Buddy Holly’s 1958 Chevy Impala Is Up For Grabs

A 1958 Chevrolet Impala which purportedly was purchased by Buddy Holly, then gifted to his family for Christmas is headed for the auction block soon. Even without the celebrity connection, the large and in charge 50s beauty is a sight to behold with its sparkling Cay Coral paint, thanks to a full restoration. But with the famous owner, we expect this classic will do well at auction.

You could always buy a cheap Bentley Continental Flying Spur instead.

Technically, it was Holly’s manager who bought the car at Meadows-Stewart Chevrolet in Clovis, New Mexico in 1958, although the musician did pick the paint color intentionally to represent his connection with Coral Music of New York.

The bank account used to pay for this Impala was for Buddy Holly and the Crickets. Plus, the original title, a copy of which is included in the sale, was issued to L.O. Holley, or Buddy’s father, Larry. That helps establish this as the real deal.

They don’t make them like this anymore. As part of its fiftieth anniversary, and with European competition pressuring American automakers, GM went big on this and other models for 1958. Dramatic bodylines punctuated by bright chrome trim make this Impala look like it’s in motion while sitting still.

Plus, this is a numbers-matching ’58 Impala with the 283 V8 and four-barrel carb paired with a Powerglide automatic transmission. A car like this is worth of display in a museum or a high-end private collection.

One of the fender skirts has been autographed by the real Peggy Sue, a nice touch to this vehicle. She actually purchased it in 2010. Afterwards, Bill Clement of Chevy Craft in Lubbock, Texas performed the restoration.

Sadly, Gen Z seems to only know Buddy Holly by name, thanks to a Weezer song. Maybe the new owner of this car can educate the youth about who Holly was as well as about the greatness of 50s American vehicles?

Check out the lot listing for this 1958 Chevrolet Impala at Mecum Auctions.

Images via Mecum Auctions