Amazing Original Rare Unrestored '59 Impala at Wheels In Motion Pottstown - Eastwood

An incredible, rare 1959 Chevy Impala we found at Wheels In Motion in Pottstown, PA. Kevin Tetz was at Eastwood for the Summer Classic and got a chance to talk to owner Mike Yannessa and drive the rare Chevy.
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Mike and Kevin are Eastwood Guys...are You an Eastwood Guy?
Eastwood has everything you need to do the job right when you're restoring your car truck or motorcycle - welders, plasma cutters, paint and paint guns, soda and abrasive blasters, hand tools, metal fab tools, rust solutions, powder coating supplies, specialty tools and more. Since 1978.

[@Boots_And_Slicks14]

Speechless. Some people have all the luck. Hope the current and future owners continue to take care of it as well as the original owner did for all those years.

[@GLC2013]

I always loved the '59 Impala. My all time favorite Chevrolet. 1960 would be a close second for me. So glad these are still around.

[@Mrbest-cw9nn]

Those are my two favorite years of Impalas I'm actually restoring or trying to restore a 60 Chevy Impala

[@jimburig7064]

It's interesting how the '59 has become more aesthetically pleasing over time.

[@ronvalkeast6677]

I'm almost 73 and I'm in love with 1959 Elcaminos. I wish I could find an original one. RockinRonny Ontario Canada

[@JensSchraeder]

Born in 73. Love the 50s cars. Favorite is the 57 belair and the 58 impala

[@eastwoodco]

Same here. We love a good Tri-Five. 🥰

[@xxuncexx]

That car is so cool. I remember seeing old films and seeing the rear end and thinking "what the hell kind of car is that?"

[@dmk7700]

I owned a '59 Bel-Air 235ci 6 w/ 3 speed on column. Rebuilt the engine with my Dad - Great memories! Thanks for the posting.

[@soyounoat]

Very cool of Mike to get that car on the road and let you drive it. Unrestored old cars are special.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

Always called that shade of red 'tomato paste'... still learning about that rare Chevy TurboGlide tranny... apparently a variation of the Buick DynaFlow... a 'Gr' on the shifter quadrant indicated a 3 hydraulic converter TurboGlide rather than the common conventional 2 speed PowerGlide with 1 torque converter... These big cars were mostly hollow and not that heavy and a well tuned hyper 283" V8, rear gear, and manual tranny can get it into the 14's at close to 100 MPH in the 1/4...

[@wpcampbell491]

All chevys from 1958 through 1966 were the vehicle to have at the drive in. It was so much fun packing 8 people in the cabin and 2 or 3 more smuggled in the trunk! Those old drive ins didn't even bother to check for stowaways by the 1980s when most of them were being sold to development companies who built malls and big box stores on those semi flat tracts of land! I pretty much the same age as you men, and I will tell you that you'll never find a car like that up here in New England! I had a chance to purchase a blue 1960 Bel Air 2 door with under 50,000 miles on the 283 from a nice elderly lady who lived across the street from a friend and her family who helped my troubled 16 year old butt out. My friend knew her neighbor well, and she went with me to talk to her about her awesome car after her dad told me the tale of Mrs. Romaine taking the stainless trim off the sides of her 60 Chevy every Sunday when she'd back the car out of her garage, to go a mile and a half down the flat streets of Westborough Massachusetts, stopping at her church, and then at the grocery store where she'd get herself a week of food, and then she'd go home and park the car in the garage until the next Sunday. Except during winter, because she was 80+ years old, and she had friends who'd insist upon driving for her during the inclement weather. From 1960 through 1980, that car never saw a New England snowstorm, and was serviced at regular intervals. The lady kept all her oil change records, and she had the car winterized, and tuned in the spring simply because that was the manner in which Mr. Romaine had treated HIS vehicle, and taught her! About 6 months after my friend Darla and I had talked to her, I got a message through the town gossip mill that Mrs. Romaine was looking to sell the 60 bel air, and wanted to talk to me. I had been working 2 jobs because I needed money being on my own at 16, and had offered her $800 dollars for the car when I'd first talked to her. Also, she really needed the money to pay for repairs and her having had the car towed after jumping the curb and nearly driving up into the local butcher/store. It seems that the police chief refused to charge her, but he did basically tell her that her driving days were over. The grandson of her and her husband's mechanic who'd inherited his grandfathers shop , and the guy who towed the car ended up swindling her out of it for a couple of hundred dollars worth of maintenance bills! Unfortunately, I did not have the 800 bucks she wanted for that car! I really missed out. This Impala has redish colored paint like the blue on Mrs. Romaines 60 belair.

[@millerkiller6496]

Yay unrestored classic car. I just love how real this car is with all the original features

[@michaelroberson6490]

Even though I’m a 70s baby, I love the ‘59 Impala! That car is gangster!😎

[@onlyoneamong300]

I was born in 63 but love 50's, 60's, and early 70's cars! 😉

[@georgephillips1185]

Like to see these original classics. Thank you

[@Dan-lx1wz]

Outstanding original condition. Proves that with proper storage, they remain timeless. I'd be terrified to take it out, sharing the road with the numb skulls out there.

[@brianreichert1762]

you have to drive this amazing survivor!

[@onlyoneamong300]

Agree! 😂

[@MrRealpainter]

Went to School with Mike,and grew up down the street from this dealership.Every new year model,was like a dream walking thru the lot as a kid.Was born the same year as this Impala

[@Mrbest-cw9nn]

That's a beautiful 59 Impala I'm right now in the middle of restoring a 60 Chevy Impala

[@promeow1127]

60 is my favv

[@chuckrizor4974]

59 & 61 Both absolutely gorgeous. I had one of each. 59 was my first, then my dad bought me a 61 and let me work to pay him back. Loved them both, but was more partial to the 61. I then went to a 67 Chevelle SS. Oh man, what a ride.

[@jwyche]

Chuck, the great wisdom of your dad was having you work to pay him back. If more parents did that I think kids would appreciate their rides more. Wise man, your dad.

[@rayswindle9031]

I bought my 1959 Rose Pink/Gray interior Impala from a friend in 1968 for $500 when I was entering my senior high school year. Great automobile. She had the 283 c.i. engine and purred like a kitten (sorry, no Lake Pipes). I sold her in 1970 when I entered the USAF. Seeing the beauty you drove in Pottstown brought back many memories. I had Rayco put on upholstery seat covers to protect the then pristine gray factory seat covers. That, along with painting the original wheels black then adding baby moons were the only changes from OEM condition. Wish I had it now. Loved the video.

[@humanoid31]

The cars in those days, had style! In today's styles, it leaves something to be desired.

[@onlyoneamong300]

You have to be an expert to be able to tell one car from the other! They all look the same! Especially the Japanese and Korean ones! Even the Europeans lost their styling except for a few!

[@racer67]

At 6:25 he says it all! Exactly why i love my 67 impala! When im in it and cruiseing down a backroad its pure medatation! But this 59 is such a georgous automobile if i had a chance to drive one i would be totally ZEN'D!

[@boblippi4198]

That is one beautiful car. The old 283 was probably the best and most reliable engine that Chevrolet ever made.

[@kendallsquires5041]

I bought a 59 impala two door hardtop in 1970. 348 with the factory tri-power. 280 hp. Had the turbo glide, power steering and brakes. 32000 miles. Paid $350. Absolutely cherry in every way. Wish I had it today, along with my 69 SS427 Impala.

[@the_blue_gamer]

I may only be 31 years old. But I really bad miss my 69 Impala. Honestly it was my dream car.

[@davidlinihan3626]

I was lucky to drive one of these when I was a teenager. Black with red interior.

[@davidlinihan3626]

A ‘59

[@jimmycricket5366]

Wow... very blessed

[@josephrapoza6453]

I can believe some of the low mileage cars that are out there. It is insane. I saw a collection at Mecum's last year that was just 2018 Kissimmie incredible. We are just the keepers of these wonderful pieces or art. They own us we don't own them... What a great find...I am happy for you..

[@sleepycatpictures1176]

A Beautiful '59 Impala, love it!

[@karenpenaranda8806]

H

[@valeriegriner5644]

I LOVED this video! My late father had a 1960 Impala convertible...loud...fast...sexy car! Thanks for uploading this....I love to see "original!"

[@davidcruz8227]

Love the crazy color combo on it and its unrestored!

[@nickpanaritis4122]

Super nice car. Thanks for showing it.

[@jakeblake231]

Awesome wheels. . . so glad it's a coupe!

[@willyboy6126]

WOW guys, a *BEAUT* of an automobile! How awesome for you, Kevin, to get a chance to drive that art on wheels. Cheers from British Columbia....just north of Kamloops in Barriere. My dear late Dad had a '55, baby blue hard top Ford that he had until 1971....wish he had kept it, but I have the memories of all the cool rides in it. : )

[@greyjay8744]

That 283 was a great motor. I had it in several Chevys, in the 1960's.

[@terrymott8581]

My first car at age 19, 66 Chevelle, paid $350 very little rust rear quarters behind the back wheels, 283 3 speed manual, Malibu, from red light to red light oh man. The previous guy converted it from column to the floor, I put in some 69 Camaro bucket seats. Can't find it today have to pay 100 percent more. Sat in the passenger seat, watched my brother wreck it, put it back together, sold it, and went in the Army, worst and best thing I ever have done. 283's and 327's were impressive, these kids of today have no idea and will never know.

[@Pissrust69]

Yup absolutely bulletproof

[@paulleavitt9316]

They ran forever

[@here_we_go_again2571]

Gorgeous all-original car! Thank you for sharing. :)

[@stevenford727]

Wow what a cool car.And never been restored.Amazing.

[@bbdc1977-sg8dc]

1959 was an amazing g year for almost every American car. Why ? DESIGN ! It was ALL NEW !

[@MrTommyboy68]

I grew up about 20 miles from Pottstown and used to cruise with my '70 GTO on Friday nights with my friends. Also used to cruise Allentown and Quakertown. I remember the dealership.

[@danweiers6950]

Beautiful inside and out classic from the word go

[@frankiedeleon6795]

Age 19, bought one of my dream car already, 62 impala 😍❤

[@panhead55]

What a nice guy and fabulous car!

[@mwj5368]

I graduated from high school in 1972. My first car was a 59 Chevy Impala my brother-in-law had parked behind their garage for a future project. My sister was tired of it being around and gave it to me as a graduation present. I took it to a shop to get an assessment as it had a knocking sound. I was told the engine had to be rebuilt. I just carefully drove it and my older brother borrowed it now and then. He nick-named it the "Blue Goose". Lucky the tie rod broke on a lone dirt road when he was driving it. I had very little savings and had to spend it on rent and moving to Duluth where I went to votech for electronics. It was junked. My first car I ever owned was this car, and nice to see this video. Thanks!

[@millerkiller6496]

mwj5368 That particular car?!

[@SteveHolsten]

I learned how to drive in a 1959 El Camino. It was red with white stripes. It had a 283 with a Powerglide behind it. My Grandpa turned me loose in our field behind the house. He would put a short stick in the carburetor linkage so it only go 20 mph down the field road

[@SLJ2137694]

I thought that building looked familiar! I was the Chevrolet Service Rep that called on Dames Chevrolet!

[@robeftyearian8760]

My favorite car of all times other than the 70 roadrunner this is so cool they don't come any cooler

[@jstar1000]

Wow I'm totally with you on that, the 70 road runner is my favorite also. I remember one of these back in the late 70s around the corner from where I lived and I so wanted that thing, love the tail lights and the fins.

[@retroolschool]

Thats amazing! I just filmed yesterday an original 59 Parkwood in barn find shape, here in southern Quebec.

[@ronnieromero7604]

retroolschool that car wouldn't have happened to be tan/beige in color?

[@jimmycricket5366]

Wow... the Parkwood is a station wagon, yes?

[@JuniorFan08]

My parents owned a '59 Impala Sport Sedan in Cameo Coral and Satin Beige with the same interior in blue/gray when I learned to drive. I hated it then but I'd sure love to have it now.

[@gmcaprala221]

Fantastic car, fantastic color. Odd interior color. Best color you could get, perfect 50’s color.

[@user-vd4bg9rc8k]

I remember my grandfather had a 59 impala. I thought it was quite impressive. His was black with white trim and a red interior.

[@RNicolasRuvalcaba]

I luv that interior color..

[@butteredbiskit3497]

Good ole lead paint...whem taken care of it will last forever.

[@allenmax8995]

nice!.....original paint and such a great colour!

[@czvet9787]

Simply beautiful.

[@charliefunboy5210]

Would love to see the under the hood and the truck. Loved the video. Such a great car!

[@HawklordLI]

I had to laugh at the part about sneaking into the drive-in in the trunk. Been there, done that :)

[@packingten]

😊 yeah me 2....

[@williamturner264]

Loved the 59 & 60 Impalas

[@markjohnston2517]

Awesome looking Impala

[@jd4harley]

Unbelievable car thanks for sharing❤

[@josephrapoza6453]

I just bought a 1962 Impala from the original owner with 37k. She hit everything but the lottery with it in past 5 years... Still a one owner low mileage car that I can ride around in with hesitation..

[@simon.houseaccount4807]

Amazing workshop and cars are very nice

[@mauricecole1196]

Nice original unrestored car, no fancy wheels or paint.

[@onlyoneamong300]

Yeah! I hate those restored low riders with wide wheels and fake colors!

[@dadsc10]

makes me want to take a ride to Pottstown from Mountaintop Pa. Great story, great car and would love to see them in person :)

[@eastwoodco]

Don't forget to stop by Eastwood when you're in Pottstown! Shoemaker Road, near Walmart.

[@bobsilver3983]

Speaking of weird color combos..I have a 1968 Pontiac Lemans H/O that is Meridian Turquoise with Ivy Gold interior...it still has the original paint on it...its a "survivor". I bought it two years ago from the original owner. He only would sell it to me if I promised to care for it as he did, and keep it original which I have done and it will stay that way. My son will get it when I die, and he will also keep it preserved.

[@waynemartin9248]

The 59 Impala was the "fins" WOW model, unique none other looked like this. The coral color was low production. With the 283 V8 or the 348 V8 was a great cruiser.

[@jerrydavis4114]

i love these old cars,i have a 59 and 60 Elcamino.

[@openroad6522]

Lucky you! I my younger years I had every different model of 59 chev including a running drivable convertible I bought for $200, only one I didn’t have was the el camino which is what I always wanted. My school books always had doodles of 59 caminos with blown engine in the back 😄

[@01FozzyS]

Beautiful!

[@hankaustin7091]

WOW!! and that's all I have to say... I'm speechless...

[@jbncnow]

Excellent video!

[@JuniorFan08]

I am pretty sure this is the same car that was for sale at Hershey earlier this month. Asking price was $75K, dropped to $72K on Friday. It is a remarkable vehicle. When I learned to drive, my parents had a 4 door Sport Sedan in Cameo Coral and Satin Beige with a blue/grey interior. I hated it then, but would love to have it now.

[@packingten]

Didnt realize this was a magenta with gray interior my dad had a 59 Chevy station wagon same color inside and out it except it had white on it was beautiful...

[@billthompson5644]

there is nothing about this video that is not great 283 2 speed Powerglide and then you point out the sparkomatic oh God I'm cracking up what a great video thanks for sharing this beautiful car what a work of art

[@racer67]

bill thompson -the car has a turboglide not a powerglide,,i have a 67 impala with a powerglide and powerglides are great transmissions 2 gears and your off!

[@harveymelcher5839]

bill thompson no..powerglide is 2 speed..this is a turboglide with 3 torque converter s

[@ESmithStringSlinger]

Could've just installed an FM chip in the radio. Powerglide? I really liked my 2 speed in my '67 Firebird, but not always around corners. Shift into second at 68 mph. Torque'r.

[@TruthPoliceLegend]

I had the pleasure of working as Frank Winchells Technician for a month after he was retired and came back to GM as a consultant for a brake recall problem. Research Frank Winchell you will see he is the father of the Turboglide among other inventions and this is the best part: He was a Vice President of GM for awhile and never had a degree much less an engineering degree. Nice guy to me, could raise h*ll with engineers who didn't do what he told them to do.

[@TruthPoliceLegend]

Note toward the end of his speech he remarks on not having an engineering degree. Amazing man and glad I had the opportunity to work beside him for a brief time of one month. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpm0Xn-fpM2mbNU

[@frankwood7878]

LOOKS GREAT WITH THE ORIGINAL HUBCAPS AND GANGZTER WIDE WHITEWALLS

[@Jesse-B]

"This is awesome"... too right! Great story, thanks.

[@1933arnie]

I have a 59 impala converable 348 trip owner car i also have a 59 Belarus's fuelinjected car more info call me 8133557244 thanks

[@paulleavitt9316]

who the heck are the 28 people that put the thumbs down the car is gorgeous

[@youmustbethistall5861]

Ford lovers no doubt... ;)

[@keithdukes5990]

Morons I suspect!!!🤭

[@andrewromano3105]

WONDERFUL. A VERY WARM GENUINE VISIT ., THERE.! GREAT CAR. WE HAD A 2D. IMPALA CREAM WITH ROOT BEER INTERIOR 8 CYL . GREAT RIDE ..

[@aaronesselman5190]

my mom had the same color inside and out but in a convertable for her 18th bday new...love this coupe

[@neildickson5394]

Incredible piece of totally unmolested history. Longer, wider, lower. Good luck getting that huge car into a modern, or even a pre- 50's garage, parking spot. I don't think the owner of a smart car could handle this boat. At least it survived, as opposed to that other "time capsule", that 57 Plymouth they buried without water seals.

[@mdogg1604]

Here in saltsville, Iowa one would have to garage such a beautiful car as that '59 Chev for 4 or 5 months of the year. It does happen, but original cars like that are very rare.

[@simonstovebolt]

Beautiful car I want it

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

I like the colors.

[@simon.houseaccount4807]

That’s a neat building

[@johnje4285]

That is a stunning car

[@byronjones9299]

Look at how big those stirring wheels were. Of course back then , there were no excuses , to drive off course......

[@SacksThriftAve]

would love to roll this in Santa Maria! Boy the" homies" would love to see this shit!!

[@timearly6961]

My dad's 59 was that color.

[@barrysnider635]

those 59 chevy fins are simply wild and no it doesn't fly !!

[@violentshemp7776]

if you went over 90 the rear end would VERY light

[@evelynestenik635]

i inspired him to like all these cars! i had a few of them!

[@josephconsoli4128]

I noticed in the '50's, they often didn't relate the interior color with the exterior. Some combo's are really strange like the '57 Chevy in that nice canyon coral, but a dark grey and black interior. Also the '55 Chevy in pastel yellow with a kind of bizarre turquoise and ivory interior. Beautiful on their own, but together - I don't know....

[@pintificate]

They touched upon an important point here that I've been aware of for years. Some of these so called "Yank tanks" from those days were actually significantly _lighter_ than much smaller cars made decades later, _and which were made from lighter materials_ ! E.g. In Australia the 318 V8 dodge Phoenix of 1962 weighed only _30_ hundredweight, whereas the much smaller V8 Holdens and Ford Falcons of the early 2000's weighed more like about 38 hundredweight. .

[@timmitzlaff8960]

Back in 1965-66 a lady rented a room at our house in Pasadena. She drove a 59 bel air with that same coral color. I remember talking to the Lady about the car because of the color. I was 12-13. It looked like tomato soup to me. Tomato soup with milk.

[@scottbrady7499]

what an automotive experience! I was a.service attendant at a Mobil station in new york from 87 to 89. a young college student at IONA, had been given his grandmothers 59. 283 as here: black with white interior. i have yet to see a passenger vehicle with a larger trunk than these suckers. personally, i do like the sixty. not fond of the sixty three through sixty four SO popular with the "low rider" community. and love those after that- with the exception of the industrially antiseptic looking 1968-1972 impalas.. boooring. what a car. what a factory color!!

[@normanalvarez5751]

Awesome that's all I could say

[@jscott1000]

Unrestored cars are the best👌

[@setcinvestmentpropertiesll5258]

My daughter worked for Mike in body shop for a couple months my older brother's daughter's husband runs the repair shop this is where I go for my auto repairs

[@berniek.morgan3481]

Yeah Man 283's was a SUPER MOTOR. Trainy we used to call a Super Slide !!! I had a 60 Impala with no rear seat as it was a great drive in car!!!

[@paulsheehan2741]

in canada, chevies had pontiac clones, built on chevy platform, with chevy dash and chevy motors in oshawa, ont. that 1959 impala, was called a parisienne at pontiac-buick-gmc dealerships in canada.

[@jackward2427]

I owned a t959 it was a beauty

[@DSGNflorian]

3600 pounds and some change was the "curb weight" for the base V8 '59 Chevy Impala Sport Coupe as provided by the manufacturer. To this day, Secretary of State offices in some states still figure the title transfer and/or registration fees of classic cars based on the weight provided by the factory. Turboglide and some options like power steering and brakes would have pushed the base weight up significantly. My guess would be that this particular car weighs around 3,900-4,000 pounds. I own a couple of '59 Impalas and one of them, a Sport Sedan (4-door hardtop) with a 283 V8, power steering, radio and no other options was very accurately weighed at the GM Tech Center prior to wind tunnel testing for a Motor Trend Classic article ("Myth Busted", Motor Trend Classic Summer 2006). With the tank half full, it weighed a little over 4,000 pounds. Those cars looked huge and massive and all that metal and glass gave the impression of robustness and heft. However, there was really not much there in terms of actual structure and of course most of the safety features and technology that today's cars are stuffed full of had not even been invented yet. We'd all be driving to work in 7,000 pound Accords and Malibus if light-weighting hadn't kept pace with all the extra stuff today's cars have.

[@rockeraaj]

I was taken home from the hospital after I was born in 1963 in a 1959 Impala. I was transported back and forth from my home town to the town we lived in for the first year of my life. My mom put me in a cardboard box at her feet.

[@melvindenny8962]

Slick wheels. Class act.

[@jimclarke1108]

Great steering wheel ))

[@j7ca]

Had the identical '59 Impala, along with a '59 El Camino and '59 Convertable all at the same time! Too bad I let them slip between my fingers ...

[@mikestang679]

59' bat wings, space age sofa boulevard cruisers......fricken' awesome...