My Turquoise 1958 Impala coupe 'some day' project remains tucked quietly in the back of my dad's workshop sans any complaints. Like many of you, life always seems to get in the way. Currently my '56 Nomad and '57 Belair projects are still in the works blocking any attention for the father-son '58 project. Well recently Dad turned 74 and silently I wondered how many planting seasons Dad has left. Don't get me wrong, he's healthy and hasn't lost a step yet but you just never know.
In September 2015 I found a triple black 1958 Impala with 348 for sale. I knew dad would love it. Factory air, 3 on the tree, and a convertible that's 99% original/stock so I made the deal. Can you say road trip? In October '15 two one-way tickets were purchased along with some munchies and off we went with a couple of nights of clothes in tow.
When we walked into the back warehouse, all the while a torrential storm was pounding away, we both just stopped in amazement. She was beautiful just sitting among all of the miscellaneous car parts. We adjusted her points, adjusted the center carburetor, and tweaked the timing after chasing down a short to the headlights (they were unplugged). Then off we went on our 800+ mile journey back to Arizona.
Due to sitting for long periods of time she didn't want to accelerate past 35 mph so I stayed on side roads paralleling the freeway while breaking her in. Eventually I had to hit the highway as nightfall was approaching. After a minor scare from the A/C belt slipping off the pulley, we made it to our first destination which was an RV Park with front row camping! The 44 degrees with fog didn't bother us nor did the wet ground. Luckily we traveled with our sleeping bags and camping gear so it was perfect for us.
Recap: 90 miles traveled, 14 mpg, zero oil consumption & 1 lazy hubcap placed in the trunk.
The weather on day two was much better so down came the top and we hit the highway. She seemed to be happier out on the highway and 55 mph was effortless. The overdrive option didn't work as promised but according to my Garmin we were getting 16 mpg.
Recap: 400 miles, plenty of thumbs up at gas stops, another night of camping on the ground.
Day 3 of this father son road trip was also trouble free. We arrived home with big smiles (and probably a few bugs in our teeth) and another fun road trip behind us.
Recap: 400 miles, a pint of oil, and a lifetime of memories
In summary:
I'm glad I decided to purchase a car for my father today rather than wait. The brakes felt non existent so I had the power brake booster rebuilt. The electrical wires were brittle so I'm currently installing a complete American Auto Wire OEM kit. Why did I buy it? Well, I guess I just wanted to have fun with my dad in his dream car making memories along the way.
Thanks for reading and keep driving your hot rods!
Chuck in AZ
In September 2015 I found a triple black 1958 Impala with 348 for sale. I knew dad would love it. Factory air, 3 on the tree, and a convertible that's 99% original/stock so I made the deal. Can you say road trip? In October '15 two one-way tickets were purchased along with some munchies and off we went with a couple of nights of clothes in tow.
When we walked into the back warehouse, all the while a torrential storm was pounding away, we both just stopped in amazement. She was beautiful just sitting among all of the miscellaneous car parts. We adjusted her points, adjusted the center carburetor, and tweaked the timing after chasing down a short to the headlights (they were unplugged). Then off we went on our 800+ mile journey back to Arizona.
Due to sitting for long periods of time she didn't want to accelerate past 35 mph so I stayed on side roads paralleling the freeway while breaking her in. Eventually I had to hit the highway as nightfall was approaching. After a minor scare from the A/C belt slipping off the pulley, we made it to our first destination which was an RV Park with front row camping! The 44 degrees with fog didn't bother us nor did the wet ground. Luckily we traveled with our sleeping bags and camping gear so it was perfect for us.
Recap: 90 miles traveled, 14 mpg, zero oil consumption & 1 lazy hubcap placed in the trunk.
The weather on day two was much better so down came the top and we hit the highway. She seemed to be happier out on the highway and 55 mph was effortless. The overdrive option didn't work as promised but according to my Garmin we were getting 16 mpg.
Recap: 400 miles, plenty of thumbs up at gas stops, another night of camping on the ground.
Day 3 of this father son road trip was also trouble free. We arrived home with big smiles (and probably a few bugs in our teeth) and another fun road trip behind us.
Recap: 400 miles, a pint of oil, and a lifetime of memories
In summary:
I'm glad I decided to purchase a car for my father today rather than wait. The brakes felt non existent so I had the power brake booster rebuilt. The electrical wires were brittle so I'm currently installing a complete American Auto Wire OEM kit. Why did I buy it? Well, I guess I just wanted to have fun with my dad in his dream car making memories along the way.
Thanks for reading and keep driving your hot rods!
Chuck in AZ
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You and your Dad, are Special people.
