Starting its 19th year, the AMSOIL/STREET RODDER Road Tour embarks on its most ambitious build yet. The beginnings of this year's 1959 Chevy Impala were found in the deserts of Arizona and rescued by Dean Livermore of Hot Rods by Dean (HRBD) who would continue the tradition by handling the build. Before the build we looked to Eric Black to give us a peek into the future of what our '59 could be.
HRBD was in charge of the build, which included any and all added fabrication, body- and paintwork, electrical, and final assembly. The upholstery was handled down the street by Glenn Kramer at Hot Rod Interiors by Glenn (they handle many of the HRBD projects). All of the efforts by HRBD were aided by Eastwood Company tools and Miller Electric Manufacturing Company welding equipment, benches, and safety equipment. Speedway Motors also supplied all of those last-minute detail items, such as the battery, starter, valve covers, steering wheel, a draw full of miscellaneous fittings, and related hardware. It should also be mentioned that many of the components we used in this build are readily available from Speedway Motor's mail-order catalog from their online website.
Armed with a trailer load of sheetmetal and visions of what could be it was off to the Roadster Shop via Intercity Lines to have our chassis built. Starting with an RS Fast Track chassis outfitted with both IFS and IRS (RS uses Strange Engineering third members). The Fast Track also employs RS by Penske adjustable coilover shocks, Wilwood disc brakes, and a Flaming River rack-and-pinion steering. Resting within the Roadster Shop 'rails is a Shaver Racing Engines LS motor outfitted with a COMP Cams camshaft and valvetrain along with an Inglese LS 8-Stack induction held in tune by a FAST computer linked to a Hughes Performance transmission 4L80E, which in turn twists a Dynotech driveshaft making up the powertrain. As with any hot rod it takes lots of hardware to hold one of these together and a '59 Chevy requires more than most. We turned to Automotive Racing Products (ARP) for the stainless 12-point hardware that included nuts and flat and-lock washers throughout.
There are lots of focal points on our AMSOIL/STREET RODDER '59 Chevy but the wheel and tire combination has most assuredly grabbed everyone's attention. Circle Racing Wheels supplied the 19s and 20s that measure 10 inches wide in front and 12 inches in back. To this Michelin Pilot Super Sports currently found on Dodge Vipers is the rubber mounted, measuring 285/35R19 in front and 345/30R20 in back. The wheels are 5-on-4.75 pattern with 5.25-inch backspacing in front and 6-inch backspacing in the rear.
Next up on the hit parade of eye-grabbing points of note is the PPG Ferrari Red (color: DBC908276W; white sealer: NCS2003); and we do mean Ferrari Red. Hot Rods by Dean body shop staff of Sean Rosic handled the prep and bodywork while Frank Gracia applied the color. Other HRBD paint projects include the sealing of the interior before plenty of Dynamat was applied and then undercoating on the bottom exterior utilizing Eastwood Company sealer.
Next up on the eye candy parade is the V-8. And what an LS engine it is, sporting 427 inches and producing 622 hp and 620 lb-ft of torque from the Shaver Racing Engines. Making sure all of the moving parts stay well lubricated we looked to our name sponsor AMSOIL for engine oil and filter who also supplied the radiator coolant, power steering fluid, differential lube, and transmission fluid. Beginning with an RHS block, the reciprocating pieces are made up of a combination of SCAT crank and rods and COMP Cams camshaft and valvetrain all held together with a bucket full of ARP hardware—inside and out. An Inglese 8-Stack induction system is used and kept in tune by the FAST EZ-EFI 2.0 system. Supplying the Inglese-equipped Shaver LS is a full complement of Aeromotive Phantom fuel pump, filter, lines, and fittings that begin at the Rock Valley tank, which is another item that Roadster Shop provides. Removing the spent gases from the LS motor falls to a combination of Flowmaster headers, exhaust pipes, and mufflers that all received a liberal covering of Jet-Hot thermal coatings, ensuring good looking and long-lasting components. However, there is one external sound that any hot rodder will enjoy and those come from the exhaust "tunes," and this LS plays a mighty fine chorus through the Jet-Hot–coated Flowmaster headers, stainless steel pipes, and mufflers.
It should be noted that the engine must maintain its cool too! U.S. Radiator supplied the copper and brass radiator, complete with dual electric fans and shroud. Providing double cooling—partly for the engine and partly for the passengers is the Vintage Air Front Runner. This system runs the water pump and air conditioning compressor along with the power steering and alternator.
This LS plays a mighty fine chorus through the Jet-Hot–coated Flowmaster headers.The car is vintage in its appearance but thoroughly modern in its amenities. Painless Performance Products was called upon to supply the required electrics to operate the Dakota Digital custom face gauges, Custom Autosound stereo, complete with iPod hookup, Specialty Power Window electric windows, and windshield wiper system. HRBD handled all of the car's electrics. From here a Flaming River tilt steering column and a Lokar floor shift that pops up through a center console from Classic Industries, who also supplied much of the interior and exterior trim, can also be seen. Of course many trim items were retained from the original car and these pieces were lovingly restored through polishing or freshly chrome-plated steel by Sherm's Custom Plating. This included much of the factory exterior and interior trim pieces, as well as the front and rear bumpers. The headlights, buckets, trim, and all of the grille components are from Classic Industries.
The interior is custom indeed and while featuring a number of original items it becomes apparent that Hot Rod Interiors by Glenn paid special attention to the Impala, not the least of which are the custom-upholstered Procar (division of SCAT) front buckets and the modified rear bench seat. Something you didn't see on a '59 were buckets with a center console and with a little "massaging" by HRBD and Hot Rod Interiors by Glenn they were able to adapt center console from a '63 Chevy Impala SS provided by Classic Industries (CI). To the newly fit CI console you will also see a Lokar Performance Products shifter. More Lokar goodies include the blacked-out throttle and brake pedals and e-brake assembly. The CI door panels received more personal attention from Kramer in the way of later model Chevy armrests, again from CI, and custom trim application.
An interior is only as comfortable as its own "climate." Making sure the temps are cool when they should be and toasty when called for, a Vintage Air A/C and heat system were installed, while resting beneath the red carpeting is plenty of Dynamat heat and sound insulation. Furthering the comfy surrounds, the full-size Impala sports lots of tinted glass from CI while SoffSeal provided the definitive seal against any intrusion from the outside.
Well, that's 19 year's worth of Road Tour cars and the 2014 AMSOIL/STREET RODDER Road Tour '59 Chevy Impala has proven to be one of the more popular cars, and assuredly the longest and heaviest! Should mention at the time of printing the "heavy Chevy" was closing in on 20,000 miles of highway cruising and hanging in there at 17 mpg. Not bad for a monster of a car with 622 hp.
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