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Customs 61 Impala Sport Sedan

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by falconvan, Jun 25, 2021.

  1. falconvan
    Joined: Apr 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,128

    falconvan
    Member
    from festus, Mo

    Here’s my next project; it’s a 4dr BUT its a 4dr hardtop so hopefully that’ll buy me some forgiveness from the 2dr only purists. I’ve known this car for a long time. A good friend of mine bought it several years ago and drove it around with a pretty hot small block and a TH350. It’s got a lot of custom upgrades; it got a lowered front suspension with g-body spindles and Mopar screw in ball joints, disc bakes, full Flowmaster exhaust, new fuel tank and lines, frame reinforced for the dreaded X-frame, quick ratio steering box plus some other goodies.
    I did some metal work on the body a long time ago but it never progressed past what you see.
    He took it off the road a few years ago when he robbed the small block for his 69 C10 and the car has been sitting since. He called and asked if I’d trade some metal work on his C-10 if he gave me the Impala, a parts car, and a bunch of other spare parts. Sounds like a deal to me! The body is really pretty good and it’ll make a nice budget priced cruiser for my wife and I. I’ve got the original 283 short block and plan to use some later model 58cc heads, change the auto transmission to the three on the tree from the parts car, paint it the original color, redo the interior in the original color, and add some A/C.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. chopped
    Joined: Dec 9, 2004
    Posts: 2,139

    chopped
    Member

    Cruise in comfort, good for you.
     
    61Cruiser and loudbang like this.
  3. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,176

    manyolcars

    those were never considered traditional hotrods
     
    41woodie likes this.
  4. Baumi
    Joined: Jan 28, 2003
    Posts: 3,043

    Baumi
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Congrats to your purchase! There´s nothing wrong with a 4dr in my opinion, I built this sedan a few years ago... heck that was back in 2008, time flies.... those Chevys are some beautiful driving cars.
    IMG_2162.JPG
     

    Attached Files:

    Paul B, v8flat44, pivir123 and 14 others like this.

  5. falconvan
    Joined: Apr 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,128

    falconvan
    Member
    from festus, Mo

    More of a custom
     
  6. Baumi
    Joined: Jan 28, 2003
    Posts: 3,043

    Baumi
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    That´s probably why he posted his thread under the topic " customs". But you are right, trad hot rods always had fender mounted spare tires, green wire wheels, full fenders and bumpers.
     
    rod1, scrubby2009, scotty t and 34 others like this.
  7. BigDogSS
    Joined: Jan 8, 2009
    Posts: 979

    BigDogSS
    Member
    from SoCal

    Please don't shave the rear door handles....
     
  8. Lighten up, you have numerous posts just like this one.
     
  9. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,264

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    4873203B-6B98-40B7-A906-37BE28E62D04.jpeg 366A689C-A22B-4057-B70C-91FEFC2AA45E.png Here’s my brothers. 95% stock.
    Beautiful car.
     
  10. BuckeyeBuicks
    Joined: Jan 4, 2010
    Posts: 2,705

    BuckeyeBuicks
    Member
    from ohio

    I like it, sounds like a good plan to me!!
     
    loudbang and falconvan like this.
  11. falconvan
    Joined: Apr 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,128

    falconvan
    Member
    from festus, Mo

    Exactly what I’m going for; love the skirts!
     
    41 GMC K-18, 61Cruiser and loudbang like this.
  12. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 31,179

    Jalopy Joker
    Member

    get it on the road & enjoy it
     
    loudbang and falconvan like this.
  13. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,144

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

  14. falconvan
    Joined: Apr 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,128

    falconvan
    Member
    from festus, Mo

    Very cool! I wonder if that’s where Chevy pulled the idea for the 94-96 Impala SS 4dr?
     
    loudbang likes this.
  15. arkiehotrods
    Joined: Mar 9, 2006
    Posts: 6,803

    arkiehotrods
    Member

  16. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,144

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    Funny you mention that as my first car was a 61 Sport Sedan and I have a 96 now.
     
    chevy57dude and falconvan like this.
  17. falconvan
    Joined: Apr 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,128

    falconvan
    Member
    from festus, Mo

    I pulled the 283 apart and it looks really good. All the bearings look new, the crank looks like it was just turned and it’s got .060 pistons. It looks like it was just put together except for three pistons with valve contact marks. I’m going to drop it at the machine shop to get it checked but I’m hoping to be able to get a new set of pistons and put it back together.
    I also pulled the seats and carpet and the floors are rock solid as are the rockers and the whole underside of the car. Nice to not have to dig into a bunch of major rust repair for a change. 51ED3E7E-7FBD-4EC6-8E2A-D0ED9689D3BE.jpeg 9346C984-6592-4F41-A560-0F249DA2227A.jpeg 6490900D-8923-4560-91EC-6316852E8F94.jpeg
     
    41 GMC K-18, brEad, DBruce and 13 others like this.
  18. Great that you have such a solid car to build your mild custom from. Dash and door panels look like a cleaning would do the job. Steering wheel no cracks, one year only part. Torq Thrust wheels would be perfect IMHO.
     
  19. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 9,818

    BJR
    Member

    Put something between the Ice and Water you used for insulation and the carpet. If the car gets real hot inside the Ice and Water will bleed on the edges and stick to the carpet.
     
  20. falconvan
    Joined: Apr 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,128

    falconvan
    Member
    from festus, Mo

    Thanks! Door panels are actually pretty rough, I plan on making some new ones 1/2 pleated vinyl and 1/2 carpet and use the same vinyl on the seats.
    I’m thinking of leaving the rally wheels, painting the wheel body color and using the trim rings and flat rally center caps. Love that torque thrust wheel but I have a set on my 48 Plymouth.
     
  21. egads
    Joined: Aug 23, 2011
    Posts: 1,419

    egads
    Member

    Like your vision. 4 door's make great cruiser's.[​IMG]
     
  22. indyjps
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 5,377

    indyjps
    Member

    Solid car, good news on 283, should be a cool build. Keep it simple.

    Do you have the side trim, or deleting it on sides and rear ?
     
    loudbang likes this.
  23. falconvan
    Joined: Apr 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,128

    falconvan
    Member
    from festus, Mo

    Thanks, I’ve got Impala and Biscayne trim; not sure which I’m going to use yet.

    I got quite a bit done today. Pulled the dash, column, and pedal assembly so I can swap in the manual trans stuff and I’m probably going to rewire the car. I’m going to go ahead and start sanding the car down and fixing panels as I go. Not a ton of body work needed; just a patch here and there. Not bad at all for a 60 year old car.
     

    Attached Files:

  24. Nice project. I sent this one off to Sweden two years ago. It was bone stock with a 235 and PG. 67477275_10161984277320640_1468779966559682560_n.jpg
     
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  25. indyjps
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 5,377

    indyjps
    Member

    Youre moving right along, whats the paint plan - color etc.
    Body color roof, or accent color, or some panel paint / flake ?

    The impala trim is nice if you want an accent color, white, silver, black, even body color tinted a few shades lighter or darker.
    Lucky to have the trim, tracking down 4 door side trim pieces can be challenging.
     
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  26. wvenfield
    Joined: Nov 23, 2006
    Posts: 5,580

    wvenfield
    Member

    My buddy has a 56 Chevy 4 door. He owns the garage where we do most of our work. As we get older I will admit that if we decide to go to lunch, it's nice not having to climb into the back seat.

    We cut up a parts car to make it into a 2 door but the more we use it, the less we want to do so.
     
    41 GMC K-18, falconvan and loudbang like this.
  27. falconvan
    Joined: Apr 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,128

    falconvan
    Member
    from festus, Mo

    I think Im going to use TCP Global's paint, Tropical Turquoise in a single stage urethane with the white quarter panel insert if I use the Impala trim. I'll probably paint all the metal interior parts the same color.
    And I'm thinking of keeping the rally wheels with the wheel painted body color; maybe a set of fender skirts.
     
  28. falconvan
    Joined: Apr 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,128

    falconvan
    Member
    from festus, Mo

    "As we get older I will admit that if we decide to go to lunch, it's nice not having to climb into the back seat."

    Man, I'm the same way. I like letting the grandkids jump in the back with their own doors and I cant see paying 3 or 4 times as much for a project just because it's got two less doors. Plus it seems like it's a lot easier to find a four door in nice condition that hasn't beat to death its whole life.
     
  29. Jokester
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 688

    Jokester
    Member

    When you check out the engine, watch for bent valves on those cylinders where the valve kissed the piston. Also check that the rod isn't bent.

    You can make a guess as to how I know this.

    .bjb
     
  30. falconvan
    Joined: Apr 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,128

    falconvan
    Member
    from festus, Mo

    Yeah, I’m using different heads but will definitely have the rods checked.
     
    loudbang likes this.

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