The Impala was part of the large vehicle class, with a 119-inch wheelbase, four inches longer than the more popular mid-sized Chevelle. I saw an Impala and a Chevelle side by side at the Woodward Dream Cruise in Michigan, and the Impala looked like a massive tank in comparison.
The Metallicar is the regular model, and not the SS (Super Sport) that has been Chevrolet’s high performance package since 1961. For the record, Bobby’s Chevelle is an SS, for the logo appears in the middle of the front grill and in the center of the trunk lid.
The Impala was ranked at the time by Chevrolet as just below the top luxury brand (Caprice). 575,600 cars were made that year, ranging from $2740 to $3234 in price.
The Impala weighs around 3800 to 3900 lbs, but include a trunk full of weapons and two large Winchester brothers, and she’s really packing some weight.
The transmission is automatic, with the gear selector on the steering column. It should be noted the Impala used in the studio (the night driving scenes) has the gear selector in the center near the floor. Yes, there are seven Impalas overall, and if you study the screenshots hard enough, the differences can be identified. Another difference, the interior in the studio car is all black, while the location vehicles have beige interiors with black seats.
The standard engine for that model was a 327hp eight cylinder, but it’s possible that this Impala had 385hp since it was a four-door cop car. Looking at the brief shots of the engine from “Fresh Blood”, I speculate the engine was rebuilt, and in a really sweet way.
The fuel economy sucks on a ’67 Impala. It gets around eight miles to the gallon. Considering it was new fuel economy standards in the mid-'70s that killed the styling of these muscle cars, I’m sure it’s a price Dean is willing to pay.
Impalas are still made today, although they aren’t anywhere as cool.
Why Metallicar?
“Metallicar” is a moniker created by fans, because of Dean’s love for Metallica, but never used once on the show. The word “Impala” wasn’t uttered until Sam said it in season two’s “In My Time of Dying”, and it wasn’t identified as a ‘67 until Andy mentioned it in “Simon Said”. Still, fans easily figured it out. We also learned in “Dead Man’s Blood” that John gave the car to Dean, who had the nerve to imply Dean wasn’t taking care of his most prized possession. If I were the Impala, I would have gone on all “Christine” on him.
Article comments
1 - Katie
I don't think the Impala appears in The Usual Suspects or Hollywood Babylon.
2 - elle2
I think the Usual Suspects and Hollywood Babylon.
3 - Huppy
Alice, I smiled when I saw that you had written about the Impala. You have mentioned what a car buff you are. I assume you bought the Season 3 DVD that had the little Impala with it? I bought my Season 3 DVD at Target, which included the 2009 calendar. *happy Huppy*
You didn't mention in your review the priceless scene that the Impala gave us without even being there: Dean hyperventilating when the car is missing in RSAM. That was easily the best scene in that sorry episode.
4 - Alice Jester
Katie and elle2 - start your bragging, you both are correct! I actually had to pull out Hollywood Babylon and watch it last night, because I was convinced The Usual Suspects was the only one until I couldn't recall an Impala scene in HB. Glad I figured that out before posting this.
Huppy - Great one! I've actually blocked all of RSAM out of my mind, because personally I hate it that much. That was the one redeeming scene.
I actually got my DVD through Amazon, because the price difference was staggering, and I know I can find an Impala cheaper than that. Still, it was really pretty to look at on the one or two copies left at Best Buy. The sales this week of the DVDs are very encouraging!
I thought about writing a trivia quiz for an upcoming article, but I'm not convinced I'd be able to fool anybody. Fans know this show too well!
5 - Elle
Yay! I was afraid your latest treasure wouldn't be posted in time for my holidays - glad I was wrong. Sadly, as a Canadian resident, no die-cast Impala for me (I don't get the iTunes download either :( )
I love the Impala, it is definately a core member of the cast, as curcial as Jensen, Jared and Kripke in making Supernatural what it is. The first thing I did with my season 3 disc set (after the gag reel, naturally) was watch the Impala featurette - it was beautiful! I loved your review/character profile of the Impala - SPN wouldn't be that same without her. The hyperventilating scene was classic Dean. You don't mess with Sammy or His Baby! (I want to strangle John everytime I see the seen where he comments on Dean's "lack of care" for the car - low-blow, John, low blow). You forgot to mention that when Dean really "dies" in Mystery Spot after being mugged, the Impala is background as Sam cradles Dean's lifeless corpes and tries to restart the day. Looking forward to the next installment.
6 - Grand Sophy
Canadians can get the Impala with the Season 3 DVDs at Best Buy, but they're charging $20 more than this week's sale price for the set without the car. Phooey.
Did you know that the Metallicar won the award for "Best Performance by an Inanimate Object" in last year's Television Without Pity's Tubey Awards? (And Dean won for Best Bad-ass, although unfortunately that category's been dropped this year.)
7 - Malevolent
I would love to point out another factoid about her that makes her a bit more gorgeous tan usual. Metallicar is a hardtop, which means that she doesn't have the posts in between her four doors, roll the windows down and she is an all-out open to the wind in your hair beauty. :)
8 - LindsayW
Alice, thank you again for "plugging" our little site. :)
Please keep these blogs coming! They are so much fun to read!!
9 - Gadfly
You forgot to mention that the Impala is the only "member" of Dean's family that hasn't left him or walked out on him. No wonder he loves her so much.
10 - Mary (Bardicvoice)
Thanks for the tribute to the Impala, Alice!
There's a little celebration of the Impala happening over on alias_chick's LiveJournal, counting down 41 days of poetry, art, and story tributes to the Impala leading up to the season premiere of Supernatural. This year, I'm writing a drabble a day; I'm up to 28 very short, 100-word-each short stories built around the car. Drop on by! You can get to the fun through my blog URL ...
11 - Alice Jester
Wow, so many great comments. I knew there was lots of love out there for our favorite classic muscle car.
Elle - you are so right about Mystery Spot! What also stands out for me was Sam driving the Impala alone, all dead inside, and then he went and organized the trunk into some weird military fashion. That just about killed me. That's when I felt the true heartbreak of Dean without his baby.
In my notes, I had two Impala scenes actually that I cut from the article. One was the one from Mystery Spot. The other was at the gas station during "Home", when they both struggled with the notion that something evil was in their old house. I didn't see where those fit in my writing, but they were powerful Impala scenes nonetheless.
Grand Sophy - thank's so much for pointing that out! To think last year, when I voted for the Tubey awards (which I've done since 2001), that I never heard of the Metallicar. I'm so glad that's no longer the case.
Malevolent - Damn, now I'm ready to go get that classic car to go cruising in! I wrote a review on this site about Woodward Dream Cruise, lamenting about how I wanted a classic of my very own. Of course I'd go for a Mustang, but all the old cars are like that, nothing like posts or back seat windows that only go up halfway to inhibit the full cruising experience.
Hi Lindsay! Keep up the great work.
Gadfly - Thanks for pointing that out. So true!
Mary - I have been following the 41 days of Metallicar. They've been great installments. Thanks this year for your drabbles. They've been fantastic. The icons and pictures have been great too. It's thrilling you're up to day 28. It's getting closer.
12 - sjwinchester
yay! I love this car, and I've been in the 42 days of Metallicar and I'm looking to buy at the moment and OMG BREATHE.
*calms down - a little*
I praise you unconditionally for writing about MY BABY. lol. She deserves more love..
13 - Malevolent
Alice, I was a Mustang girl through and through as my whole family was a "Ford Family". My dream car was a '68 Shelby GT500, but, along came the Impala and I basically became a turncoat! LOL I surely appreciate any classic hot rod that people put time and love into and I still drool over every 60s Mustang I see, but the Impala definitely has stolen my heart. :) Goodluck getting your own dream car!
14 - cassi
Great article but I'm not a big car fan.
If you love the Impala, look.
Isn't that cute!
15 - Alison
Alice, great piece! I wanted to comment on your cut Metallicar mentions, especially this one:
"The other was at the gas station during "Home", when they both struggled with the notion that something evil was in their old house. I didn't see where those fit in my writing,"
During that scene, they weren't actually talking about something evil being in their house. They didn't know what was going on with their house. Instead, that scene seems like a mirror to me of John and the boys sitting on her trunk in the Pilot--another case of her being there when they are confused and lost. Sam is sitting on the trunk and Dean tells him the story of what happened that night. This is just after they have arrived in Lawrence, and immediately after that, the car is in the foreground as Dean goes to call his dad and have his near-breakdown on the phone.
Man, that car kills me. I actually teared up during your description of the end of Everybody Loves a Clown. Excellent stuff!
16 - Konstantinos
For the record, the Impala used on the show is a four-door "sports sedan" or hardtop. The four-door sedan has a post between the front and back doors.
How do I know it's called a sports sedan? I have the same car in black :)