1979 Chevrolet Impala Drag Car Hardtop 555 V8 2 Speed Automatic Classic Vintage

Description

Combat ready. Don't dismiss this super nasty 1979 Chevrolet Impala just because it has four doors, because inside you'll find heavy-duty hardware, a custom big block engine, and the kind of firepower that allows it to humiliate lesser cars. It's also beautifully built, with more than $125,000 spent on its construction. If you want a show-stopper that also lays down 9.40-second quarter-mile times, look no further. Cars like this are hard to describe in words and pictures;... you just have to see them in person to understand. For something this wickedly fast, it sure is beautifully built, with some super straight bodywork. We haven't seen one this straight since, well, 1979 and even then, the factory wasn't doing paint anywhere near this well. A few custom mods give it a predatory look, starting with that tall cowl-induction hood, but also include the bumpers tucked in tight to the bodywork, a blanked grille opening, and that beautiful two-tone paint. With a red stripe separating the black and charcoal gray, it almost looks elegant, and we love how they kept the original marker lights, emblems, and door handles. It's almost like you could walk out, get in, and drive it to work, and technically, it is street-able. Too cool! The interior is, of course, a racer's environment, but they didn't skimp on the quality. You'll find both factory bench seats still in place, although the X-brace on the cage pretty much makes the rear seat cosmetic. But with original door panels, full carpets (with floor mats!), and a factory dash, it certainly feels familiar even with all the race gear around you. There's a fat steering wheel with a transmission brake button, a custom ratcheting shifter on the transmission tunnel, and a custom switch panel just to the driver's right. Factory gauges don't tell you anything, but it's augmented with Auto Meter dials on the steering column. 5-point harnesses, the full cage (NHRA certified and good to go through 2021!), and a cooling fan for the driver are the kinds of things that show professionals were at work here and even the windows go up and down like they should. Heck, the trunk is still big enough for a family vacation, even with dual 16-volt batteries stashed back there. Those dual batteries are probably mandatory for the brutal Shafiroff-built 555 cubic inch big block Chevy V8, which cost $40,000 (and is a one-off) to build and can be tuned to run on alcohol or gas. It comes with a full spec sheet, but the highlights include a custom MerlinX intake, custom headers, Dart heads, and 14.7:1 compression, which all add up to about 1000 horsepower on the motor alone. The twin snorkel air cleaner looks very much like those used on the 442s in 1969, but everything else is aerospace aluminum and braided stainless. The transmission is a built Ultra Bell PowerGlide that's deadly consistent and a carbon-fiber driveshaft feeds a Dana 60 rear end with Strange 40-spline axles and a spool inside. 4-wheel disc brakes ensure it's safe at the big end and the exhaust system sounds brilliant exhaling through the side pipes. The stance is just about ideal, sitting on black powdercoated Weld Pro-Star wheels and 29.5x10.5R15 rear Mickey Thompson rear meats to hook it up. Heavily documented and ridiculously over-built, this is a once-in-a-lifetime car that runs consistent 9-second quarter mile times (and we have the time slips to prove it). Complete with dyno sheets, receipts, and everything else you'd need to set it up and run, this Impala is a screaming bargain for the guy who knows what it costs to do it right. Call today!