Look-Back: 1990s Chevrolet Impala SS

[gdmjoe]

For your listening pleasure and reading enjoyment ...

How the 1990s Chevrolet Impala SS became a classic ««« -click-

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[RF Overlord]

In late 1993, Mary and I were looking for a new car...something a little out of the ordinary. Neither of us was even aware of the "re-birth" of the Impala SS and we settled on having a 1994 Thunderbird SuperCoupe built to spec. It was a wonderful car, but if only I had known about the Impala SS before signing for the T-bird.........

[Joe Walsh]

In late 1995 I was looking for a new vehicle to replace my worn out (240,000 mile) 1989 Taurus wagon.
I looked at the Impala SS sedan and almost bought one.....but I really needed a 4WD SUV more than a RWD sedan.
I ended up buying a black Chevy Blazer with the 4.3L Vortec V6.
(5.7L V8 with 2 cylinders lopped off!)
It served me well and I sold it still running great with 235,000 miles on it...but I always wished that I had bought the Impala SS.....

[88LTDCV351]

Nice article. Marauder got mentioned so that was cool. But always loved those 90s Impala SS and 9CI caprice cop cars.

[crownvic97]

Always liked them, I would love to drive one someday.

[MunsterBro95]

I can say i have owned both and they are amazing cars. Sold my 96 impala ss to restore my marauder

[gdmjoe]

A rose amongst the thorns ... *Pic' from a test-and-tune session at Benson dragway (NC) back in 2003. Would meet-up just outside of Raleigh with a group of Impala SS guys and head-out for Sunday test-and-tune sessions.

[Charlie Costell]

I own 7 Impala SS's. They are all a joy to drive. Will start thinning the herd this year. Some a modified (6 speed) and some are stock. One has 2213 miles and one has 7778 miles. My Marauder is very comparable, but expected with 8 more years of advancements in technology. Still all good.

[MGDriver]

Originally wanted to get an Impala SS simply because they are easier to find over here than Marauders, they look stunning and drive amazing too but I actually changed my mind when I sat in one for the first time. The interior just looks so cheap and terribly made, I can't stand it. It's probably the same cheap plastic in a Marauder too but the way Mercury's done it makes you feel like your sitting in a much more luxurious and expensive car compared to the Impala.

That being said, I still wouldn't say No if one was offered to me so I might add one to my stable eventually but there's something about the Marauder that makes it feel and handle like a higher quality build and it's not just the age difference.

[TJCOX]

When I got hitched, my wife owned a 1964 Impala 4DR 283ci. Her dad was employed by Allison Transmission as a supervisor over the heat treat department in Speedway. The wife had purchased the vehicle from him and when the odometer reached 69,000 miles the cam shaft failed. At the time I was a linesman for the local electric utility and one of my fellow workers said he had a high performance camshaft and lifters that he sold to me for fifteen dollars. I installed the cam and lifters and the car ran perfect and was great for getting through the snow. I felt I was driving a tank. The camshaft failure turned me sourer toward G.M. and it was the only and last Chevy I ever owned. Later I learned that the camshaft failure was due to the lack of a zinc additive in the Castrol oil I was using. Our local electric company also had camshafts failure in our fleet of Chevy Trucks 350's engines and our company mechanics replaced the stock cams with aftermarket ones. A G.M. rep said the oil we were using was the the culprit for the failures. Our Ford and Dodge trucks had no problems with their cam failures.
End of story.

[Joe Walsh]

When I got hitched, my wife owned a 1964 Impala 4DR 283ci. Her dad was employed by Allison Transmission as a supervisor over the heat treat department in Speedway. The wife had purchased the vehicle from him and when the odometer reached 69,000 miles the cam shaft failed. At the time I was a linesman for the local electric utility and one of my fellow workers said he had a high performance camshaft and lifters that he sold to me for fifteen dollars. I installed the cam and lifters and the car ran perfect and was great for getting through the snow. I felt I was driving a tank. The camshaft failure turned me sourer toward G.M. and it was the only and last Chevy I ever owned. Later I learned that the camshaft failure was due to the lack of a zinc additive in the Castrol oil I was using. Our local electric company also had camshafts failure in our fleet of Chevy Trucks 350's engines and our company mechanics replaced the stock cams with aftermarket ones. A G.M. rep said the oil we were using was the the culprit for the failures. Our Ford and Dodge trucks had no problems with their cam failures.
End of story.

Yep....when we were talking to our engine builder about firing up and breaking in the solid lifter flat tappet camshaft in the 427 Cobra,
he mentioned that all modern oils are very low zinc or contain no zinc due to emissions requirements.
Similar to why they outlawed leaded gasoline.
He strongly recommended an oil additive that was specifically a zinc ZDDP adder.
Most modern camshafts have lifters that are roller lifters and don't need any zinc in the oil for proper lubrication....but 'old school' flat tappet lifters are hard on cam lobes.

Sorry for the thread HiJack...Back to the O.P.

[Crown Vicman]

"Mercury tried to emulate the Impala SS formula with the 2003-2004 Marauder, but it was a sales failure with just 11,000 sold." Hey what the hell lol Mercury only made about 11,000 and they sold 11,000 yet it was a sales failure.

[Joe Walsh]

"Mercury tried to emulate the Impala SS formula with the 2003-2004 Marauder, but it was a sales failure with just 11,000 sold." Hey what the hell lol Mercury only made about 11,000 and they sold 11,000 yet it was a sales failure.

As was discussed in another thread.....I think that the 'massive and non-stop marketing blitz' (lol) by Mercury for the Marauder helped to assure its' quick demise.

[crownvic97]

"Mercury tried to emulate the Impala SS formula with the 2003-2004 Marauder, but it was a sales failure with just 11,000 sold." Hey what the hell lol Mercury only made about 11,000 and they sold 11,000 yet it was a sales failure.

Yeah they sold...after they sat on the lots for months and months without interest.

[gdmjoe]

crownvic97 - Yeah they sold...after they sat on the lots for months and months without interest.

Late 2004 I found a 2003 300A (2002 build) sitting in a Raleigh, NC Lincoln/Mercury lot with 29 miles on the odometer. They had moved it to the back of the lot and was filthy externally. Offered them $18,000 which they declined. 3 days later they called and came back with $25,000. Countered with $20,000, however, it was a no deal. A month or so later it was gone.

The reason for my low offers ... There were signs of the beginnings of paint failure. *Yes, it was black and I knew of the issue.
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