65 Impala 396

**1LE** · #1 01-29-2007, 10:25 PM

Hi,

Not a super car but a neat 65 Impala 396 convertible with a 4-speed and a bench. What puzzles me about this car is the built date and body number on the trim tag. According to the information I got from the owner the engine is assembled on July 21st and the transmission on July 20th and the casting date for the rear end is June 7th 1965.

Built date on the trim tag says 08A with body number 5551. As I’m not familiar with the Wilmington production dates and body numbering system I’m not sure if this seems reasonable/correct for a very late 65 Impala?

Anyone familiar with the 1965 Wilmington built cars? Or can point me in the right direction?

Thanks
Ove

x Baldwin Motion · #2 01-30-2007, 01:18 AM

I had one of those 25 years ago. Can't recall the trim tag too well, but I dont think the body sequence number is what is on there. These guys can help. Good Luck !!

http://www.impalas.net/

Verne_Frantz · #3 01-30-2007, 02:34 AM

1LE,
It looks like all the numbers line up just fine to me.

Verne
PS: which HP? suffix code on the block?

**1LE** · #4 01-30-2007, 11:10 AM

It's a 325 horse with an IA code. Many thanks!

Ove

Verne_Frantz · #5 01-30-2007, 06:01 PM

Ove,
Is the model # on the cowl tag 16467 or 16667?
Verne

**1LE** · #6 01-30-2007, 06:51 PM

16467

Ove

Verne_Frantz · #7 01-30-2007, 08:18 PM

Ove,
The 16467 model is an Impala convertible (non-SS). The total production of that model was 42,712 over 12 assembly plants. If every plant made the same average number of convertible Impalas, (which they did not) each plant would have produced about 3560 of them. There may have been a couple plants that did not produce the convertible body style at all. Also, Wilmington was one of the higher volume plants. Fremont and Southgate were fairly low volume plants. So, there were a lot of "wiggle" factors involved in trying to make production volume guesses. But the bottom line is that your body number of 5551 makes perfect sense to me as the number of body style 16467 made at the end of the '65 Wilmington production year.
Hope that makes sense....

Verne

**1LE** · #8 01-30-2007, 09:26 PM

Verne,

That makes perfectly sense to me. I’m very well aware of the problem estimating production volumes but as long as the body number makes perfect sense for a late Wilmington built 65 Impala Convertible I’m good. All the numbers found so far on this car seems to line up perfectly with the VIN and trim tag. Thanks again for your help it’s very much appreciated.

Ove