1961 Bubble Top Manual

1961 Chevrolet Impala Bubble Top Additional Info:

Hard to top the style of a bubbletop Impala. With a restoration that's just plain elegant, a 348 with a 5-speed manual gearbox, and those tall 17-inch wheels, this 1961 Chevy is a rock star everywhere it goes. As a tasteful resto-mod, if style is your primary ambition, few cars can match this one. Everyone paints these cars red or black, but I can assure you that the guys who finished the bodywork on this Imp knew that subtle colors work well on dramatic sheetmetal. They were also very careful; every curve is smooth and unbroken, the flat panels are exceedingly flat, and every edge and corner is crisp and sharp. I'm sure there's another substantial chunk of time tied up in hanging all the sheetmetal, because gaps are quite good everywhere you look. And then there's the paint, which doesn't bowl you over with color but the more you look, the more there is to like. Two-stage urethane looks so deep that you could fall in and drown, and as a backdrop for the brilliant trim it's absolutely ideal, letting the chrome speak for itself. More color sanding and then some buffing brings out a great shine with only a few signs of use and age. Things like the virtually unobtainable front and rear windshields are in great shape, the trim was either re-chromed or polished, and nobody will ever mistake this Impala for anything else on the road thanks to the iconic triple taillights and dual antennas out back. Even better than the Fawn Beige paint is the sophisticated cream interior, which includes custom piping on the seats to tie it all together. Nicely restored using factory-style patterns, it's both sporty and upscale. Pure 1960s cool covers every surface, from the bright trim on the edges of the seatbacks to the two-tone steering wheel to the beautifully restored instrument panel. All the original gauges are still monitoring the engine, and there's a Sun tach strapped to the column in the usual fashion. That Hurst shifter with the cue ball knob now manages a modern 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive, making this car a fantastic highway cruiser. The original AM radio is still in the dash, but there's also a modern AM/FM/cassette head unit hidden in the glove box so the dash still looks right. The trunk is very tidy, carrying a correct mat set, a spare tire up on the shelf, and no signs of distress on the metal itself Don't worry, there's still a 348 cubic inch V8 under the hood, beautifully dressed with lots of shiny bits like those gorgeous finned valve covers. Upgrades include a dual reservoir Wilwood master cylinder, a chrome alternator, and a K&N air cleaner. Then there's the Demon 4-barrel carburetor atop an Edelbrock intake manifold and the dual exhaust system that has a wonderful mellow sound and outlets just behind the rear wheels. You'll be delighted to see how clean the floors are, and with Wilwood front disc brakes, this cool bubbletop stops as well as it goes. The suspension is rebuilt, the shocks are fresh, and it goes down the road like a much younger car. Perhaps its most striking feature are those big Torque Thrust wheels, which wear 225/60/17 front and 235/60/17 rear BFGoodrich rubber. With a great look and pleasing road manners, this stunning Impala delivers in every way: looks, performance, and style. Call today!