Straight A-pillars
The windshield pillars are straightened, with a revised grille and horizontal creases along the body.1one source
Class of '63 · Chevrolet Impala · 1963 body · third generation
1963Chevrolet Impala
Squared-off styling, a new 230 six, three versions of the 409, the 427 Z11 for racing, and 153,271 Super Sports.
The year in brief
A revised grille, straightened A-pillars and horizontal body creases set the 1963 apart, and the sport sedan got a creased roof line.13
The new 230 six replaced the 235, and the 409 came in three versions, 340, 400 and 425 hp, with Chevrolet's new letter codes L33, L31 and L80.123
The Super Sport, now option Z03, was ordered on 153,271 sport coupes and convertibles, by Consumer Guide's count.124
The story of the year
The Z11 427
For drag racers Chevrolet built a 427-cubic-inch version of the 409 under option Z11, with aluminum body parts and cowl induction, for the sport coupe.34
Wikipedia counts fifty Z11 cars, built at Flint; Consumer Guide says fewer than 60. Both give 430 hp. The Z11 is not in GM's printed option list for 1963.123
How to spot a 1963
What tells it apart from a 1962.
Creased sport-sedan roof
The 4-door hardtop has a new, creased roof line.3one source
Coved dash
A new «coved» instrument panel with warning lights for engine temperature.3one source
Triple taillights on wagons
Impala wagons have triple-unit taillights for the first time.3one source
Production15one source
About 832,600 cars, by body; ≈ marks our arithmetic on rounded totals.
Every trim line
| Body | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
| Sport coupe | Impala | 399,224 |
| All sport coupes | 399,224 | |
| Sport sedan (4-door hardtop) | Impala | 194,158 |
| All sport sedans (4-door hardtop) | 194,158 | |
| Convertible | Impala | 82,659 |
| All convertibles | 82,659 | |
| 4-door sedan | Impala | ≈156,600 |
| All 4-door sedans | ≈156,600 | |
| Total | ≈832,600 | |
In 1963 the sport coupe, sport sedan and convertible were Impalas alone (GM's 1963 list has no Bel Air hardtop), so Chevrolet's body-style totals are the Impala's. The 832,600 total is Consumer Guide's, rounded to the nearest 100 and without the wagons; the 4-door sedan row is our subtraction (about 156,600). It includes 153,271 Super Sports. One source.
Engines2one source
7 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 and Chevrolet's new letter codes from GM's 1963 kit (its OCR reads the codes as «1-L30» and so on). The new 230 six replaced the 235. The 427-cu-in Z11 is not in GM's option list; see the story.
Price when new15one source
Base retail prices in 1963 dollars, before options.
Factory prices from Consumer Guide's table. Over-Drive's sheet has the same, except the six-cylinder 4-door sedan at $2,662, which is the 1962 price. One source.
Colors2one source
15 factory colors. The color names come from one source2one source; the swatches are approximate screen colors, not paint matches.
Tuxedo Black900
Laurel Green905
Ivy Green908
Silver Blue912
Monaco Blue914
Azure Aqua918
Marine Aqua919
Autumn Gold920
Ember Red922
Saddle Tan932
Cordovan Brown934
Ermine White936
Adobe Beige938
Satin Silver940
Palomar Red948
GM's list of solid exterior colors with paint codes for the 1963 Impala. 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 VIN2one source
A 1963 VIN has 12 characters. Type one in, and the decoder reads it against the code tables on this page.
31847F1000262one source · An example built from GM's code tables, not a real car's VIN: a 1963 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 |
|---|---|
| 3 | Model year (1963) |
| 17 · 18 | Series: Impala six · Impala V8 |
| 35 · 39 · 45 · 47 · 67 · 69 | Body style (35 4-door station wagon, 6-passenger; 39 4-door sport sedan (hardtop); 45 4-door station wagon, 9-passenger; 47 2-door sport coupe (hardtop); 67 2-door convertible; 69 4-door sedan) |
| A · B · F · G · J · K · L · R · S · T | Assembly plant (GM's list for all Chevrolet passenger cars, printed as «only basic designations shown», so it may be incomplete) |
| 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.2one source
Questions about the 1963
How many 1963 Chevrolet Impalas were made?
About 832,600, 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.15one source
How can you tell a 1963 Impala from a 1962?
Four signs, each explained under «How to spot» on this page: straight A-pillars; creased sport-sedan roof; coved dash; triple taillights on wagons.13
What engines did the 1963 Chevrolet Impala have?
Seven engines, from the 230 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.2one source
How much did a 1963 Chevrolet Impala cost new?
Base retail prices, before options: 4-door sedan, six $2,661; 4-door sedan, V8 $2,768; Sport coupe, V8 $2,774; Sport sedan, V8 $2,839; Convertible, V8 $3,024.15one source
What colors did the 1963 Chevrolet Impala come in?
General Motors (GM Heritage Archive) lists 15 factory colors.2one source
Where is the VIN on a 1963 Chevrolet Impala?
Stamped on a plate attached to the left front body hinge pillar.2one source
Sources
- 1958-1965 Chevrolet Impala HowStuffWorks (Consumer Guide Automotive) · read 2026-10-11
- 1963 Chevrolet Passenger Car – Vehicle Information Kit General Motors (GM Heritage Archive) · read 2026-10-11
- Chevrolet Impala Wikipedia · read 2026-10-11
- 1963 Chevrolet Full Size Cars Fact Sheet Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
- 1963 Chevrolet Full Size Car Production Figures Over-Drive Magazine · read 2026-10-11
Keep going
Three more years.
1961Chevrolet ImpalaThe 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.About 491,000 built1962Chevrolet 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
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.