That ‘58 made someone a nice project. Great sounding 348. As always you did a great job with your revival process. I appreciate your explaining what you’re doing and showing video footage of each step. Enjoyed the video!
1954 green chev bel air 3 on the tree 14 year old boys $25 car pushed it home 3 miles from junk yard re built with buckets and 4 speed hurst 4 speed on the floor shift on a 6 cylinder great memories from 1965 Kept us boys out of trouble for 2 years during restoration
1961 a guy that worked with my dad had one we went to get him from work and there it sat a Roman red 58 Impala wide whites dropped skirts red and white tuck Lakes That car is burned into my head but they have always been spendy cars.
I have a soft spot for 58s. One was nearly my first car. I saw it On the Ford dealer's lot, knew it would be cheap being 14 years old. Got my Dad who did not need a lot of convincing. We were back in 30 minutes, and it was gone just that fast. Someone else had their eye on it too. It sold to someone out of town and I never it again.
She sounds Awesome! Good job. We all appreciate your perseverance. I've pulled cars out of the ground in the woods too. I Love to 'save them from the crusher'. Car Guys and Girls RULE !! Also, being a Foxboro boy, I feel at home listening to you talk about these Gems 💎. Thanks for these great videos. 👍
wow, that one ran well, too. :) when the point opens, the magnetic field in the coil collapses, igniting an electric spark in the coil itself which then goes to distributor and spark plug. which is why dwell is very important; too small and the spark becomes weak because less time, too large and the magnetic field doesn't have enough time to build fully. also the opening of the point designates the timing first; first adjust dwell, then turn the distributor to timing. the more cylinders you have the more important the dwell becomes, because the angle must become smaller of course. I like the idea of allowing fineadjusting dwell through that window in the side of the cap; no other brand than GM had that, not even Opel (which belonged to GM since 1927); once the engine runs the dwell angle shifts a bit due to mass inertia of the points. and having to remove the cap and start adjusting anew takes a lot of time, and most times someone else to turn the key... the only time I saw one of these street dinosaurs on german streets was late 80's. it was a two-door HT as well, in baby blue. and I seem to remember that someone had used the ventiports on the roof end to rig up a third brake light... it moved almost silently. might have been the traffic around disguising any noise, too, dunno. :)
Great to hear it start after all that work, I was skeptical! I had a '58 Impala my senior year in high school in 1972. Paid $50 for the rustbucket, 283/ Powerglide, ran well! It was my 2nd car because my '64 Impala 2 door 327/ Muncie 4 speed was always breaking down for some reason! I instantly recognize the old 348 engine. When I was 15 a friend of mine had a '62 SS ragtop 348/4 speed. We worked on it all summer, didn't know what we were doing, but we learned a lot about cars trying to get it ready to drag race. We also learned 409 heads don't work on 348's, the water jacket holes don't line up!!!
My supervisor told me he had a 58 just like that one right before he went to Viet Nam in 62 or 63 as a helicopter pilot. He died a few years back from agent orange cancer that destroyed him. He was a great friend and coworker for a very long time.
This is your third video that I've thoroughly enjoyed! A suggestion for your new audience to vehicles: please cover the radiator and water pump operations. Thanks again and keep them coming!
This is my Favorite year of the Chevrolet auto's. I loved the smooth curves on the front and rear fenders. I bought a 59 Belair the summer of graduation, 1972 but couldn't get it to run. After joining the Air Force i bought my dad's 64 Impala 4 door Sport Hard Top in June of 73. .
There’s a 58 up here that does the car show circuit in southern Saskatchewan. That rear roof vent thing looks so cool. I’m a Buick guy but Impala Styling was cutting edge.
58 was the first year of the Impala, only being offered in a two door coupe and convertible. In 59 Impala became the top of the line, offered in all body styles. That looks to be a 59 or newer 250hp 348, due to it having long reach spark plugs, due to a water jacket around the plug hole, so it's not the original engine. Check the axle ratio to see it it was originally a 348 car. The 348 automatic used a 3:08 gear the 348 manual used a 3:36, the 283 automatic and manual used a 3:36 gear. The six used a 3:36 on the automatic, a 3:55 on the manual, and 4:11 on the overdrives.... so it should be a 3:08, if it was originally a 348 car. The 58 348's had pre ignition problems, due to high spark plug temp.... they used a short reach spark plug because of no cooling jacket around the plug... Both the block and head were different due to that.. Your 58 has the correct can on the power steering pump, so it most likely came with power steering. 58 had its own pump can, so did 59. I have a 59 Bel Air with the same engine and factory power steering, you can see it's can is different than you're 58's, if you look at it in my videos. Every degree of dwell will change timing one degree, so set your dwell correctly than set the timing..... timing does not effect dwell. Nice solid 58!
1958 GMs were the last cars which Harley Earl had design control and they are both unique and awesome. Maybe in 1958 they were seen as bloated compared to the sleek Chrysler cars but in hindsight, these 1958 GMs are beautiful. Glad you were able to get it running!
My dad’s first car. He bought it just before dating my mom. His older sister Gert helped him buy it. Picked her up in that baby. Imagine a brand new car!
Just a couple of respectful suggestions, don't use sand paper to clean up points--- sand paper leaves a residue of fine sand on those two contact surfaces, and they need to mechanically closed to ma ke electrical contact. For these old cars, back in "the day," auto parts stores sold inexpensive contact metal files (no sand abrasives). After "filing" the points, a bit of brake cleaner or electrical contact cleaner will ensure electrical continuity between the two cleaned surfaces-- I always slide a business card between the closed points to thoroughly clean the contact surfaces by simply passing the card through the points when they are closed under pressure. Also, while you're in the distributor, it's really easy to check the vacuum advance to ensure that it's working. I length of 1/8 inch rubber hose connected on the advance, and the other end used to simply suck on... if you can suck air through, the advance, it is toast and needs to be replaced. If it's good, when you suck on the hose, you will see the stator plate with the points move. The working vacuum advance vastly improves the engine's overall performance, yet it's purpose is usually not understood and therefore rarely checked. Hope these suggestions help.
All good advice James. I blow the sanded points off with carb cleaner. I have one of those small metal files, It is good to hear they work, so I'll give it a try.
I took my driving test in 1965 in my dad's 1954 green Chevrolet similar to yours which brought back memories. Ours was the model below the Belair and was a stick (3 on the column). I liked seeing the '58 Impala. I had a '62 Impala convertible. Keep up the good videos.
In 1959 I bought a used 58 Chevy Impala Convertible / 348 W engine. Equipped with 3 on the tree trans that I disliked. A 4 speed was optional and I just do not understand the reason the original owner would order a 3 speed manual. It was always difficult to shift from 1st to 2nd gear and it could not be downshifted into 1st gear while the rear wheels were turning! It was designed that way ! My only gripe !
Nice job. Loved seeing that old beauty run. I too had a 58 Impala in high school in 65. 348 manual trans and it was a screamer. Converted it to a 4 speed and tri power. That sled was hard to beat in the 1/4. I am looking for a 58 Impala project if anyone knows of one.
I have always liked a 58 their just different...My favorite 56 then 58 then 62. I like those Ol 4 jet Rochester carburetors.... Them valve cover bolts are not factory
I did take my time with it. Since the plugs were all loose I was concerned there was rust in the cylinders, so I used the Mystery oil to make sure nothing was damaged while cranking. It takes longer, but a little bit of caution helps keep things from damage.
ROBERT snyder, the Turboglide was a constant speed type transmission rather than individual gears settings. Constant problems and GM discontinued it in 1961.
I use to carry a transmission in the trunk of my 348 1961 SS convertible on trips lousy engine lots of power switched to a 327 later traded on a 71 Monte Carlo we should add parked those cars at grammas house for my grandkids we have 29 now
I remember being very young maybe 3 or 4 and there was one of these parked at the hardware store next to my dads Laundromat. I remember I was fascinated by those tail lights. The owner came out and saw me and turned them on for me. He and my dad were friends and later on that summer they brought by their "new" 1961 red and white Impala convertible. I'm not a Chevy fan but I sure was then.
I had '58 my senior year in 1967. 348 and someone had added tri-power carbs and intake.. Gas was cheap in those days and it drank a lot with my heavy foot. paid $200 and sold it for $200 two years later.
They had cast iron glide real heavy but strong if serviced reg Gap standard 35 tho on plugs Looks like Rochester carb Was a barge floating Down the river ride Had friend with a white one with continental kit on back All red interior Those were the days
3:15 Yes it's either a 348 or 409 but those are scalloped valve covers. Unless slang was a W engine. The Z11 was the 427. The Z11 "Mystery motor" became the 396/427/454 that was made after it.
@@sergeantmasson3669 You are correct in your statement. Also not doing research that this is a W engine. As per Wikipedia: The first version of the "Big Block" V8 Chevrolet engine, known as the W-series, was introduced in 1958. Chevrolet designed this engine for use in passenger cars and light trucks. This engine had an overhead valve design with offset valves and uniquely scalloped rocker covers, giving it a distinctive appearance. The W-series was produced from 1958 to 1965, and had three displacement options: 348 cu in (5.7 L), available from 1958 to 1961 in cars, and in light trucks through 1964; 409 cu in (6.7 L), available from 1961 to 1965; and 427 cu in (7.0 L), available in 1962 and 1963.
..on the '58 being a one-year only body style, you are correct...the frame and suspension are closely related to(but not the same)the '59-'64's..I always thought the front end styling on the '58 looked like an evolution of the '57..similar theme/design, just with double the headlights and parking lights...the hood looks similar to a '56 hood, and the '56 and '58 hood emblems are actually the same...also, look at your '54...then look at the '58...amazing there is only 4 model years difference between them!...
My father had gotten my mother a brand new 1964 chevy impala four door it had a 283 with three on the tree (column). The only think that went south of that car was the Pennsylvania road salt and calcium it had low miles engine was great drive train was great it had low mile very low miles ran wonderful till the day it was parked for ever why the frame was gone floor pans were gone, the wire was in great shape pa road salt and calcium ruined that car was a wonder and beautiful car that little 283 was put in a roadster
Right, I learned more about the W engines since this video. The name had nothing to do with the valve covers, yet I have heard that from countless people over the years. I wont make that mistake again.
