A new, boxier body
The 1961 body is trimmer and boxier than the 1958–60 cars.14
Class of '61 · Chevrolet Impala · 1961 body · third generation
1961Chevrolet Impala
The first Impala on the new 1961 body: trimmer and boxier, a one-year 2-door sedan, and the first Super Sport, with the new 409 from mid-year.
The year in brief
The Impala was restyled for 1961 on GM's B platform, with a body more trim and boxy than the 1958–60 cars, by Wikipedia's account; Consumer Guide calls it slightly trimmer than the 1960.14
GM's 1961 list has five Impalas: a 2-door sedan, a sport coupe, a sport sedan, a convertible and a 4-door sedan. The 2-door sedan was offered for 1961 only.34
The engines ran from the 135-hp six through five versions of the 348 to the new 409 at 360 hp, by GM's option list.3one source
The story of the year
The first Super Sport
The Super Sport arrived in the middle of the 1961 model year as option 240, for any V8 Impala except the Nomad wagon, with a 305-, 340- or 350-hp 348 or the 360-hp 409 required, by GM's Super Sport supplement.35
It brought SS emblems, an instrument-panel pad, wheel covers with spinners, power brakes and steering, heavy-duty springs and shocks, sintered metallic brake linings, a 7,000-rpm tachometer and narrow whitewall tires, by Over-Drive's list.6one source
Consumer Guide counts 453 Impalas with factory Super Sport equipment, and says 142 of them were 409s.12one source
How to spot a 1961
What tells it apart from a 1960.
Bubbleback sport coupe
The sport coupe has a «bubbleback» roof line for 1961.4one source
Formal sport sedan roof
The 4-door hardtop has a more formal roof with fuller sail panels.1one source
SS emblems
From mid-year, Super Sports carry SS emblems on the rear fenders and deck lid.6one source
Production12one source
About 491,000 cars, by group of models; ≈ marks our arithmetic on rounded totals.
Every trim line
| Body | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
| Convertible | Impala | 64,624 |
| Group total | 64,624 | |
| 2-door sedan, sport coupe, sport sedan and 4-door sedan | Impala | ≈426,400 |
| Group total | ≈426,400 | |
| Total | ≈491,000 | |
Chevrolet recorded production by body style only, for all its big cars together, and only the convertible was an Impala alone in 1961: 64,624 (Consumer Guide rounds it to 64,600). The 491,000 Impalas are an industry figure, rounded (to the nearest 100, by Consumer Guide's note), without the Nomad wagons; the other row is our subtraction (read it as about 426,400). The sport coupe and sport sedan were also built as Bel Airs, so their Impala share is not known. The total includes 453 Super Sports. One source: Over-Drive's sheet and Consumer Guide's table carry the same figures.
Engines34
9 engines. Chevrolet's regular production option number from GM's own lists: numbers in 1961–62, letter codes from 1963; «Std.» is a standard engine. The VIN shows only six or V8.
Gross ratings from GM's 1961 option list and engine pages; GM's sheet also gives the 2-barrel 283 a net 135 hp. Chevrolet's option numbers in 1961 were numbers, not letter codes. The six is the 235 by GM's own engine pages.
Price when new12one source
Base retail prices in 1961 dollars, before options.
Factory prices; a V8 cost $107 more than the six in every body (our arithmetic). One source: Over-Drive's sheet has Consumer Guide's prices.
Colors3one source
15 factory colors. The color names come from one source3one source; the swatches are approximate screen colors, not paint matches.
Tuxedo Black—
Ermine White—
Roman Red—
Sateen Silver—
Jewel Blue—
Midnight Blue—
Seamist Turquoise—
Twilight Turquoise—
Seafoam Green—
Arbor Green—
Almond Beige—
Fawn Beige—
Coronna Cream—
Shadow Gray—
Honduras Maroon—
GM's list of exterior colors for the 1961 Impala convertible; the kit gives no paint codes for 1961 on that page. The two-tone combinations are left out. No source we have gives the number of cars per color, so the counts are empty.
Reading the VIN3one source
A 1961 VIN has 12 characters. Type one in, and the decoder reads it against the code tables on this page.
11837F1000263one source · An example built from GM's code tables, not a real car's VIN: a 1961 Impala V8 sport coupe, the 26th car of the year at Flint, after GM's own example of a Biscayne V8 (model 1269).
The code table
| Position | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 | Model year (1961) |
| 17 · 18 | Series: Impala six · Impala V8 |
| 11 · 35 · 37 · 39 · 45 · 67 · 69 | Body style (11 2-door sedan; 35 4-door station wagon, 6-passenger; 37 2-door sport coupe (hardtop); 39 4-door sport sedan (hardtop); 45 4-door station wagon, 9-passenger; 67 2-door convertible; 69 4-door sedan) |
| A · B · F · G · J · K · L · N · O · S · T | Assembly plant (GM's list for all Chevrolet passenger cars, not only those that built Impalas) |
| 100001 → | Unit number, counted at each plant for all series together |
Where to find it: Stamped on a plate attached to the left front body hinge pillar.3one source
Questions about the 1961
How many 1961 Chevrolet Impalas were made?
About 491,000, by a total rounded to the nearest 100. The production table on this page shows which rows are exact and which are our arithmetic on the rounded total.12one source
How can you tell a 1961 Impala from a 1960?
Four signs, each explained under «How to spot» on this page: a new, boxier body; bubbleback sport coupe; formal sport sedan roof; SS emblems.146
What engines did the 1961 Chevrolet Impala have?
Nine engines, from the 235 cu in six to the 409 cu in V8. The engine table on this page gives every code and rating, and the rulings cover the disputed ones.34
How much did a 1961 Chevrolet Impala cost new?
Base retail prices, before options: 2-door sedan, six $2,536; 4-door sedan, V8 $2,697; Sport coupe, V8 $2,704; Sport sedan, V8 $2,769; Convertible, V8 $2,954.12one source
What colors did the 1961 Chevrolet Impala come in?
General Motors (GM Heritage Archive) lists 15 factory colors.3one source
Where is the VIN on a 1961 Chevrolet Impala?
Stamped on a plate attached to the left front body hinge pillar.3one source
Sources
- 1958-1965 Chevrolet Impala HowStuffWorks (Consumer Guide Automotive) · read 2026-10-11
- 1961 Chevrolet Full Size Car Production Figures Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
- 1961 Chevrolet Passenger Car – Vehicle Information Kit General Motors (GM Heritage Archive) · read 2026-10-11
- Chevrolet Impala Wikipedia · read 2026-10-11
- 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport HowStuffWorks (Consumer Guide Automotive) · read 2026-10-11
- 1961 Chevrolet Full Size Cars Fact Sheet Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
Keep going
Three more years.
1962Chevrolet ImpalaA convertible-look roof on the sport coupe, the new 327, the 409 in two versions, an Impala wagon, and the Super Sport as a trim package.About 704,900 built
1963Chevrolet ImpalaSquared-off styling, a new 230 six, three versions of the 409, the 427 Z11 for racing, and 153,271 Super Sports.About 832,600 built
1964Chevrolet ImpalaThe last of the third generation: the Super Sport became its own series, the taillights sat in a body-colored panel, and the 409 topped out at 425 hp.About 889,600 built (disputed)See the whole third generation.
Dimensions, production year by year and every ruling, 1961–1964.