1969 Chevrolet Chevy Impala with a 396 big block engine - My Car Story with Lou Costabile

On "My Car Story" we're in St. Charles IL at the St Charles East High School 10th Annual Car, Truck, and Motorcycle show on 5-17-14.
We're talking to Mr. Randy Fierke, President of the Northern IL Impala Club, and Owner of this 1969 Chevrolet Chevy Impala with a 396 big block engine.
He's had the car since 1991, and was looking for a "daily driver" and bought this one for $1,000.00 in 1991.
ENJOY!

[@frankbaginski4114]

WOW. I love it. Keeping it original makes this Beautiful Car... Enjoy that sweet ride Man

[@loucostabile]

Hi Frank, Happy to read "I love it" :-) Lou

[@JT-SE-OHIO]

Nice car. One of the best looking year model Impala's. I had one nearly like this one except it had a 327 ci engine, the other roof line and a tilt steering wheel. It was a great car, it drove and road great. Never gave me much trouble, just brake pads and exhaust. Of course back then exhaust didn't last long. Some cars here in Ohio had to have a new tailpipe every year and a muffler every couple years. The only mufflers that would last were the bullet shaped glass packs. Again a great example of an unmolested Impala. Enjoy.

[@loucostabile]

Hi ps3613t, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this KZbin Channel, Lou

[@donahuewittnerrighteousutg1433]

Man I had the same one and all it needed was windows it was in a domestic Ii still have the engine tho L66 396 n that was 20 years ago I paid 800 for the whole thing drove it home it had 60 000 original miles on it I still kick myself

[@loucostabile]

Hi Donahue Wittner righteous utgujuuy, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this KZbin Channel, Lou

[@kbVACArestatecarsnrvs]

We had a 4 dr hdtp same color same interior but didn't have the rally wheels and with the 350 V8. I liked the car but always couldn't love it because my Dad traded the '68 Charger in on it...same color combo, only because the 383 four barrel would not stop vapor locking in warm weather......what??? But couldn't hate since we had so many cars back in that era. It was always exciting to see what was next.

[@loucostabile]

Hi K B, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 4 door car :-) Sad to read about the 68 Charger :-( Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope it's exciting to see what's next on this KZbin Channel too, Lou

[@TheRandall67]

The pedal has some information on it....lord

[@loucostabile]

Hi TheRandall67 , Too much info for you? Lou

[@dave1956]

My favorite full sized Chevrolet of all time! I had a Custom Coupe in this color.

[@loucostabile]

Hi Dave, Happy to read "My favorite full sized Chevrolet of all time!" :-) Glad to read you had one too, Lou

[@fleetwin1]

we had a 69 caprice coupe with a 396 when I was growing up....Started to learn to drive using this car until the parents caught me leaving most of the rear tire at a stop sign, then it was gone...Loved the dash and hide away headlights...Would later inherit their 73 Caprice coupe with small block 400, kept that car until 250,000 miles. Wish I still had it today...

[@loucostabile]

+kramden Great story about the tires :-) Nice work maintaining the 73, Take care, Lou

[@Big_Uncle_Randy]

Its called a sport coupe.....not just an impala with a sort coupe roof!....back window is way different.... And rear trunk area is a bit shorter

[@goodson6848]

Yes, the another one is the custom coupe, the back glass is curved. Anothers differences are the short windows shape, and the nameplates, this one, has it close to front wheels, and the custom coupe has it close the roof. I have the sport coupe, but i like a few more the another shape. But both and 4 doors impalas still are good cars today

[@loucostabile]

Hi RANDY V 5150, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this KZbin Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this KZbin Channel, Lou

[@rogermcgrady2019]

Being 396 u think have more hp

[@loucostabile]

Hi Roger, Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

[@jerryblake4088]

Looks like a 350 car you've guessed it would be a 396 car without looking at the emblems.

[@loucostabile]

Hi Jerry, Thanks for viewing and sharing. Lou

[@jeffcolt9185]

I had one, but mine had 2.73 rear grear

[@loucostabile]

Hi Jeff, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this KZbin Channel, Lou

[@jeffcolt9185]

@@loucostabile I was hard on my 69 Impala but I had so much fun on it, my had dual exhaust with glasspacks make a sound better, and a little more hp,0-60 in 7.3 and 120 mph at 4000 rpm

[@hectorraigosa7149]

That's not rare.. my 427 auto 69 custom is..

[@loucostabile]

Hi Hector Raigosa , Sounds like you have a good one :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this KZbin Channel, Lou

[@buddieluvsu]

Great Cars!! The trunk compartments you could put an entire family in

[@loucostabile]

Hi buddie noffsinger, That's a nice selling feature :-) Lou

[@JT-SE-OHIO]

Yep, great for sneaking into the drive-in's.

[@HOGSIDESJTV14BOSSHOGRECORDS]

Nice folks .looks just like mine .besides mine a four door .and its Olympic gold code 54.mine also only got 64,000 miles only

[@loucostabile]

Hi Hogside San Jo, Thanks for viewing and sharing. Sounds like you have a nice car. Feel free to go to KZbin.com and type in "My Car Story with Lou Costabile" and you can view other cars I've videoed. Take care, Lou

[@fedemiliaceum5998]

I'm from Italy iI have a Custom Coupè from 1969 with Matching# 300HP 350CID w THM, same 860 dark green interiors but Champagne Met exterior. all from factory. i'm restoring it with a frame off restoration with NOS parts and original parts only. i can notice that under the dash there's some of a new technology and that the radio is not the original one, pretty perfect car BTW

[@loucostabile]

Hi Fede Miliaceum, Happy to read you have a 69 Custom Coupe and hope it turns out exactly how you like it :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many more cars you'll enjoy on this KZbin Channel, Lou

[@ScottALaFollette]

Seldom seen Sport Coupe roof. 👍

[@loucostabile]

You're right.

[@MrTrack412]

Heck of a nice car shown by Randy Fierke and Lou Constabile!

[@loucostabile]

Thank you Jed Clampett :-)

[@225guy1]

My mother purchased an Impala couple exactly like this one in 1969 when I was 10 years old. Oh, what memories that brings back! I'd love to buy one for myself someday and surprise Mom. I'm just starting my research on buying older cars. Thanks a lot for your posting. I really enjoyed it.

[@loucostabile]

+Beaumont Ron Hi Beaumont Ron, Thanks for commenting and sharing your story on how much seeing this car means to you. Take care, Lou

[@kennygardner5041]

My 1969 Grand Prix had the same color scheme with the vinyl roof as well. Great looking Chevy!

[@loucostabile]

Hi Kenny Gardner , Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this Chevy :-) Sounds like you have a great car too, Lou

[@chargermaster586]

There's a 69 impala SS that i pass by every morning sitting outside a shop in Chicago its very pretty even if its not show quality.

[@loucostabile]

That's a nice way to put a smile on your face on a daily basis :-)

[@dadsc10]

love your car Randy, my first car , was my mom 69 impala four door sedan with a 327 v-8 in frost green, had it until 1993, body and interior were still in great shape, but frame rotted here in pa from the years of salt, wish i still had it, my favorite car of my life, thank you for showing yours, so many memories, i love it

[@loucostabile]

Hi Thomas Ankner, Thanks for viewing and sharing your story. Please go to KZbin.com and type in "My Car Story with Lou Costabile" and view other cars you'd like. Take care, Lou

[@elmowilson298]

Even in the Impalas the wood grain finish was a fashion detail. With the years, discontinued

[@loucostabile]

Nice interior in this one :-)

[@davidallen5776]

Do not bring this out in the snow!

[@loucostabile]

You're right.

[@peteshea8010]

The only 396 offered in the '69 full size chevy was the 265 HP (Gross) low performance 396, complete with the small heads, low performance cam, low compression ratio and 2 barrel carb. A real dog...

[@loucostabile]

Hi Pete shea, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge, Lou

[@peteshea8010]

@@loucostabile Glad to help. I was a young child when my grandfather ordered his 1969 Impala, which my enthusiast father help spec out. I still remember reading the dealership provided brochure on our kitchen table and my father explaining the various options to me. I've done plenty of research on these cars since.

[@thomasvorwerk9296]

Nice to see your car...It brought back good memories. I ordered a 1969 Impala In January of '69 and It was delivered to Jamestown, ND in March. It was Frost green like yours, same roof line and same interior. I had the rally wheels like yours and the only difference was I ordered the 350/4-barrel engine with 255 hp and tall gears for the rear end...It came with a 12 bolt rear end. I got very good gas milage (25-26 mpg) if I kept to the local speed limits, but when we would get to Montana ( with no speed limit at that time) we would keep the speed at 100 mph all the way across the state.

[@loucostabile]

Hi Thomas Vorwerk, Glad you enjoyed this one :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing details on yours, Lou

[@dukeallen432]

My 69 350 4bbl gets 16 if I'm lucky. Which trans did you have? Thm350?

[@peteshea8010]

My grandfather ordered the high compression "300 HP" version, though it's hard to believe the difference between the two engines was 45 HP. 20 seems more like it. However, 25 - 26 wasn't a reality. His had the 2.73 axle ratio. A steady 60 MPH from New England to Indiana netted 21 MPG average. That's on a low mileage and properly tuned car. The high compression engine was slightly more efficient than its low compression 255 HP counterpart.

[@Eric-qd1ot]

@@peteshea8010 just curious... did 300hp engine come with factory dual exhaust?

[@jeremythompson9122]

Very nice car but I'd definitely be very tempted to do some performance hop ups to that 2 barrel 396. I'm a gearhead so I wouldn't be able to resist lol. But otherwise I wouldn't change one thing about this car

[@loucostabile]

Happy to read you think this car is "very nice" :-)

[@peteshea8010]

Better off swapping out the engine. This 396 was a real dog. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZOqfGqiiNKDaJo In contrast, my grandfathers "300 HP" (Gross) 350 1969 Impala would reach 60 MPH in 9.0 seconds flat, per my own stopwatch. It's incredible that the 396 was nearly 5 seconds slower than that high compression 4 barrel 350!

[@m.pietro9087]

Such a nice car. Super clean. Congrats!!!!!

[@loucostabile]

Mauro Pietro Hi Mauro Pietro, Thanks for viewing and sharing. Please take time on KZbin.com and type in "My Car Story with Lou Costabile" and see if there are other cars you enjoy, take care, Lou

[@dennisleporte2327]

Not much on performance 396 couldn't punch it's way through a wet Kleenex. But absolutely BEAUTIFUL.

[@loucostabile]

Hi Dennis LePorte, Glad you enjoyed the looks of this one :-) Maybe the 427 would be better for you, Lou

[@dennisleporte2327]

To be honest the 350's and Turbo 327's had much better performance than the 396 because at this point the new emissions policies 68'/69' really dummied down the 396. I think that year it was only offered with a 2 barrel carb. Plus the 396 was a very heavy engine, so despite more Cubes, it had much more weight to haul around. I think 350 with a 2 / or 4 barrels would've definitely out performed the 396. Just my theory anyway ! lol

[@chargermaster586]

Dennis LePorte Did you get that Kleenex quote from the bud lindemmen road test of the 1969 impala with a 427 he stated this thing couldn't punch it threw a wet Kleenex.

[@dennisleporte2327]

Haha I totally did was I mis informed ? but I thought it was in reference to the 396 I thought ...

[@dennisleporte2327]

PS he was my mother's cousin we called him uncle "Bud" lol