In over 10 plus years of owning this car, I can't think of too many negatives. In essence, the car is 22 years old, and I have had to replace many of the original parts that have gone out, but that's basic maintenance, but given the excellent condition of the car, and it's dependability through the years, and the fact that it IS PAID FOR, it's been WELL WORTH IT! The one BIG negative about the car is, it keeps going, and going, and that's good, but finding remanufactured body parts for this year car is something I wish would get going, and going!
The Chevrolet Impala has always been my "Dream Car", and in many of the quality years the car has given me, the reality is, the car has been a dream to own! Bottom line is, I wanted to drive what I like, and to this day, I like what I drive!
The 1978 Impala is a very sweet car, I had one and I am looking to getting another one. The only problems I had with it were I wrecked the tranny, but I raced it. I respect you for thinking the '78 Impala is your dream car because it's mine too.
I also own one of these cars, and I know I'll never find another that runs this well.
Unfortunately, I was rear-ended last week and the insurance company wants to total it and give me a mere $700. I'm opting to keep it and restore it, but yeah, body parts are not easy to find.
I also have one of these 78"s and I love mine. Although performance could be better I do like it. Do you know where I can find parts for it?
I have a 1978 Impala that was originally my great grandmother and grandfathers. Through the years it has been handed down to me and to this day I am in love with it. It was my first car and since I have purchased a new car I find myself traveling around in the Impala. with only 77,000 original miles the engine is very solid and interior in "perfect" original condition. The next chore of mine to is restore the body. I am proud to say that there is no rust that goes through any panel. I have a fairly restoration job ahead of me and I look forward to working on the car I love. I will be the one who will not regret getting rid of their first car because I will never sell it.
I have a 78 impala four door I bought from an elderly woman for 250.00$ and it has been a great car other than a blown tranny of course I put another tranny in it and I still have it till this day.
All my life I've been a Chevy man. my true love is for the corvette, but for some reason I've had impala's all my life. a 62 impala which I wish I'd never sold and as of now and forever my blue and white 78. buy the way it's paid for and runs like new 24 years later. Oh yeah it's a 2 door.
I also owned a 78 Chev Impala. I bought it for $500.00 and after many dollars later, I finally sold it. I had the car restored to factory specs. Then I decided to put a 383 stroker into it. For a 5000lb car, it took to the motor real well. I had a lot of fun with it, until one day I went out to go tot work and the car was gone. The police found it one week later, with the motor and transmision gone. I bought the car back from my insurance company and put the original 350 back into it. Then 2 weeks after that it got hit on the street by a hit and run. I owned the car for 9 yrs, but figured I have had enough bad luck with it, so I sold it. That was the best car I have owned and some day I will buy another one and restore it with my son.
I"m 17 I bought a 78' last year right after my birthday, I still have the car, it's a four door sedan. My baby moves too everything was stock until I dropped in the new 350 I rebuilt (from a 76' impala). she runs on 330 horses, I also put in a four in the floor, she's not my dream car, but a great muscle car (sleeper).
Hi I'am 15 years old and I bought a 1978 bel air out of some guys back yard for 50 bucks and can't find anything on bell air.. So I call it a impala it looks like one and even on the insurence slip it says impala. But any ways me and my dad draged it home and the engie was sezed so I took the heads off and rebult them... the car runs awsome now it smokes a little bit when could, but other than that its good shape.. for being a x taxi... none of my panels are rotted, but the door post is rotted do to the un proper sealed holes in the roof... but I goit it all cleaned up its going to be a awsome 1st car this summer..
Hi, I currently drive a 78 Impala 4 door. At first I didn't like it, but this car has really grown on me. Its got a 350 which is good enough to smoke most other cars on the road, but doesn't do too badly on gas either. These cars are tough too. I had a Thunderbird push in my left rear panel once, I popped it right out though while she lost a large chunk of her front bumper! This car is a breeze to work on and is reliable too. I do have a project for it this summer though... do away with the incredible shrinking vinyl top.
My grandparents gave me their 78 Impala five years ago. It's a 350ci four door police package, which my grandpa bought straight from the factory. When I heard that they were giving me the car, I wasn't too excited. During the one hour drive home, I fell in love with it. Its no race car, but it was faster than any other car I had driven at the time.
My dad and I tore off the old vinyl top and we had the car painted Nassau Blue Metallic. I also yanked off the wheel covers and polished and waxed the black police wheels. The exhaust consists of shorty headers that go into a 3in. Random Tech cat and then splits into dual Borla mufflers. The exhaust exits out a notch cut into the center of the rear bumper with two dual Borla tips (four tips). It looks and sounds most righteous.
At this moment the car is in the middle of an engine swap. I'm putting in a GM Performance Parts 350 with 330 hp and 380 ft/lbs of torque. That's up from stock 170 hp and 270 ft/lbs of torque.
The car holds about a million people. My girlfriend says it's "wicked bad". If you haven't figured it out yet, I love my car and I'm never getting rid of it.
I have been the owner of a 1978 Impala 2-door since the age of 17. That puts my ownership at 7 years. In that time, the car has served me well as both daily transportation and recently as a race car. The car seems to have come with several unusual options installed. For one, it has the large 12 inch disc brakes up front and 10.5 inch drums in the rear. Standard is 11 and 10 respectively. It also came with the turbo 350 behind the 305 instead of the usual 200 metric. It also came from the factory with the 8.5 inch 10 bolt rear axle instead of the standard 7.5 inch axle. Basically the car had the police package without the cop motor, four doors, or the deep gears. In one of the previous posts, a writer said that he was installing a 330hp 350 into his Impala. You couldn't have made a better choice for a good reliable street burner. The chasis is tough as nails. As long as you have the 8.5 inch 10 bolt rear end, it can put up with with upwards of 600ftlbs of torque and 500 hp. I know. My current combination consists of a 450hp 383 stroker small block, a Turbo 350 with a 3500 converter, and a set of 4.10:1 gears in the axle. It rides on a set of 15x10 Krager Draglites and 25.5x10.5 BF Goodrich drag radials in the rear and 15x3 Draglites wrapped in 26x4 Mickey Thompson Skinnies up front. It is good for 12.84 seconds in the quarter at 110 mph. Remember that the car will accept any kind of Chevy small block parts. I heard of a guy that put a big block in one. Supposedly it rocks. Just remember, the cars are tough, nearly indestructable, and will run forever if you take care of them.
I love my 78, best car I've ever owned by far. Over 200,000 miles on the original motor, just one tranny replacement. A/C still blows cold, only bad thing is it still gets as bad gas mileage as it did 25 years ago. Anyone looking to buy one???e-mail jones8@bellsouth.net.
Hello, I got a great 78 impala 2 Dr. it is a real looker, I took the a/c off so that I could dress up the engine. the only thing I can't figger out is is says it got a 305, but it has a four bar. carb. my impala might be big, but it goes like a sports car.
What do you find odd about a 305 with a four barrel carb?
Its pretty common to see.