Paging Dr. Cosmo Kramer, Proctology: 1972 Chevrolet Impala


As I sit down to write this, I still can't believe that it's been 20 years since Seinfeld went off of NBC's airwaves. Though I was too young to see the final season of Seinfeld fresh on the screen (I was three days away from turning two years old when Seinfeld ended), I grew up watching reruns and laughing like a loon at a show I didn't understand at six years old. But I digress. Going back to what this has to do with this 1972 Chevrolet Impala four-door hardtop sedan, Kramer drove a near doppelganger to the feature car here. You can find this clean Impala Sport Sedan (Chevy-speak for hardtop sedan) here on eBay in Malibu, California, with a current bid of $5,110 and reserve not met.

Though featured as early as season 3 of Seinfeld (in a minor role in which Elaine, George, Jerry and Kramer get lost in a parking garage trying to find Kramer's car), the episode that gave Kramer's 1973 Impala (the major difference as compared to the 1972 model being a 5 mph bumper being added front) its notoriety was "The Fusilli Jerry" episode from season 7. After mistakenly being given the wrong license plates (which, hysterically and legendarily read "ASSMAN"), Kramer decides to bite the bullet and embrace his license plate's notoriety, going as far as parking in doctor's parking spots and dating women that, well, offer what they think Kramer is looking for (not that there's anything wrong with that). While this Impala is a 1972 model (incorrectly identified as a 1971 model in the eBay listing), it is a Sport Sedan model (the same as Kramer's car) and is nearly identical in color to Kramer's car. 

According to the seller, a previous owner repainted the car in its factory Gulf Green (though when that occurred is unknown). The paint nonetheless still presents very well, though there is some light pitting in each bumper (which the seller calls patina). Otherwise, all the trim is original and all there, and the car even features its original steel wheels and hubcaps wrapped in thin whitewall tires. I'd source an "ASSMAN" license plate for the front bumper and call it done exterior-wise.

Though originally powered by a 400 SBC V8, a Goodwrench crate 350 currently resides under the massive hood. While exact mileage and horsepower is unknown, a bone-stock Goodwrench 350 makes 195 horsepower and can make 260 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque by simply swapping on a four-barrel carburetor and a set of headers. This car's crate 350 appears to be topped by the original 400's air cleaner and is said to be "extremely reliable" and "drives incredibly smooth". Backed by a three-speed automatic (either a TH-350 or TH-400, though my money's on the former), this Impala's drivetrain is about as reliable as it gets, if not exactly performance-driven. I'd bolt on the aforementioned four-barrel carburetor and headers, detail and service the engine, engine bay and rest of the drivetrain, and add a Gear Vendors overdrive unit to the transmission for effortless cruising.


Taking a peek inside, the featured Impala boasts a green bench seat interior with black steering wheel and dash. Both the front and rear seats are covered in hideous sheepskin-esque seat covers, which I would ditch immediately upon purchase. The interior is said to be original, though there is some wear on the driver's seat near the driver's shoulder area. The factory radio has been replaced with a Pioneer unit, and the stock speakers have been replaced with aftermarket ones, but all the electrics are said to work without any issue, and there are no cracks in the dash or dash pad. Manual windows are a plus, as is factory air conditioning (though its working status is unknown) and heat. I'd ditch the seat covers, source a factory-look aftermarket radio, check to see if the speakers work and replace if necessary, and detail the interior before fitting clear plastic seat covers. Overall, this two-owner Impala Sports Sedan is a nice, unmolested driver that needs minimal work to become a nice-weather daily driver that could be obtained at an affordable price. Just try to avoid sitting on a piece of fusilli pasta.

Comments

  1. Seinfeld JunkieOctober 30, 2020 at 8:47 AM

    This car was also 1 of about 1000 cars made with an airbag, hence the massive center portion of the steering wheel. GM abandoned the project about 2 years after the initial 1000+ were produced. These vehicles were never sold to the general public, the were put into test fleets across the country.

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