These Two Buried Alive 1958 Chevy Impalas Hardtops Can't Find a Home, Spot the Red Flags

The new family of full-size cars included three nameplates, each with multiple models. The Del Ray was the most affordable and included six models, followed by the Biscayne with four models. The Bel Air was the king of the full-size castle, albeit the newly launched Impala was part of this lineup before gaining series status a year later.

The Impala was launched in two versions—a Sport Coupe and a convertible—and became an instant hit. Chevrolet sold over 125K and 55K units, respectively, with the Impala accounting for approximately 15% of the 1.2 million cars sold in 1958.

The numbers were impressive, helping Chevrolet reclaim the top spot in the United States. Ford fell to the runner-up spot with a little over 1 million units.

Chevrolet offered multiple engine options, starting with the base six-cylinder 235ci unit developing only 145 horsepower. The six isn't everybody's cup of tea, especially in the collectors' world, but it served its purpose just right, allowing the Impala to go anywhere without burning much fuel.

The base V8 was the famous 283 with 185 horsepower, while the more potent lineup started with a four-barrel version of the same unit. It could be had as a $27 option and developed 230 horsepower. The 348 block, which was launched alongside the Impala in 1958, was the top option, and it was available for Bel Air and Impala buyers in multiple configurations, including a 315-horsepower configuration known as Special Turbo-Thrust.

The two Impalas in these photos are both projects requiring a new home and a complete restoration, trying to convince someone online to buy either both as a package or at least one of them for a chance to survive.

This isn't the first time these Impalas have gone on sale. Two years ago, the owner listed these cars as part of a trio that had already lost a member, so the remaining two Impalas are still struggling to get a complete makeover.

The two Impalas are both hardtops and look like they've been buried alive for some time. The owner didn't share updated photos with their cars, and it's unclear if they have already been pulled from the garage and the pics are just old or the hardtops have been left untouched in the same place.

Either way, they are taken apart, and the engines are no longer in the car, so it's hard to decrypt much mechanical information about these Impalas. However, you should contact the owner for additional information, especially because it's unclear if everything can still be used during a restoration. The owner says both cars are complete, but after years in storage, it's hard to believe that all parts are still in good shape.

The good news is that the cars are not the rust buckets that you'd expect them to be after sitting for a long time. While the rust has already made its way to the metal parts of the two cars, I've seen worse Impalas getting fixed. If you want to see the glass half-full, here's the optimistic side of the story: most metal damage is only on the surface, but make sure you inspect every inch thoroughly after pulling the cars from storage.

These cars look compelling to someone planning to restore a 1958 Impala, but the listing lacks all the essential information, so the only is to inspect them in person before making an offer. At the same time, these Impalas failing to find a new home for two years could be a red flag for some potential buyers, so head over to the comment box to let me know what you would rather walk away instead of sending a big for this duo.

The selling price could be the main shortcoming for someone interested in a 1958 Impala project. While the owner says that the cars are complete, they don't reveal how original they are and whether the engines are in good shape. As a result, asking $21,500 for both cars or $12,500 for each is seen by many people as a major roadblock, eventually walking away and searching for another Impala.

That's quite a shame, as this duo checks all the big boxes for restoration candidates. They also have the correct number of doors, but it's hard to believe someone would pay that much for both cars without first pulling them from storage and inspecting everything in person. It'll be interesting to see how fast they manage to find a new home, but for now, they are still in the same place as two years ago.

You can find these hardtops close to Manitowoc, and you'll obviously need a trailer to take them home, considering they're disassembled.