The 1967 Chevrolet Impala SS pictured here pairs a 350-cubic-inch V8 with a two-speed Powerglide automatic, wrapped in Chevy’s freshly redesigned Coke-bottle bodywork. It also carries newly mandated safety features like an energy-absorbing steering column and front shoulder straps, arriving the same year Detroit was forced to start engineering for survival, not just speed. Here’s what made this particular model year such a turning point for the Impala nameplate.
The 1967 Chevy Impala SS below is powered by a 350 and bolted to a two speed PowerGlide automatic transmission. The safety features incorporated into the ’67 Impala models include side marker lights, front seat outboard shoulder straps and the energy absorbing steering column. This is a popular model- and one enthusiasts are on the lookout to find in fair condition  or better condition.
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How do you build a full-size car that feels dangerous in the best way, yet somehow also pioneers the safety technology that would define the next decade of American driving? The 1967 Chevrolet Impala SS pictured here answers with a 350-cubic-inch V8 backed by a two-speed Powerglide automatic, wrapped in the freshly redesigned “Coke bottle” bodywork that gave the fourth-generation Impala its unmistakable silhouette. Yet tucked inside that muscular sheet metal sits a fully collapsible energy-absorbing steering column, side marker lights, and front seat shoulder straps — federally mandated features that arrived just as the SS badge reached its performance peak. What was it like to buy a car built for speed the same year Detroit was forced to start building cars for survival?
The Year Detroit Had to Balance Muscle With Mandates
1967 marked a pivotal moment for full-size Chevrolets. The Impala Super Sport returned as its own distinct line, set apart from lesser Impalas by black grille accents and black-accented body-side and rear fender moldings. Underneath, buyers could choose from a range of engines starting with a 283 cubic-inch V8 making 195 horsepower, climbing through a 327 rated at 275 horsepower, a 396 big-block at 325 horsepower, and topping out with the legendary 427 cubic-inch V8 producing a claimed 385 horsepower for those willing to pay for the ultimate SS package.
The same model year also introduced new federal safety mandates that reshaped how every American automaker engineered its cars. Chevrolet answered with the energy-absorbing steering column and shoulder belts for closed models seen on this Impala, alongside new options like front disc brakes — standard equipment on the SS-427 — a stereo 8-track player, and a fiber-optic light monitoring system that let drivers check their exterior bulbs from the dashboard.
Why the ’67 SS Remains a Collector Favorite
This particular car’s 350-backed drivetrain and Powerglide automatic represent the more attainable end of the SS spectrum, a combination that prioritized smooth, confident cruising over stoplight drag racing. That approachability is part of why the 1967 Impala SS has held its popularity with collectors for decades — it delivers unmistakable late-1960s Chevrolet style and genuine V8 performance without demanding the maintenance headaches of the rarer big-block cars.
Finding one in genuinely fair or better condition has become a real challenge. Full-size Chevrolets from this era were driven hard, used as everyday family transportation, and eventually scrapped in numbers that make surviving, unmolested SS models increasingly scarce at auction. Enthusiasts actively hunt for cars like this one specifically because so few have survived with their original drivetrains and interiors intact.
The 1967 model year also sits at an interesting crossroads in Chevrolet’s history — the last year before the fifth-generation Impala arrived with even more aggressive styling in 1968. That makes this SS one of the final examples of the fourth-generation’s cleaner, more restrained design language, a look many collectors consider the high point of the Impala’s full-size era.
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