08/18/2026
The gears in this Impala are 3.90s, and the automatic has no taller gear waiting at the top. There is no overdrive to let the engine settle down, so this car was never built to loaf.
A V8 Impala coupe started at $2,728 in 1965 before options. This one goes considerably further, with a 502 V8, posi rear end, 3.90 gearing, red paint over red vinyl, and Riddler wheels. Power steering and power brakes are part of the package too.
Those short gears come with a price. Without an overdrive ratio, the 3.90 rear end keeps engine speed tied closely to road speed. Highway cruising means more RPM, more noise, and more fuel consumption.
The exhaust cutouts are electric. Hit the switch and they open ahead of the mufflers, giving the engine a direct path to the outside. Close them again and the exhaust returns to the mufflers. Nothing is removed; the sound simply changes.
Underneath it all, this remains a full-size Chevrolet riding on a 119-inch wheelbase. The original frame doesn't care that a 502 and 3.90 gears now call it home.