The 1966 Impala vs. 1996 Impala SS It is hard to believe how the Impala has changed over the last thirty years. It went from a step up from an average car to what it is now, a full size luxury car with all of the options. Chevrolet built the Impala in 1966 with very little standard options. It came with a bench seat, AM Radio, lap safety belts, 283 cubic inch V-8, and manual transmission. They did not construct the car with any form of emission system. The federal government did not require car companies to equip the car with emissions systems until 1968. The emission systems helped to reduce pollution emitted from the car. During the mid-sixties, engines start