By Tommy Lee Byrd – Images by the Author
When it comes to Chevrolet body styles, it’s hard to beat the flowing lines of the short-lived roofline officially known as the Sport Coupe in 1961 and 1962. Most people call these stylish coupes a “bubbletop” because of the rounded roof. Like most coupes of the ’60s, these cars were prone to rust issues, so you don’t see them as often as sedans. When you do, they’re often restored to stock or finished in restomod styling. Rarely, if ever, will you see one with a blower and injector hat sticking out of the hood and giant rear tires stuffed under the quarter-panels. We stopped in our tracks when we saw Todd Hann’s Pro Street 1961 Chevy Impala bubbletop at the Triple Crown of Rodding in Nashville last year.
This is the type of car that enrages purists, and that’s why we love it. The car pounds the ground and features a wickedly low stance, with all the go-fast stuff you want, without the gaudy Pro Street equipment you might remember from the ’80s. This is a modern-day build, and Todd used his experience with drag cars to kick off the project while getting help from friends when it came to the show-car quality details.
Todd bought the car in 2001 for $800 and it was rough. The body was badly rusted, although the car was still able to move under its own power. By the time it was disassembled, there wasn’t a lot to show for his new project, but he had a vision for what this thing would become. He knew from day one that he wanted it to be black, and he wanted a killer big-block, but his original intentions leaned more toward the dragstrip. At some point in the 10-year build he shifted gears into the Pro Street setup, which led him even deeper into the project.
Tom Brush stepped in to help with the chassis work, which started with an Art Morrison 2×3-inch chassis with a 2-inch extended wheelbase. Todd wanted to keep the rear wheel openings the stock size, so to fit the large rear tires, they scooted the rearend backward 2 inches. Tom also fabricated the rollcage, wheeltubs, floorpans, sheetmetal wing, and parachute mounts. Coilovers ride on all four corners, and you’ll find a four-link setup out back. A narrowed 9-inch rearend and giant rear wheeltubs accommodate the 33×22-15 Mickey Thompson radial tires and beadlocked Weld V Series wheels. All along, Todd wanted a seriously low stance, so he built the chassis and suspension to operate at this ride height without the need for air suspension.
The engine combination features a Bowtie block and an Eagle rotating assembly that comes out to 540 ci. Brodix cylinder heads breathe deeply and work well with the BDS 8-71 blower. Todd used an eight-injector hat, and the electronic fuel injection is operated by a Holley HP system. It runs on 93-octane pump gas and handles all the abuse Todd can throw at it. Behind the blown big-block is a TH400 automatic transmission, equipped with a Gear Vendors overdrive to make the 4.56:1 rear gears much more street friendly.
When it came time to address the body, Todd replaced the rocker panels, floorpans, trunk pan and had to do some serious work to repair the quarter-panels and front fenders. Every panel needed attention, and Scott Reich helped straighten the body and get it ready for black paint. Reich then shot the black materials and sanded and buffed it to a beautiful finish. Final assembly took a while, as usable 1961 parts are tough to find.
Inside, Ted’s Trim did a great job working around the extensive rollcage. He installed factory-style carpet and wrapped the modern bucket seats in red leather with vintage-style inserts. He also modified the rear seat to work with the wheeltubs. Perhaps the most challenging part of the interior was the headliner, as the rollcage is tucked tightly to the roof. Todd used reproduction door panels from Ciadella Interiors and repurposed a 1965 Impala console to ride on top of the raised transmission tunnel. The dash is stock but features a selection of Auto Meter gauges in a carbon-fiber insert.
Todd and friends finished the car more than 10 years ago, but it still looks fresh and performs to Todd’s liking. He said he wants to keep it maintained and continue enjoying it because it’s exactly what he pictured in his head when the project started. It’s one of the only big tire bubbletops you’ll ever see, and it’s a fine example that proves that Pro Street will never die, because big tires, blown big-blocks, and parachutes continue to put a smile on gearheads faces around the world.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
TECH CHECK
Owner: Todd Hann, Forest Hill, Maryland
Vehicle: 1961 Chevrolet Impala
Engine
Type: Big-block
Displacement: 540 ci
Compression Ratio: 8.5:1
Bore: 4.500 inches
Stroke: 4.250 inches
Rotating Assembly: 4340 Eagle crank, forged everything
Cylinder Heads: Brodix aluminum, 290cc intake runners, 2.25/1.88 valves
Valvetrain: Comp Cams with roller rockers
Camshaft: Big!
Ignition: MSD
Induction: BDS 8-71 blower with Enderle hat
Exhaust: Custom headers with 4-inch exhaust
Ancillaries: Fabricated valve covers, tucked wires
Drivetrain
Transmission: TH400 with Gear Vendors overdrive unit
Rear Axle: Narrowed 9-inch with 4.56:1 gears
Chassis
Front Suspension: Tubular control arms, coilovers, and rack-and-pinion
Rear Suspension: Four-link with coilovers
Brakes: Wilwood disc
Master Cylinder: Wilwood
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Weld V Series, 15×3 and 15×14 with beadlocks
Tires: Mastercraft 205/75R15 front, Mickey Thompson 33×22-15 rear
Interior
Seats: Custom bucket seats
Steering: Flaming River column, billet half-wrap steering wheel
Console: 1965 Impala
Shifter: Hurst Quarter Stick
Instrumentation: Auto Meter Phantom
Wiring: Ron Francis
Exterior
Paint: Black by Scott Reich
Hood: Fiberglass
Hood Hinges: Custom
