasted back then.
The Jalopy Journal
