State of the Restoration – 2014

Here we are, it’s 2014 already. A lot has changed since this project began back in 2006. It’s hard to believe this much time has passed. I’m now married and have moved to another town. I’m in a new shop of almost equal size to the last.

The Impala is finally back in my new shop, after having been in storage for several months while I got the new shop sorted out. The project is now finally back underway! The photo below shows how it looks right now. Not very different, huh? Well, I have purchased an engine for it from my brother Marty, who will be building it for me and doing the installation. The engine chosen is a 5.3l LM7 v8 from a Chevy pick-up. It may end up with a cam from a Z06 Corvette to add a little extra horsepower. Undecided yet, is weather or not it’ll stay with the factory fuel-injection, or go with a 4bbl carburetor. For a transmission, unless we decide differently, will be a Turbo 350. This keeps the cost low, while still offering good fuel economy.

So my job, before I can hand the car over to Marty for the engine install, is to get the firewall painted. Right now, I’m figuring out how I’m going to build a make-shift paint-booth “tent” around the car so I can do the necessary paint work.

1960 Impala 1-22-14