1959 Chevy Customs

September 2009

A Custom 1959 Impala

James Dean Rod Run, Indiana 2009.

Click here for rear view of the custom tail lights

Click on photo to enlarge.

Custom 1959 Impala, James Dean Festival 2009
1959 Corvette in Crown Sapphire

October 4 2006

This Crown Sapphire and Artic white 1959 Corvette lives in central Ohio.

This car is the same color combination as Jim's '59 Impala.

Thanks to Kevin for the photo and the kind compliments about my website!

Click on photo to enlarge.

This one has been around for a long time. Jim took this photo in 1982 at the Car Craft Street Machine Nationals in Springfield Illinois.

Click on photo to enlarge.

Custom 1959 El Camino
1959 Impala Convertible custom Photo from 1966

June of 2012. Mike Pershing of Greenfield, IN sent Jim these images in June of 2012.  Mike is the current President of the Indiana Street Rod Association and lived in Lafayette, Indiana through 1967. The images were taken in the time period of 1964~66. Mike sold the car in Lafayette in 1967 and would like to know what happened to it.

Mike says; "In the period 1963 through 1967 I owned and customized this Roman Red '59 Chevy Impala Convertible.  I am looking for any history on the car - where it went and who owned it after 1967."

Mike Pershing: "I did the custom work, Jerry Camp painted it at Van's Body Shop which was on Brown Street in Lafayette.
The '59 was done in my dad's back yard in about 1963, outside, like a lot of car stuff was done in those days. "shade tree" stuff... I had sold my '55 Chevy BelAir Convert (Black) and bought the Impala from a guy named Jon Gambold.  It was a factory 283, 2bbl, three on the tree, no a/c or power window car.  I installed the Muncie 4-speed with Hurst shifter from the '55.  For reasons I don't remember, the car was quick in spite of the 283 and heavy weight.. A GM buddy had said something about "special heads" if I recall. I remember it gave some 389 Poncho's a run for their money." 
1959 Impala convertible
Custom 1959 Impala convertible
Mike says; "The headlights were '53 Ford units, welded, molded and frenched with the Ford S/S rings... headlight removal was from inside fender.  The hood "cat's eye" parking lights and wind splits were removed, hood leading edge welded and cut so upper portion of grill opening raised with the hood.  The grill was white plastic egg crate fluorescent light fixture material cut to fit."
Mike Pershing: "This car was a good looking ride and was my daily driver as well.. I put it in the Purdue Auto Club Car show in the Purdue armory, drove it to Florida and to work at Purdue University."
Cusomt 1959 Impala Convertible
1959 custom Impala convertible
Mike Pershing; "Rear quarter side trim was removed and front spear trim put in it's place to match the front.  The antenna was mounted so the antenna would go up and through the left rear fin."

Please visit Custom Clinic for more examples of customized 1959 Chevys.

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