Impala Convertible Pro Touring 632 V8 801 HP 5 Speed

In the days of 650 horsepower production pony cars and companies that engineer modern performance products for anything from a Civic to a Cadillac, it's safe to say the pro-touring movement is alive and well! And every so often we get a badass pro-tourer that instantly draws a crowd, even in our showroom of exclusive, one-of-a-kind muscle cars. This magazine featured Impala, which comes equipped with big block power, a modern manual transmission, and an attractive leather interior, has been drawing stares ever since it rolled off the trailer. And, in fact, between its cool body mods and chill-inducing powerplant, the car seems to have so much appeal that we've joked about selling tickets just to look at it! Instead, we decided to give it a fantastic price and offer it to you as an amazing pro-tourer that can be enjoyed both on the road and at the show.

Built by Performance Restorations in Mundelein, Illinois, this sinister '66 Impala pro-tourer features a detailed, custom appearance that's highlighted by a spectacular color combination and bright, mirror-like accents. Take one look down the sides of the car's slick body and it becomes very obvious that great care was taken to ensure all its gaps were at better-than-factory standards. Step closer to the car's wet looking Burgundy Pearl finish and check out straight and ripple-free panels that aren't plagued by any rust or major imperfections. Grab the car's well-adjusted hood and feel how smoothly it opens to provide excellent fit which is set off by a glossy clearcoat shine. Bathed in a custom PPG basecoat, detailed with hand-painted pinstripes, and buffed to a brilliant luster, this top-notch pro-tourer features a great combination of skilled workmanship and first-rate finishing that transforms its traditional muscle car shape into one multi-dimensional show piece!

For the 1965 model year, Chevrolet's redesigned Impala sold more than one million units on its way to setting an all-time industry sales record that has never been topped. And for the 1966 model year, the Impala was America's second best-selling convertible with only Ford's iconic Mustang moving more metal. If that doesn't tell you all you need to know about the fundamental appeal of this car's design, I'm not sure what will. At the front of this full-size pavement pounder, a modified bumper and clear factory parking lamps frame a hand-made billet grille that's been expanded to hide the car's four halogen headlights. Above that grille, a custom stinger hood anchors familiar stainless wipers at the base of like-new glass that's framed by pristine stainless trim and capped by a bright white top. At the base of that top, fresh bowtie-branded mirrors combine with traditional chrome door handles, completely shaved trim and completely shaved emblems to add a monochromatic cleanliness to the car's liquid smooth profile. And at the back of that profile, a second custom bumper splits the difference between '66 Caprice tail lights and giant stainless exhaust tips which ensure this beast looks mean and sounds positively evil.

Twist this Impala's slick stainless lanyards and you'll find a positively massive monster block V8 carefully wedged in a Burgundy Pearl engine compartment that's been professionally detailed all the way up to its chrome hood hardware. Balanced, blueprinted and fully assembled by Coil Racing Engines in McHenry, Illinois, this brutal stoplight slayer utilizes a forged Eagle crank, forged Eagle connecting rods, forged JE pistons, Sealed Power rings, a TRW roller timing chain and a hydraulic Erson camshaft to transform 632 cubic inches of red hot combustion into 801 tire-shredding horses and a 733 pounds of earth-shattering torque! At the top of the big engine, a polished air cleaner kicks wind through a reusable filter element to a pair of large Quick Fuel carburetors that are juiced by a chrome Holley regulator, a small Earl's pressure gauge, high quality braided hoses and polished stainless lines. Under that carburetor, an impressive Offenhauser aluminum intake rides between polished and CNC'ed Dart 335 heads, which have been animated with Manley stainless valves, aluminum roller rockers, and polished and finned valve covers. Below those heads, the body-matched engine block is bordered by ceramic coated Hedman Husler Hedders headers, which are interwoven with polished wire looms and high performance Taylor plug wires. And in front of those headers, a polished March serpentine system spins a chrome alternator and a chrome Edelbrock water pump behind two stainless water tubes, two chrome puller fans, two polished fluid reservoirs and a polished Be Cool radiator. Virtually every facet of this Chevy's clean engine bay has been taken from a 10 to an 11, and even ancillary parts like the car's Mallory Unilite ignition, its polished SSBC master cylinder and its polished hose looms have all been carefully planned and well executed. Just jump in, turn the key, summon a little pump gas with your right foot, and the big engine starts loping with a rhythm that'll shake your neighbor's foundation loose!

Take a long look under this topless B-Body and you'll find a whole roster of small modifications that add up to impressive appearance points and big performance gains. The buff 632 sends power to a tough 3,000 pound Zoom diaphragm clutch which utilizes a modern Tremec TKO600 5-speed transmission and a Strange nine inch rear end to spin a proven Truetrac differential, rugged 35 spline axles and solid 3.55 gears. Holding that stellar drivetrain off the ground is a completely rebuilt suspension which benefits from tubular Global West control arms, high quality Global West castor rods, an adjustable Global West rear link, massive front and rear sway bars, 600 pound front coil overs, QA1 adjustable rear shocks, boxed rear control arms and modern power steering. Stops come quickly thanks to an SSBC power four wheel disc brake system which features 6-piston calipers up front, 4-piston calipers out back and vented 14 inch rotors at all four corners. Spent gases are managed by massive mandrel bent, ceramic coated pipes that make good use of a standard crossover and wicked Magnaflow mufflers. Power flows to the pavement through slick American Racing wheels which spin 275/35ZR19 Michelin Pilot radials in front of 295/35ZR20 Michelin Pilot radials. And like any carefully assembled pro-tourer the bottom of this Impala is as well-finished as its top, with Burgundy Pearl floorpans hovering over such niceties as a heavy duty oil pan, a high performance fuel system, completely powder coated frame and chassis components and a fresh stainless fuel tank.

Inside this old school drop-top, classic Chevy style is augmented with a high level of customization that's been seamlessly integrated by the pros at Vintage Stitch in Bristol, Wisconsin. The car's Bone White seats, which feature Simpson race belts for their front two occupants, are all-day comfortable and display supple leather covers that fit without any significant wrinkles or annoying creases. At the base of those seats, rich Burgundy carpet and a full-length console provide a cushy base for a full array of accessory gauges that, along with a leather-booted Hurst shifter, are so well finished you'd think they were bolted in at the factory. At the top of that console, a leather-capped dash hangs correct instrumentation between an MP3-compatible Custom Autosound head unit and snazzy satin foot pedals. At the sides of that dash, custom door panels hang small leather armrests between bright stainless trim and speed-drilled handles for the cars door and windows. In front of the driver, a polished and bowtie branded steering wheel spins a color-keyed rim around a painted factory column. And behind the passengers, a thick convertible cowl snaps down over a custom trunk which presents a soothing combination of Bone leather paneling and rich Burgundy carpet.

The sale of this awesome Chevy full-size includes an aesthetically pleasing display board.

Recently we've been getting some incredible hardware that owners are selling for way under the cost of construction, meaning that you - our customers - are getting excellent deals on fantastic cars. This topless pro-tourer looks absolutely predatory and will likely attract a TON of attention wherever it goes. And with 632 cubic inches of big block power under the hood, and a whole roster of top-notch custom equipment that's already spec-d and seamlessly bolted together, it's a one way ticket to instant gratification!