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1961 Chevrolet

Impala Bubble Top Coupe

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Stock
2591
Engine Size
496 V8
Transmission Type
3 Speed Automatic
Vin
11837S206825
Miles
1,275
Drivetrain
RWD

1961 Chevrolet Impala Bubble Top Coupe

1961 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe

Pro Street is a style of street-legal custom car popular in the 1980s, usually built to imitate a Pro Stock class race car. Pro Street cars should appear to be more at home on the drag strip than the street, while remaining street legal and not gutted like a Race Car or Bracket Race car. Typically called a back half car due to the frame being changed to allow for monstrous rear tires.

For consignment a rare bubble top Impala now pro street car. With a souped-up engine, tubbed rear, high performance transmission with a high stall converter, and a powerful mill which has been evaluated on a dyno at 728hp! Roll cage added, BIG rear tires, this 1961 rocket ship goes in a straight line, and does so very quickly.

Exterior
In 1961 the “bubble top” (referring to the thin “B” pillar and large rear rounded glass, along with the curved front glass it gave the appearance of the futuristic all glass tops which one would see on prototype cars in the futuristic vision of 1961) was only available on the Impala trim line. There was a bubble top available on the Biscayne and Bel Air in 1962, but not the Impala. This car retains its original exterior look and styling. Rust free panels with well minded gaps are bathed in 60's teal and it's looking sharp and shiny. We can note some repair work that has been done on the lower doors where they meet the rear quarters, but it's minimal as to cosmetic damage. A few scratches remain throughout but are mostly unremarkable. With its styling of the triple taillights which reside on the rear panel that sports a “widows peak” trunk line that forms almost a spoiler-esque rear on either side rear quarter that takes advantage of stainless trim that dives downward toward the tubbed wheel well and then makes its way forward on a stainless inserted trim spear. A mini version of shades of the '57 Bel Airs and their rear quarter trimmings but a lot smaller. Window surrounds are very nicely preserved and upfront an egg crate grille with dual flanking headlights and central Chevrolet cloisonné badge frame from the front edge of the hood downward. 15 inch Centerline Auto Drag wheels are now attached and in front wrapped with 26x7.50-15 thins, and 31x18.50R15's on back for extra grip….lots of extra grip!

Interior
A swing of the now inset pattern rectangular broadcloth covered door panels, with all weight saving billet styled handles and cranks all in gray and looking good. Inside we note a similar late model split bench in the same pattern broadcloth as the panels. This bench is surrounded in a tubular roll cage, body matching teal. The dash retains its original look but has added gauges for fuel, water and oil temps to go along with the mid century modern styled knobs and pulls. Up top is a dash mounted tachometer with shift indicator lights. On the center hump is a center console that in a past iteration housed the shifter for a manual transmission. Next to said cover is a Hurst shifter to control the shifts of the automatic transmission. Just above this central small metal panel is a box for fan and lighting ignition power as well as starter. The rear bench has been removed and the wheel wells tubbed to accommodate the large rear tires. This back seat area is fully carpeted and nicely finished with gray carpeting. Same for the trunk which has also been modified for the tubbing and has gray carpeting and a stainless steel fuel cell. Some gray carpeting is on the floors and above is a gray broadcloth headliner nice and tight and framed by the roll cage.

Drivetrain
Under the new shiny underpainted hood and nestled next to dual custom fabricated stainless polished wheel well panels is a Jensen Technologies, consigner stated, 496ci V8 which has 11.0:1 compression. This mill has AFR 260 Oval port heads and a Jet roller cam. On top is a Holley Ultra 950 carburetor which uses an Edelbrock intake to feed this hungry mill fossils and air. The TH400 3-speed automatic has a Huge Performance 4000 stall converter with a reverse valve body. A 12-bolt rear has been shortened and puts the power to the pavement. All this is looking like automotive jewelry, right down to the Hooker Headers and polished radiator. As noted, the dyno topped out on this mill at 728 horses.

Undercarriage
In the process of the build, the rear section of the original frame has been replaced with a square tube teal painted framing which uses stainless insert panels in lieu of the original stamped floorpans. This not only gives the undercarriage a great look but adds plenty of structural stability for when those rear tires get a grip. Disc brakes are now on all 4 corners with Wilwood calipers on the rear. We see a Flowmaster exhaust completing the trip rearward, ending just behind the pumpkin. Adjustable coil overs are on all 4 corners with the front being an independent suspension and the rear being a 4 link style.

Drive-Ability
We fired this car up and took it out for a few performance checks and it is definitely a head snapper. Let's just say there is more power than you'll mostly ever need, and anyone who is the recipient of this power will be a sore loser!

A classic 1961 only year bubble top Impala trimmed bowtie, now a pro street car and definitely playing the part very efficiently while staying original looking on the exterior.

VIN DECODE
11837S206825
1-1961
18-Impala V8
37-2 Door Sport Coupe (Bubble Top)
S-St. Louis, MO Assy Plant
206825-Sequential Unit Number

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 600 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.