The company needed just two years to finalize the Impala, so the car debuted in 1958 with a very challenging and, in many ways, ambitious objective. Impala was supposed to put Chevrolet back on the map and help the company reclaim the leading spot in the American automotive world.

After years of Ford dominance, Impala and the other full-size models in Chevy’s lineup propelled the company to the number one place, fueling record sales almost overnight.

Impala debuted as the top-of-the-line Bel Air hardtop and convertible, becoming an instant hit. The hardtop production included 125,480 units, while the convertible output came down to 55,989 units. Impala eventually accounted for 15 percent of the entire Chevrolet production, so the company’s decision to promote it to a stand-alone series in 1959 wasn’t by any means surprising.

It’s time to test your detective skills and decipher what could be a very rare 1958 Impala convertible project.

Someone on Craigslist posted this compelling Impala online with zero information, letting the pictures speak for themselves and convince a buyer to give the car a second chance.

The images reveal a solid Impala with the typical problems. The body exhibits the usual problems, though it might still wear the original paint and the factory top. It’s impossible to tell if the Impala has even been repainted, but you’ll need to contact the seller for more information. All parts are still there, including the headlights, the bumpers, the stoplights, and the chrome.

The interior also looks good, with the seats still in place. It requires the usual repairs, so the buyer should get new upholstery if the plan is to bring this Impala back to tip-top shape.

When it comes to rust, we have the typical suspects. One of the photos provides us with a look under the car, and the floors seem rusty. You’ll need new floors and a new trunk pan, but this isn’t a surprise, as I believe the car has been sitting for many years.

The vehicle still has an engine under the hood, but the photos make it impossible to decrypt additional details. The 1958 Impala was available with a six-cylinder Blue-Flame unit developing 145 horsepower, a 283 rated at 185 and 230 horsepower, and a 348 that produced up to 315 horsepower when fitted with the Special Super Turbo-Thrust upgrade.

Overall, this Impala appears complete and solid for restoration, and all of these justify its high price. The owner sells the car for $9,000, and you should be able to obtain more information about it by inspecting it in person in Columbus, Ohio