Gil Losi, one of the founders of Team Losi Racing, built this 1961 Bubble Top Impala with Steve Cook Creations for the Detroit Autorama, an annual showcase event of custom cars and hot roads since 1953. But unfortunately, he passed away last year.
Nevertheless, Losi put together a build with so much attention to detail, from the front to the back. Shawn from AutotopiaLA met up with Brandon from Overdriven Performance to talk about the work done on the Impala. The presenter claims the car's best finish was qualifying for the prestigious Great 8 finalist at the Detroit Autorama.
The first order of business was checking the undercarriage, where a full custom one-off Art Morrison chassis was installed - painted, pinstriped, detailed, and paneled out.
The body was then matched with a Ridetech ShockWave air suspension, allowing the Impala to ride low just like Losi wanted it. While the headlights and taillights were stock, every trim on the vehicle was hand-made with solid brass. No side mirrors were fitted into the 1961 Impala, though.
Propelling the Bubble Top Impala was a 540 cubic-inch twin-turbocharged big block engine from Mike Moran, an engine builder who registered 6,144 horsepower on the dyno before. As for the Impala of the hour, Brandon said the vehicle registered 2,000 hp. That whopping number was intended to help the build win the Ridler Award before it was detuned to just 1,800 hp.
Sending that power exclusively to the rear wheels is a GM 4L80-E transmission. Custom Billet Specialties wheels were installed, with the front measuring 18 inches and the rear at 20 inches.
Gabe's Custom worked on the Ferrari-red-themed interior, with the center console coming from a Cadillac CTS-V. The only carbon fiber found inside was around the Dakota digital gauges. Moreover, the vehicle was equipped with a rear-view camera.
With a big roaring engine and intricate design details, the presenter presumed the 1961 Bubble Top Impala could be sold for half a million. The project car is currently on sale, though they failed to mention where.
