The Chevrolet Impala has been one of the leading passenger car models since it was first offered to the public in the 1958 model year. It has held that position for so long that it is hard to imagine that at one time in its long history of production that it was once also one of the top muscle cars in the '60s. The Super Sport designation had been offered to start in 1961, but not until the following year did the Impala gain a following due to a song by one of the most prominent bands of the '60s. Unfortunately, the music today is still listened to, but the car behind the words has been forgotten for the most part. Like many of the other great muscle cars of the time, the 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS has been overlooked and traded for a more fuel-efficient vehicle that can pass by a gas station without stopping. But, if muscle car enthusiasts are honest with themselves, that is to be expected from classic performance cars. The bigger the engine was, the more gas and air it would need to run effectively. Let's jump behind the driver's seat of this awesome car and learn some things that will bring the Impala SS back to life in our minds and regain a prized position within our hearts.

Related: 10 Classic Impalas That Are More Expensive Than A New Corvette C8

10 The Mighty 409 Big Block Was An Option For The Impala SS

A parked 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS
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When the 1960s rolled around, one of the most demanding sectors in the country was the car industry. People wanted more out of the cars they were buying, not just value for the dollar. They wanted to have some power under the hood. Power and torque that was better than their neighbors. Cars that could scream through a quarter-mile track and give street racers an adrenaline rush like no other. The 1962 Chevy Impala SS was created to offer this to their buyers by adding the option to have the big block 409 stuffed under the hood. An engine that could push out around 400 horsepower and a ground-pounding torque of 425 foot-pounds and could propel the car through the quarter-mile track in under 15 seconds.

9 Beach Boys Made The 1962 Impala SS Famous

A parked 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS
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The Beach Boys were arguably one of the most iconic bands in the 1960s and 1970s. Their extraordinary contributions to the music industry live on today through sites such as YouTube and Spotify. They liked to have fun; whether on the beach or cruising the drag, a song or two covered their adventures throughout their young lives. That is a discussion for another time, though. The music referred to in this list about the 1962 Chevy Impala SS is "409." It is now a rare engine to find, but back in '62, it was the biggest engine that could be stuffed under the hood of the Impala, giving the SS the power to match the looks. The song made the '62 Impala, as well as every other Chevy-produced car with the 409 as an option, famous to this day.

Related: A Detailed Look Back At The 1966 Chevrolet Impala

8 Impala With A 409 Only Offered Manual Transmission

A parked 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS convertible
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The base-level 1962 Chevrolet Impalas could be ordered with any manual or automatic transmission that could be found on the shelf. The Impala SS with the 409 engine was not so lucky, being limited to manual transmissions only. The power that the 409 offered needed to be paired to a transmission that could optimize the use of higher RPMs, which is why automatic transmissions were not used in any Impala produced with the 409. This is especially true for the owners that wanted to race down the strip or through town because the automatics in 1962 were simply not up to the task of surviving through a series of short, high RPM quarter-mile races.

7 1962 Impala Had Above Standard Luxury

A parked 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS
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General Motors Corporation has always had some top-of-the-line luxury models to offer on the market, but Chevy was not usually a classic car that could be expected to have such additions. Cadillac and Oldsmobile were the go-to cars if American luxury was wanted, but in 1962 the Chevy Impala could have been an option, especially if the buyer wished for some muscle behind the comfort. A customer could ask the dealership for plusher seats and have them installed before they picked the Impala SS up. Plus, an engine-inspired aluminum was used for trim and the iconic triple taillight assembly. Luxury was not the primary purpose of the Impala, but it could offer at least a taste of it.

Related: 10 Amazing Things About The First Generation Chevy Impala

6 '62 Impala SS Was Top For Full-Size 50th Anniversary

A parked 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS
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In 1958 the 50th Anniversary of GM vehicles was in full celebration, with every manufacturer under the umbrella corporation creating a special edition car. For Chevy, that car was the Chevrolet Bel-Air Impala. Through the next couple of years, the cars continued to promote the anniversary year, even up into 1961 and 1962, when the Impala SS was produced to appease the power-hungry public. The Impala SS was the top full-size car created to commemorate and honor the remarkable accomplishment of being in business for over 50 years and still going strong.

5 1962 Impala Was Redesigned And Lost Some Muscle Appearance

A parked 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS convertible
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The design for the Impala was not meant to be aggressive in the first place, but for the third generation of the car, things seemed to mellow out even more. The vehicle was switched from the X-shaped frame to the GM B platform, the same as the Buick LeSabre and the Pontiac Bonneville. They were designed for full-size passenger cars but still worked for the mighty muscle car options when the SS versions were opted for. The main change to the exterior design for the sport coupes was a change from the "bubble back" style to a "convertible" type look, which was popular with buyers. Still, it made a non-aggressive-looking car even more docile and tame. Thankfully, the power and torque of the 1962 Impala SS rose above its looks to surprise all takers on the strip.

Related: Why the 1996 Chevy Impala SS Was A True American Sports Sedan

4 The '62 Impala SS Was Available With Any Engine Choice

A parked 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS convertible
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Even though the SS version was the upgraded version of the base-level Chevrolet Impala, it could still be ordered with any engine that the production plants were set up to build. In 1962 the most popular for muscle car enthusiasts was the 409, which had a claimed horsepower rating of 385 with a four-barrel carburetor, and 402 horsepower when a second carb was added onto the intake. The next engine down that could be ordered was the 327 Turbo-Fire V8 which could produce between 250 and 300 horsepower, which was the perfect choice for the average street racer. The next options were the 283 V8 and the 235 inline six-cylinder, which gave enough power to get down the road but would not fulfill any adrenaline needs.

3 SS Option Was Available On Any Impala Trim Level

A parked 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS
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It would not be thought that when ordering an Impala, even the station wagon trim level, the buyer could upgrade it to the SS version. The buyer did not even have to go up in size with the motor installed under the hood because the 1962 Impala SS could be built with any size of engine in it. This is because the SS level of the Impala came with a few additions that were good for racing and daily driving. The Impala SS would come with unique colored aluminum trim and panels, vinyl-covered bucket seats that were leather soft, heavy-duty suspension, a tachometer, a locking console, and styled wheel covers. All for the low price of $156.

Related: Here's What Every Gearhead Should Know About The 1969 Chevrolet Impala SS

2 Impala SS Biggest Rivals Were Siblings

A parked 1962 Chevy Bel Air
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Throughout the '60s and the first part of the '70s, all three big Detroit American automakers were trying to achieve the top rung in the muscle car battles that took place daily on the streets across the nation. The 1962 Chevy Impala SS was a big car that was not as aerodynamic as the Chevy Bel Air, so many consumers that wanted a lighter car with better performance numbers went with the Bel Air, avoiding the Impala SS until the following year when the Chevy Bel Air sport coupe was discontinued. There were other rivals from the other two big carmakers, but when it came down to it, the biggest competitor that the Impala SS had was one of its own siblings, stifling sales for the 1962 year all the way down to around 100k cars built.

1 The Lightweight '62 Impala SS Is A Class Above

A parked 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS Lightweight
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The 1962 Impala SS was not light by any means, weighing in at 3,450 pounds straight off the assembly lines without any added options. In 1962 NHRA was one of the significant driving forces for the major automakers, which is the real reason that the 409 became available in the Impala. Chevy engineers that swayed more towards performance-based versions for the track decided to make a "Lightweight" Chevy Impala to tear up the tracks. They were not made for sale to the public, so there were only about 18 of these cars, which are claimed to have been upgraded to the Z-11 engine. This engine is unfamiliar to most, but it included rectangular intake ports, dual four-barrel carburetors, aluminum parts and pieces, raised cylinder heads, and upgraded camshaft and valves. The 1962 Lightweight Chevy Impala is one of those cars called a "unicorn" because they are hard to find, and when they are, they are not for sale.