My father factory ordered a 1960 Impala 4 door hard top, it was called a Sport Sedan. Tasco Turquoise with a white roof, 283 V8. He loved it and it was in the family for many years. He gave it to his parents when we moved overseas in the fall of '62. It became my grandmothers car and she loved it. About 1970 my two younger sisters and I were travelling with her, rolling down the highway, sisters in the front seat and I in the back but leaning over into the front seat. All of us talking and laughing when I said to her something like "boy grandma, this thing really moves along". She glanced down at the speedometer and said "damn, this thing gets away on me". We were going 100 mph !! No lie. More laughter. She was a great lady.
This caught my eye as well. If it is not for the photo shoot, it is too bad GM does not provide work coats for the assembly line workers. The - particularly - women cannot be that vain. Well, the spray painters do not wear masks either - that is BAD.
@@KoldingDenmark Well, until a few years back no painter used to wear a mask. I know that as my dad owned a body shop since the early Seventies. It was by the early Ninties that I saw it for the very first time: A painter wearing a mask. It really astonished me.
I worked in auto plants for over 34 years. When I was discharged from the military. It was one of my first jobs out of the military.I started on third shift the same day I was hired. Between the third shift premiums and working in the spray booths as a painter. I was making more money in one week then I did in four months in the military. It was like going from a poverty state to becoming a millionaire. And I only got better as time went by I want to school learn a trade in progress and retire at a fairly young age.
@@jackieallen3344 I imagine painting a new car is a decently heavy responsibility; you cause a drip, and I imagine that car has to come off the line and have a several extra man hours put in it just to fix it...assuming you dont have to disassemble the panels to strip the edges or even replace them outright... Even leaving a spot too thin I imagine could call for either a full recoat, or a whole day to dry so you can mask off surrounding panels... And even then Ill bet you could see evidence of the mistake on close inspection. .... So how far off am I?
Travis Ryno , yep you got it right. But the cars are going so fast down the line you really get in a rhythm and just set in your pattern going to it. But I will guarantee if you have any imperfections the boss will let you know. 😁
59 and 1960 impalas were two different cars. The 59 model was a one year run. My favorite is the 1963 two door ss convertible with the 327 corvette engine
@@spottheoddity Nope! Impala were the best from 57 to 65. The Impala 66 was turned into muscle car, and lost its essence. It was the first model with square taillights just wasn't the same Impala of its predecessors.
My father was an engine block inspector at Ford for 45 years until his retirement in 1980. Growing up his job enabled us to have great vacations, eat like kings and afforded 8 children all the luxuries one could think of. Detroit and suburbs were a magical place then. Massive overtime is how dad managed to give us a station wagon car with 30 to 40 bags of groceries on Saturday shopping. Christmas presents took up 3 rooms in our house. Mom stayed home and managed the household. Her job never ended. She was on call 24/7. But we had a great childhood. Thanks mom and dad. With love, your son.
Never ever again will we see these four wheeled works of art from this era of American cars, They looked good rode good, so what they used heaps of gas & leant on corners, but were fun to drive & had a personality, take me back to 59 and leave me there...
brian critchley Well they were pretty but inefficient and hugely unsafe . I miss the styling but would not chose one of those cars over a modern design when considering the safety of my family
I totally agree with you. Today you can not find anyone to take pride and care in building a car or truck. The vehicles today all look alike and cost a fortune.
carefull! you will have a hell of a time explaining who you are, what your smart phone is and why your wearing your cap backwards. But you will probably enjoy driving a car that is hard to stop, handles like shit, and is built to go 80.000 miles before being traded in. I choose to stay in 2018 and drive my Taurus for at least 10 years and enjoy performance far better than any 50s deathtrap....
DataWaveTaGo You are an idiot. My wife taught school in the intercity of Detroit for years. The vast majority of her students worked hard and did the best they could with what they had. My guess is that you haven’t spent ten minutes in an intercity. But you fancy yourself an expert.
Thanks for posting this. I love watching old footage of anything, but cars and assembly lines are so cool. Workers in street clothes, nicely dressed and clean cut for the most part. I bet they got off work, mowed the lawn, maybe washed the car, and ate supper at 6pm sharp. read the paper, had some ice cream and was in bed no later than 11pm. Sorry, got off on a tangent there, but wow.....
I ordered my 1960 Impala convertible in Suntan Copper with a 348ci Turbo-Thrust V8 and Turboglide transmission, Positraction rear axle, power steering and brakes, whitewall tires, speed and cruise control, Flexomatic power seat, power windows, air conditioner, radio and heater. When I woke up, I looked out the window and gazed at my new Chevy Biscayne sedan with a High-Thrift 235-L6 and 3-on-the-tree. Maybe someday I'll be able to afford a radio.
That Biscayne 2-door with a 348ci hooked to a Muncie (rock crusher) 4-speed would make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up! And this coming from a dyed in wool Ford man.
I experienced that period, but it wasn't all sunshine and lollipops. We had the "Cold War" (duck and cover), polio, no cable or satellite or cell phones, TVs that needed servicing frequently. If you were a person of color, it was pure hell.
What a car culture we have. Not going to end anytime soon. Been a mechanic for 40 years now. Guess what I watch? Motor Trend Channel. In our blood. Gear Brains.
@@kr2513 Funny, I remember seeing a '59 Ford advertisement a few years ago, it showed a kid that was scared of the '59 Chevy because it looked like a bat with cat's eyes...it's a funny thing, because as a little kid, I remember seeing '59 Fords(they were not new cars then) and thinking the rear of them looked like the scary face of a hoot owl..look at the rear of a '59 Ford for a moment and you'll see what I mean...
@@dyer2cycle they definitely had a little war going on in 59 what a year that must have been. That commercial sounds hilarious! I love that stuff I'm going to search for it.
I grew up in Coconut Grove in the fifties. Rode my bike to school, washed my 55 Chevy Belaire convertible with the top down, went sailing when ever I wanted and worked part time at the marine store. It was like living in Mayberry.
My grandfather bought a 60' Biscayne 4dr post off the showroom. 6 cyl 3 on the tree. Brings back some good childhood memories for me. Thank you for sharing a real good video. Made my day.
In 1957 I was an uneducated kid high school drop out ,and I got a job at the Tarrytown N.Y, Chevrolet plant,starting at over 100 dollars a week I thought I died and went to heaven ,it was hard work but it gave me dignity.
My dad's sister bought a 1960 Impala 2 dr Sport Coupe brand new & I remember first seeing it in 1962 & I was so blown away by the radical styling of the tail fins & chrome. It was black with a red & white interior with the 283 4 on the floor stick. What really impressed me the most was the instrument panel design with all the gauges clustered in a pod. I recall going for a ride & went to a store & me & my granny were in the car parked behind a 59 Impala 4 dr hardtop with the overhang roof. 59 & 60 Chevy"s rock !
winggullseagull I had a 1961 Bel-Air in the 80’s with a 283 and 2 speed Powerglide. It was unforgettable with the whirring tranny noise, the dimming headlights at idle, the externally mounted oil filter and the smoke tube that puffed smoke underneath the car. No PCV and emissions crap back in them days! She was a 4 door, white with a blue interior.
@@peterjohnston1224 Thanks it's a bit late she sold it in 1965 I was bummed when my dad told me. Actually her '60 Impala may have had the small block because there were no "cross flags" fore & aft designating the big block. But one things for sure it was a 4 speed floor shift a rare factory option. She bought it for drag racing.
My grandfather had one, a black two door that he would back out to the end of the driveway to keep my brother and I warm while waiting on the school bus. I also had my fingers shut it the passenger side door when I was young, didn't break anything but hurt like hell, massive doors on the two door. Still love that car, and would have one if I could.
And most everyone was enjoying life.. as they could work a job and live comfortably. No one has seen anything called "the American Dream." The USA = Carrot & Stick. Life then = really good. Life today = not so good.
Had a 1960 4-door sedan Bel Aire and a rear axle fell out as I was driving down the road with my family. Thankfully the tire hitting the inside of the fender held the shaft partly in. Good car for that era. A real boat. In those days if you got 100K out of a vehicle that was pretty good.
Back in the late 60's my first car was a 1960 Chevrolet 4 door sedan with a 235 cu in 6 cylinder. Sure had some great times with that car. Thanks for posting this video.
When they belched soot into the environment, had no corrosion protection to speak of, and you stood a large chance of disfigurement and death in many collision situations. But yes, they had style for days.
@@crusher9 Heh I saw a vid recently, a guy used some new door panels and some ingenuity to make a 4dr tri five Chevy to a 2dr. So what if its not a real one, just dont sell it claiming its a real one.
I've got one for sale. Not sure if it's made right to your specs? But it's specs is pretty much what everyone wants or dreams of and is one of the hottest sellers. This car is very highly optioned and is 1 of only 50 ever built in total production with these options. It's a 60 impala convertible high H.P. 283 automatic this car is truly a survivor everything original except 1 repaint its truly 100 point car on a 100 point scale it's red in color with red and white interior with a white top and 100 percent original except for the paint. Power windows and locks, power top, power brakes,power steering,power antennas, air condition, cruise, power seat. 1 of the best 60 impalas you will ever see. I hate to sell it but I have to many cars and not enough room so I'm selling a few cars to build a new garage. $99,500 car has guaranteed coverage amount of $150,000 an exceptional car. If interested call or text 1-304-208-1052 can send as many pics as you require. You will not be disappointed! Thank you for your love and appreciation of 60 impalas.
@@wildestcowboy2668 No. He traded it in on a new1968 Impala. My mother used to say that the 1960 Impala was a powerful car and liked driving it...I don't know what size engine it had.
Wow, that's Marvin Miller doing the narration -- the guy who handed out the checks on the TV show "The Millionaire," and who was the announcer on The Whistler radio show.
When I was a kid, we had a turquoise ElCamino. My parents swore it would float because of the wings...... That was a cool car. I remember seeing tv ads showing the assembly workers put different kinds of cars makes together. It was impressive.
MrCoffeekelly Thats a damn lie. The average salary in america is $31,000.00 a year , 40% of people are spending half their monthly income on housing and child care in major cities is right around $20,000 a year. So tell me fuck boy where in the hell are all these great living wage jobs? Oh , i get it they must be in the thriving meth/heroin dealing business you and your trailer park buddies are getting rich in. Am i right cletus? 😉
sun rah 44 yeah that dude is a lie. Now in days if your not going to college you are considered "wasting your life". What happen to the days when you can get a job 9-5 and live comfortably, go home after and be happy.
sun rah 44 if you aren't making enough money maybe you should spend more time writing worthless comments on youtube. That will definitely help your situation.
WHO DA NEIGHBOR see your problem is that you are entitled. You think the guys in that video went out and bought 3000 sq. foot homes? or expensive clothes for their kids? or had 500 dollar a month cell phone bills? No. they worked hard every day and lived within their means. Most of them probably had second and third jobs.
Them were the last of the days when we could be proud to be americans .. I wish I was around in those days . Atleast my dad was he was just a boy back in 1960 .. He was a man when he came home from Vietnam in 1968 however .
One of the world's great body styles. My buddy bought a used 60, 283 with 3 on the tree, back in 1967 in high school. Damn that was a good car. He paid 400 for it.
1.- I love the 60s impalas, so beautiful! 2.- Look like the beginning of "Christine" the movie, one of my favs! 3.- It is weird to think that, most of people in the video, may be dead by now! 🤔
Yeah I told my Wife over 25 YEARS Ago that being Male would be against the law would happen...Then I said being White would as well,Now if your a White Male.....😑
333 thumbs up! i own a 67 impala and a 63 ford fairlane such wonderful engineering and style was put into these cars! we just dont have that anymore in this day of plastic on wheels!
`Yeah, I really miss the excitement of having to change plugs every 5,000 mile, replacing points/condenser every month, greasing the chassis every other month(about a dozen zerk fittings), oiling the distributor bushings/ adjusting the point gap every 1,000miles. And to add to all that excitement, having to do a valve job at every 50,000miles. Aaaahhh the good ole days!
Haha I bet the guys near her were all kinds of beat up by the job. Slamming doors on fingers...trim screws thru a shirt sleeve..filling engine oil to the top... Yea id probably be one of em 😝
While those models weren't good from a crash test perspective, they were nevertheless works of art IMO. Also, they contained more metal than automobiles in 2021. My hat off to those designers and assembly workers.
Simple? Try taking one apart for restoration and reassembly. I hold a lot of respect for those men and women who worked in those plants. Unlike today where robots assemble 90% of the cars and trucks produced.
We had a set of encyclopedias as a kid and if you looked up automobiles...the car they were putting together was the '59 impala...I like the '60 model too..that's the one with the plane or jet on the side.
