1994 Chevrolet Impala SS

The Impala SS debuted in 1994 as a high performance model based on the fullsize Caprice platform. It was the first four door sedan to carry the fabled "Impala SS" name (all previous SS models were coupes or convertibles), but Chevrolet made sure that it lived up to its heritage. As such, it sported rear wheel drive, a xxx inch wheelbase, and a commanding presence on the road. The Impala SS was only available in black and featured a ody-colored grille, body-color front and rear fascias, rocker moldings, door handles and key locks, taillamp moldings, body-colored raised Impala SS logos along the rear fenders, a unique rear deck-lid spoiler, and Impala emblems on the sail panels and rear deck lid. The interior featured a gray leather interior with deeply contoured front bucket seats and black statin finish on the instrument panel and door trim panels. But the heart of a muscle car is the engine, and Chevrolet didn't disappoint there.

Interior of 1994 Chevrolet Impala SS

The 1994 Impala SS went into production 14 months later at GM's plant in Arlington, Texas, and was almost identical cosmetically to the concept car, the only noticeable change being the chromed bowtie logo on the grill (vs a red logo on the concept). The car was, in essence, a high-performance version of the Caprice. From a mechanical standpoint, it used the Caprice 9C1 police package as its base and as such got most of the equipment formerly available only to law enforcement and government agencies. This included a sport-tuned suspension with reinforced shocks and springs, a high-capacity upgraded reverse flow cooling system, larger and more powerful four-wheel disc brakes, transmission cooler, dual exhaust, a higher-output electrical system, and other minor mechanical alterations.

Engine of 1994 Chevrolet Impala SS

Not all of the police equipment was carried over however, as the Impala SS did not get the external oil-to-air engine oil cooler, nor were all the body mounts secured (the standard Caprice and Impala SS were assembled at the factory with the front 3 body mounts missing one of the rubber cushions, while the 9C1 was assembled with all rubber cushions in place), although both are popular aftermarket additions to the Impala SS by their owners.

Production: About 6,000
Engines: 350 (5.7 liter) V8 260 bhp @ 5000 rpm, 330 lb-ft @ 2400 rpm.
Performance: 0-60 in 7.1 seconds, 1/4 mile in 15.4 seconds @ 91.1 mph.

The Impala SS was uniquely fitted with a standard 3.08 gear. The limited-slip rear differential was standard (as opposed to the option G80 on caprices) and suspension that was an inch lower. A retuned LT1 5.7-liter (350 cu in) small-block V8 was standard on the Impala SS, making 260 horsepower (190 kW) and 330 pound-feet (450 N·m) of torque (retuned from the prototype's 300 horsepower (220 kW) rating). The primary difference between the LT1 in the Impala and the LT1 that was in the Corvette and Camaro was that the Impala engine was fitted with cast-iron cylinder heads instead of aluminum ones, and a camshaft that was designed more for low-end torque than high-end horsepower. Another difference was that the Impala LT1 had 2 bolt main bearing caps while the Corvette LT1 had 4 bolt main bearing caps. The transmission used in the car was the 4L60E, which was itself an upgraded and revised version of the previous 700R4.

However, the transmission was not beefed up for the power of the LT1, and transmission failures after 100,000 miles (160,000 km) were commonplace.[citation needed] A standard transmission was never available in the 94-96 the impala ss. However there is a growing trend to replace the 4L60-E transmission, with the T-56 (6 speed manual) from the camaro and firebird using aftermarket kits.

(Sources :Wikipedia, and Muscle Car Club)

(Pics Sources : Motor Trend; How Stuff Works)