1959 Chevrolet Impala - Truly Timeless

A '59 Impala with '50s Soul, Modern Attitude, and a ZR1

Guess you could say we're big fans of 1959 Chevrolet Impalas. You probably noticed the red mild custom cruiser rolling across these pages for the past several months. Our 2014 AMSOIL/STREET RODDER Road Tour Impala has cranked up our radar for more of these sleek-winged cruisers. Last year, as ours was reaching completion, we heard news of another '59 Impala being built at Timeless Kustoms in Camarillo, California.

It isn't the first '59 from Timeless Kustoms to get our attention. We featured another '59 Impala built by Jason Pecikonis and his team. It was Viper Red, similar to ours, and combined period styling with a ton of contemporary upgrades. This latest version is a variation on that successful theme. Everything that makes these cars great has been retained; and whatever could be done to make it better was also done.

Mohsen Rabiee from Thousand Oaks, California, is another '59 fan. "I love the tailfins, the trunk, the shape of the glass," he told us. "And I was born in 1959." When Mohsen saw this Impala in its earliest stages at Timeless Kustoms, he decided to buy it and asked Jason to finish the car as a basic everyday driver—keeping the chassis fairly stock, adding an LS3 engine, and shooting some paint.
Sure enough, Mohsen and Pecikonis started thinking. An LS7 was more appealing than the LS3 they started with, so the change was made, even though it meant beefing up the chassis so it could keep up in the performance department. When GM introduced the supercharged Gen IV LS9, that sounded even better, but would call for more upgrades, such as transmission and brakes, to take advantage of its potential. The engine issue was finally decided and the Impala is now powered in Corvette ZR1 style by GM's potent 6.2L small-block. The LS9 features a GM E67 ECU and fly-by-wire throttle body control, along with a Lingenfelter performance package and a custom 4-inch intake tube to provide plenty of air. The headers were fabricated at Timeless, and feed 3-inch exhaust pipes with Pypes Race Pro mufflers. A TREMEC TR6060 six-speed has no problem backing up the high-horsepower LS9. Coast Driveline provided the sturdy 4-inch driveshaft-turning 3.73:1 rearend with a Detroit locker.

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An Art Morrison chassis has replaced the stock Chevy version that was never intended for a drivetrain like this. In addition to QA1 double-adjustable shocks, Firestone airbags (managed with an AccuAir system), antiroll bars, and Panhard bars front and rear, the AM chassis is equipped with a power rack and a four-link rear. Stopping is not a problem with Brembo 15.5-inch carbon ceramic discs with six-piston calipers added at all four corners, and a Wilwood master cylinder and proportioning valve.

Rear wheel tubs were fabricated to fit the massive 335/30R19 Nitto rear tires. The front 285/35/19s almost seem skinny in comparison. The low-profile style on a stock-looking body was a bold move, but it's those kinds of moves that take custom cars to another level. Mohsen wanted to make sure the wheels filled the wheelwells and were proportional to the whole car. Pecikonis chose the 19x13 and 19x11 Boze V-12 model from the ZE Series.

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Chevy introduced '60s styling a year early with the design of the '59. The new body style looks like a missile compared the boxy Tri-Fives and '58s. Timeless Kustoms let Mohsen's Sport Coupe "bubbletop" keep its stock lines. Aside from the ZR1-style polycarbonate window in the hood, most of the exterior sheetmetal work consisted of aligning panels, setting gaps, and black sanding to perfect the body.

Painting the car gold and black took a little bit of courage, but Mohsen said he wanted something different from the red, white, and copper paintjobs he saw on so many '59s. "I wanted the paint to bring people to the car," he told us. "Some people say they didn't like it at first, but it grows on them." The gold was custom mixed and sprayed at Timeless Kustoms using PPG paint. It's offset by black on the top and deck, trim pieces, and door handles. As for chrome, don't bother looking; there's none there.
The interior is another seamless blend of classic Chevy modern custom flavors. It was Mohsen's wish to have front and rear captain's seats, and cut-down Pontiac GTO buckets were the answer. Allen Wray of Conejo Upholstery in Thousand Oaks, who had worked on the earlier Timeless Impala, covered the seats and the door panels in black leather. The stock dash was mildly modified to house the Vintage Air A/C control and vents. The instrument pods have been filled with Auto Meter gauges. The custom console extends to the package tray area and houses the B&M shifter and a navigation system. The steering wheel from Billet Specialties is mounted on an ididit column. The custom pedals were fabricated by Timeless Kustoms. A Pioneer sound system pumps tunes through JL Audio speakers and a Memphis Car Audio subwoofer.

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Mohsen hasn't forgotten his desire for an everyday driver. "That's what it was made for," he assured us. The Impala might not be out there every single day, but it's getting plenty of exercise. Mohsen cleans it up and takes it out often, driving it to car shows in his local area. Everywhere he goes the '59 draws the attention of other enthusiasts who love '59 Impalas, but have never seen one quite like this.

Just the Facts
Year: 1959
Make: Chevrolet
Model: Impala Sport Coupe
Owner: Mohsen Rabiee
State: California

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