1958 Impala

Jon Meyer, KS

In February of 1978 some friends and I were car shopping in Denver, Colorado. I was looking for a 1968 or 1969 Camaro. We checked used car lots all over town. I found a Camaro, but I didn't like it. We gave up and headed for home.

On the way home, only five blocks from the house I spotted a 1958 Chevy Impala with a for sale sign! It was competition orange with chrome reverse wheels, and I knew I had to have it! I spoke with the owner who said he drag raced it in Boulder, Colorado. It had a 327, four-speed and 4.11 gears. We made the deal that day.

The Impala became my daily driver. The interior was twenty years old and worn out. So, the first order of business was new black naugahyde interior. Within a year the small block came out and was replaced with a 360 horsepower 396.

A year later, in 1981, I enlisted the help of Randy Ranker from Ellsworth, Kansas to give my '58 a shiny new red paint job. I added some Keystone Klassic wheels and now I had a nice Sunday driver!

On my way to a car show and drag race thirteen years later, the 396 had finally had enough and expired. It was time to start over. I towed the Impala home, pulled the engine, removed the front clip and did the prep work so Randy could perform his magic one more time.

The frame-on restoration began in 1994. It took about 18 months to complete. While the '58 was in the body shop, I did the mechanical work on weekends. I started out with a 383 small block and 700R4 transmission. Then I decided on the paint color- custom Corvette blue.

By the year 2000 I changed my mind again and decided it was time for one fine 409! With more torque and 500 horsepower I decided to put a TH 400 transmission and gear vendor overdrive behind the 409. Out back resides a 9" rear, 3.50 gears and a ladder bar suspension.

Then, to put it to the test, I took it to the Nostalgia Drags in Great Bend, Kansas. It ran the quarter mile in 12.41 elapsed time at 111 mph!

Over the next several years, I added a cowl induction hood, custom designed tube grill, and engine turned stainless steel dash with Mooneyes gauges. The wheels are 17" Billet Specialties. The interior was redone for the third time in 2007 with1964 Impala bucket seats and a stock rear seat wrapped in leather. We added a center console, custom door panels and a killer stereo system.

Thanks to my wife Cheryl for all of her help, patience, and support. Also, thank you to my family, friends and several professionals for helping throughout the years. My Impala has been a lot of fun. We enjoy driving to car shows like the Classic Chevy Show in Albuquerque, New Mexico. You make good friends and should you have problems, like a bad starter, problem solved!!

My Impala is still a work in progress. After 30 years we're still changing things...what's next? Third brake light? Air ride? The list goes on. Right now we enjoy cruising, car shows, and good friends!