3-speed manual (standard, 1971–1972 on all six-cylinder cars) 3-speed Turbo-Hydramaticautomatic (optional 1971–1972 on six-cylinder cars; standard on V-8 powered cars from mid-1971 onwards) 2-speed Powerglide automatic (optional on 1971–1972 six-cylinder and small-block V8 engines)
The fifth generation of the Chevrolet Impala is a line of full-size cars produced by Chevrolet from the 1971 to 1976 model years. The largest generation of the model line, the fifth-generation Impala grew to a 121.5-inch wheelbase (125 inches for station wagons)
The Impala was offered as a four-door pillared sedan, four-door hardtop (sport sedan), two-door custom coupe (sharing its formal roofline with the Caprice), two-door sport coupe (semi-fastback roofline, shared with other B-body coupes), and two-door convertible.
By the end of its production, the fifth-generation Impala had transitioned from a higher-trim version of the full-size Chevrolet sedan line to its base vehicle, as Chevrolet had ended sales of the Biscayne and Bel Air in the United States. For 1977, the Impala became the first primary sedan line of the Big Three automakers to undergo downsizing.
History
Overview
The 1971 redesigned B-body would be the largest car ever offered by Chevrolet. All 1971 Chevrolet engines featured lower compression ratios to permit the use of regular leaded, low lead or unleaded gasoline of at least 91 octane rating per GM corporate mandate in anticipation of the catalytic converters planned for 1975 and later models which necessitated the use of unleaded fuel. A high-performance big block V8 was available in the form of the Turbo-Jet 454, which produced 365hp in 1971, but power decreased as the years went along. The 1970s marked the impact of the 1973 energy crisis with gasoline prices doubling from 1973 through 1979 and industry car sales plummeted 20 percent between 1973 and 1974. For the first time in recent history, annual passenger car travel in the U.S. declined. The Impala's sales dropped to 176,376 units in 1975, the weakest since its introduction in 1958. An Econominder gauge package was offered for 1975 and 1976 models.[2]
1971
1971 Impala models offered the same body styles as previous years. Newly standard features included power front disc brakes, inside hood release, and a revised Astro-Ventilation system that utilized air distribution grills in the trunklid. The new body featured a double panel roof for improved rollover protection and flush exterior door handles - both features previously introduced on the 1970½ Camaro.
1971 Impala Sport Coupe
Engine offerings included the base 145-horsepower, 250 cubic-inch Turbo Thrift six-cylinder[3] (available only on the Impala four-door sedan as well as the lower-line Biscayne and Bel Air sedans) and 245-horsepower 350 cubic-inch Turbo Fire V-8 (standard on Impala Sport Sedan, Sport Coupe, Custom Coupe, convertible and Kingswood wagon, and optional on the sedan). Optional engines included the 255-horsepower 400 cubic-inch Turbo Fire V-8 (the standard Caprice and Kingswood Estate engine), 300-horsepower 400 cubic-inch Turbo Jet V8 and 365-horsepower 454 cubic-inch V-8. Early in the model year, all Impalas came standard with three-speed column shift manual transmissions and manual steering as standard equipment, with power steering and one of two automatic transmissions optional. During the first months of the model year, the three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic automatic transmission was optional with all engines while the two-speed Powerglide could be ordered with the 250 6 or 350 V-8s. At mid-year the Turbo-Hydramatic and variable-ratio power steering became standard equipment on all V-8 powered full-sized Chevrolets.
Station wagons featured a 'clamshell' design where the rear power-operated glass slid up into the roof as the tailgate (manually or with power assist), dropped below the load floor. The power tailgate, the first of its kind, ultimately supplanted the manual tailgate which required marked effort to lift from storage. This design was shared with other full-sized GM wagons from Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Buick. Subsequent generations reverted to the door-gate style for its full-size wagons. As expected, 1971 Impala production was well below 1970 totals due to the 67-day corporate wide strike at General Motors[4] that began in September, 1970 after initial 1971-model production began and would not end until November. Impala production ended up at 427,000 units including 2,300 with six-cylinder engines and 425,400 with V8 with other series production totals including Caprice, 91,300; Biscayne, 37,600; Bel Air, 20,000; and station wagons (all series), 91,300.
1972
1972 Chevrolet Impala Sport Sedan
The 1972 Impala introduced a lower height grille which extended below the bumper and revised taillights now set in the bumper. 1972 saw the last Impala convertible, the following year moving to the top-of-the-line Caprice Classic.[5] The Impala ragtop sold 6,456 units, placing fourth with just under 9% of the market, right behind the Corvette 6,508, and the Cutlass Supreme's 11,571, while remaining ahead of the Mustang's 6,401.[6] Total Impala production for 1972 ended up at 597,500 units and other series totals included Caprice, 178,500; Biscayne (in its final year), 20,500; Bel Air, 41,900; and station wagons, 171,700.[7] The 250-cubic-inch six-cylinder engine was offered in Impala four-door sedans and sport coupes along with a three-speed manual transmission and manual steering at the very beginning of the model year with 1,500 Impala sixes built. After the short run of early-1972 six-cylinder Impalas were built in the fall of 1971, the six-cylinder engine and three-speed manual transmission were relegated to low-line Biscayne and Bel Air sedans. For most of the 1972 model year, all Impalas were V-8 powered and came standard with Turbo Hydramatic transmission, power steering and power front disc brakes. The standard Impala engine was now the 165-net 350-cubic-inch Turbo Fire V8 with optional engines including the 170-horsepower, 400-cubic-inch Turbo Fire V-8 (the base Caprice/Kingswood Estate engine), 240-horsepower, 400-cubic-inch Turbo Jet V-8 (rated at 215 horsepower on station wagons) or the 270-horsepower, 454-cubic-inch Turbo Jet V-8 – these were the engine offerings in 49 states; in California the only engines offered were the 165-horsepower 350 and 170-horsepower 400 Turbo Fire small-block V8s due to that state's much stricter emission regulations. The Astro Ventilation system was redesigned for 1972 with the vents relocated from the trunk lid to the doorjambs for improved reliability and efficiency over the troublesome 1971 system that was a major source of complaints from owners to Chevrolet and its dealers.
1973
1973 Chevrolet Impala Wagon1973 Impala Custom Coupe
1973 Impalas featured a larger, shock-absorbing front bumper due to new federal mandates which required 5-mile-per-hour (8.0km/h) impact protection. The chassis was tweaked for better roadability, and new square taillights were mounted in the carry-over rear bumper. With the convertible now moved to the top-line Caprice Classic series, (continuing through 1975) Impalas were now all closed body styles for the first time in the nameplate's history and the station wagon known as the Kingswood since 1969 rejoined the Impala series. A 145-horsepower 350 cubic-inch Turbo Fire V-8 engine, Turbo Hydramatic transmission, variable ratio power steering and power front disc brakes were standard on all Impalas. Optional engines in all models included a 175-horsepower 350 Turbo Fire V8 with four-barrel carburetor and 245-horsepower 454 Turbo Jet V8; while the Impala Custom coupe, Sport Sedan and station wagons could be ordered with the 165-horsepower 400 Turbo Fire V8 that was standard on that year's Caprice Classic series. All engines were offered nationwide in 1973.
In 1973, General Motors equipped approximately 1,000 1973 Chevrolet Impala Sedans with their experimentalAir Cushion Restraint System (ACRS), which was an early prototype of an airbag system. ACRS employed a driver's side airbag that was housed in a unique four-spoke steering wheel, as well as a passenger side airbag. Due to the passenger side airbag, ACRS-equipped Impalas featured a modified instrument panel from an Oldsmobile 88. The passenger side airbag was a "dual-stage" unit that used impact sensors in order to determine the amount of force to use when deploying the airbag, based on the severity of the impact. All ACRS-equipped Impalas featured a unique green exterior paint scheme, and had a reinforced chassis from the police-spec Impala, as well as a 350 cubic inch (5.7 liter) V8Chevrolet small-block engine from the Chevrolet Corvette (C3). All examples of these Impalas were sold directly to fleet buyers, and were not sold to the general public. While General Motors featured a version of the Air Cushion Restraint System in certain Buick, Cadillac, and Oldsmobile vehicles manufactured in the 1970s, Chevrolet would not begin to equip their vehicles with airbags until approximately 1990.[8] One of the examples of an ACRS-equipped 1973 Impala was used on the televisionsitcomSeinfeld, where it was driven by Cosmo Kramer (played by Michael Richards) in several episodes.[9] Only one example of the ACRS-equipped 1973 Impala is known to still exist, and is owned by an automotive safety expert from Maryland.[10]
1974
1974 Impala Sport Coupe Spirit of America Limited edition1974 Impala Sport Coupe Spirit of America edition interior
For 1974, the rear bumper of Impalas and other full-sized Chevrolets incorporated shock absorbing cylinders to meet the upgraded bumper standards with new taillights above the bumper, separated by the license plate and fuel filler. The front end featured a new grille and headlight bezels, a new header panel, and a bumper with a drop down center section. The marker lights moved back up beside the headlamps.
A limited-edition Spirit of America package was offered in 1974 on Sport Coupe models; primarily an appearance package, it featured white body paint, a white full vinyl top, white upholstery with red or blue trim, color-keyed seat belts and floormats, special wheel covers, optional white rally wheels, sports-styled dual remote outside rear view mirrors, a vinyl body side molding insert, and red pin-striping. Special fender and dashboard badges announced the package to passers-by and passengers.
This was the only year of the 1971–1976 models the Impala had a different front end design than the Caprice Classic, as other years used either a grille insert or previous year Caprice front to distinguish the two. The rooflines of the Impala coupes were revised. For 1974 the Custom Coupe was no longer a hardtop, with large fixed rear quarter glass and a thick B-pillar. The Sport Coupe, still a pillar-less hardtop, now used larger roll-down quarter glass like that of the 1971-73 Custom Coupe, and had a narrower, fastback style, flat back window similar to the 1966-68 Caprice coupes. The four-door sedan, four-door hardtop Sports Sedan and station wagons used carryover rooflines from 1973.
Engine offerings included the standard 145-horsepower 350 Turbo Jet V-8 on sedans and coupes, optional 150- and 180-horsepower 400 Turbo Fire V8s (the latter standard on Impala wagons), and 235-horsepower 454 Turbo Jet V8. In California, a 155-horsepower 350 V-8 with four-barrel carburetor was standard and the only engine options there were the 180-horsepower 400 and 454 V-8s.
1975
The 1975 Impala used a 1974 carried-over Caprice front end, with a grille insert and emblem change. The Caprice model carried a new front end with a swept back style header panel with recessed headlight buckets, a new hood, and new fenders. Also in 1975 upholstery, door panels and the dashboard were revised as were the radio and climate control graphics. Speedometers read up to 100 miles per hour (160km/h), and added kilometers per hour. 1975 officially debuted a high-energy (HEI) electronic ignition system. Catalytic converters were also introduced as were several new options, including an Econominder gauge package, intermittent wipers, and a divided 50-50 bench seat (with a choice of sport cloth or vinyl trim).
A Landau appearance package was new for 1975. It featured an elk-grained landauvinyl roof (with a chrome band across the roof), a choice of special paint colors, sports-styled dual remote outside rearview mirrors, color-keyed wheel covers, a vinyl bodyside molding insert, and pin-striping. Inside were color-keyed seat belts and floormats; fender and dashboard emblems rounded out the package. (An identical trim package was also sold on the Caprice model.) Sport Coupe models were discontinued after the 1975 model year, leaving the redesigned Custom Coupe, with its wide "B" pillar and fixed rear window, the only 2-door Impala available in 1976. Engine offerings were similar to 1974 except that the 400 Turbo Fire V-8 was now only offered in four-barrel 180-horsepower form and the 454 Turbo Jet V-8 was no longer offered in California.
1976
1976 Impala 4-door sedan
The 1976 Impala used a previous year Caprice nose, with a new "egg crate" grille insert. The Impala had round headlamps while the Caprice used the new quad rectangular ones. Engine offerings were the same as 1975 in both 49-state and California offerings. This was the final year for the four-door hardtop sedan, the big block 454 V-8 now yielding 225 horsepower, and the station wagon clamshell tailgate. The pillarless Impala Sport Coupe faded out of the lineup; a formal-roof Custom Coupe was the only Impala two-door. After 1976, the four-door hardtop body style also would disappear. Measuring more than 222inches overall on a 121.5-inch wheelbase, the Impala ranked as the last of truly big Chevys. Full-size cars made the most of their perimeter frame and full coil spring suspension to deliver a smooth ride. The interior had such luxuries as simulated rosewood vinyl trim on the instrument panel, steering wheel, and doors. Impalas rode steel-belted radial tires and carried an automatic transmission, power brakes, and variable-ratio power steering. The standard bench seat could be replaced by a 50/50 split front seat, as in 1975. The Landau model, for both Caprice and Impala, continued into 1976 as before. A lighted visor vanity mirror was new to the options list.
A lower-priced Impala "S" series, available only as a four-door sedan, was introduced this year for the United States market and functioned as a replacement for the Bel Air, which was dropped after the 1975 model year. The trim and standard features were similar to that of the departed Bel Air series (although this model used the same triple rear taillights as the regular Impala, unlike the twin-taillight setup of the Bel Air). The Impala "S" was sold primarily to fleet and government customers where luxury was not a concern, although the car was available for purchase by private customers who sought basic low-cost transportation with the convenience of a V-8 powered full-size automobile.
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size car that was built by Chevrolet for model years 1958 to 1985, 1994 to 1996, and 2000 to 2020. The Impala was Chevrolet's popular flagship passenger car and was among the better-selling American-made automobiles in the United States.
The Chevrolet Chevelle is a mid-sized automobile that was produced by Chevrolet in three generations for the 1964 through 1977 model years. Part of the General Motors (GM) A-body platform, the Chevelle was one of Chevrolet's most successful nameplates. Body styles included coupes, sedans, convertibles, and station wagons. The "Super Sport" versions were produced through the 1973 model year and Lagunas from 1973 through to 1976.
The Chevrolet Biscayne was a series of full-size cars produced by the American manufacturer General Motors through its Chevrolet division between 1958 and 1975. Named after a show car displayed at the 1955 General Motors Motorama, the Biscayne was the least expensive model in the Chevrolet full-size car range. The absence of most exterior and fancy interior trimmings remained through the life of the series, as the slightly costlier Chevrolet Bel Air offered more interior and exterior features at a price significantly lower than the top-of-the-line Impala and Caprice.
The Chevrolet Caprice is a full-size car produced by Chevrolet in North America for the 1965 to 1996 model years. Full-size Chevrolet sales peaked in 1965 with over a million sold. It was the most popular car in the U.S. in the 1960s and early 1970s, which, during its lifetime, included the Biscayne, Bel Air, and Impala.
The Chevrolet Bel Air is a full-size car produced by Chevrolet for the 1950–1981 model years. Initially, only the two-door hardtops in the Chevrolet model range were designated with the Bel Air name from 1950 to 1952. With the 1953 model year, the Bel Air name was changed from a designation for a unique body shape to a premium level of trim applied across a number of body styles. The Bel Air continued with various other trim level designations, and it had gone from a mid-level trim car to a budget fleet sedan when U.S. production ceased in 1975. Production continued in Canada, for its home market only, through the 1981 model year.
The Oldsmobile Cutlass was a series of automobiles produced by General Motors' Oldsmobile division between 1961 and 1999. At its introduction, the Cutlass was Oldsmobile's entry-level model; it began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greatest success as a body-on-frame intermediate. The Cutlass was named after Vought F7U Cutlass, as well as the type of sword, which was common during the Age of Sail.
The Pontiac Catalina is a full-size automobile produced by Pontiac from 1950 to 1981. Initially, the name was a trim line on hardtop body styles, first appearing in the 1950 Chieftain Eight and DeLuxe Eight lines. In 1959, it became a separate model as the "entry-level" full-size Pontiac.
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The Chevrolet El Camino is a coupé utility vehicle that was produced by Chevrolet between 1959–60 and 1964–1987. Unlike a standard pickup truck, the El Camino was adapted from the standard two-door Chevrolet station wagon platform and integrated the cab and cargo bed into the body.
The Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme is a mid-size car produced by Oldsmobile between 1966 and 1997. It was positioned as a premium offering at the top of the Cutlass range. It began as a trim package, developed its own roofline, and rose during the mid-1970s to become not only the most popular Oldsmobile but the highest selling model in its class.
The Pontiac LeMans is a model name applied to automobiles marketed by Pontiac. The name came from the French city of Le Mans, the site of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world's oldest active sports car endurance race that began in 1923. Originally a trim upgrade package based on the Tempest, the LeMans became a separate model in 1963.
The Buick Centurion is a full-size car built from the 1971 through 1973 model years. Replacing the Wildcat as the sporty iteration of Buick's three full-size car lines, it was positioned between the LeSabre and Electra in the lineup. The Centurion name was inspired by a Buick concept car, the name coming from that of an officer in the Roman Army. The car's emblem was not the traditional Buick tri-shield, but a side profile of a centurion.
The Chevrolet Chevy II/Nova is a small automobile manufactured by Chevrolet, and produced in five generations for the 1962 through 1979, and 1985 through 1988 model years. Built on the X-body platform, the Nova was the top selling model in the Chevy II lineup through 1968. The Chevy II nameplate was dropped after 1968, with Nova becoming the nameplate for all of the 1969 through 1979 models. It was replaced by the 1980 Chevrolet Citation introduced in the spring of 1979. The Nova nameplate returned in 1985, produced through 1988 as a S-car based, NUMMI manufactured, subcompact based on the front wheel drive, Japan home-based Toyota Sprinter.
The Buick LeSabre is a full-size car made by the division Buick of General Motors from 1959 until 2005. Prior to 1959, this position had been retained by the full-size Buick Special model (1936–58). The "LeSabre", which is French for "the sabre", was Buick's mid-level full-size sedan above the Special but below the Electra during the 1960s then remained in its market position when the Electra was replaced with the Park Avenue. The LeSabre was available as a 2-door convertible, sedan or hardtop, a 4-door sedan or hardtop and station wagon throughout its production.
The Pontiac Parisienne is a full-size rear-wheel drive vehicle that was sold by Pontiac on the GM B platform in Canada from 1958 to 1986 and in the United States from 1983 to 1986. Right-hand drive models were locally assembled in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa until 1969. For most of its run, the Canadian Parisienne was nearly mechanically identical to the American Chevrolet Impala or Chevrolet Caprice. The Parisienne wagon continued under the Safari nameplate until 1989. Parisienne or La Parisienne means a grammatically female person or thing from Paris, France.
The Chevrolet Delray, named after the Delray neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan, debuted in 1954 as an optional trim level on two-door models of Chevrolet's mid-range 210 series of cars. In 1958, it became a distinct series of its own at the bottom of Chevrolet's lineup, and added a four-door sedan, and sedan delivery, but it only remained in production for that model year.
The Chevrolet Brookwood is a series of full-size station wagons produced by Chevrolet from 1958 to 1961, and again from 1969 to 1972. It debuted in 1958 as Chevrolet's mid-range model in its station wagon lineup, positioned between the less expensive Yeoman and more luxurious Nomad station wagons. After the Yeoman was discontinued in 1959, the Brookwood was subsequently demoted to entry-level status, before going out of production altogether in 1961. It made a brief reappearance from 1969 and 1972, once again as the least-expensive wagon in Chevrolet's lineup.
The Chevrolet Townsman was a full-size station wagon produced by Chevrolet from 1953 to 1957 and again from 1969 to 1972.
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The Chevrolet Impala (fourth generation) are full-size automobiles produced by Chevrolet for the 1965 through 1970 model years. The 1965 Impala was all new, while the 1967 and 1969 models featured new bodies on the same redesigned perimeter frame introduced on the 1965 models. All Impalas of this generation received annual facelifts as well, distinguishing each model year. Throughout the early 1960s, Chevrolet's basic body designs became increasingly subtle, while the bright trim that was part of the Impala package added more than a touch of luxury to the look. The same pattern was followed in the interiors, where the best materials and equipment Chevrolet had to offer were displayed. In short, the Impala was on its way to becoming a kind of junior-grade Cadillac, which, for both the company and its customers, was just fine.
References
Gunnell, John, ed. (1987). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946–1975. Kraus Publications. ISBN0-87341-096-3.
↑ Gunnell, John, Editor (1987). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946–1975. Kraus Publications. ISBN0-87341-096-3.
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