Chris Tetzlaff’s 1963 Chevy Impala SS

1963Impala

The hardtop 1963 Chevy Impala, with its convertible like roofline, crisply tailored flanks, and pointed fenders, is truly an American icon. Automotive enthusiasts drool over 1963 Impalas today and it is a popular creative canvas for both the hot rod and lowrider genres. One such hot rodder that took to liking the 1963 Impala’s popularity within the custom automotive community is United States Air Force veteran Chris Tetzlaff of Glasgow, Kentucky.

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1067Now, Chris is no stranger to custom autos. He’s built and owned several custom cars and trucks (1989 Mustang GT, 1992 Thunderbird, 1999 Dodge Ram and 1989 Dodge D80), both mild and wild, over the past 25 years, including a 1964 Impala that never quite made it off the back burner and onto the show circuit. Chris always regretted selling his 1964 Impala. In fact, it bothered him so much that over the next 12-year period even while wrenching on current projects, he was always actively looking for another Impala. As luck would have it, in December of 2012, Chris found a 1963 Chevy Impala SS that was in very good shape. After exchanging $18,500 in cash for the car and giving the customary handshake, he was the new owner of a ride that would fulfill a longtime dream.

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Once Chris got his newly acquired gem safely back to his garage, he did what automotive restoration purists consider unthinkable—he began to layout a plan of customizing a near perfect and stock 1963 Impala SS that would suit his particular vision and taste. The plan of attack was to tackle the exterior, trim work, and suspension first. During the second stage he reworked the interior, and in the third and final stage he focused on the engine.

Stage One

1071Kicking off stage one of the build, Chris decided to focus on the stance of the car. 1963 Chevy Impalas did not exactly roll off the General Motors assembly line with a ground hugging and adjustable stance back in the day, but Chris remedied this with a full Air Ride suspension setup fitted with Firestone 2,600-lb. airbags on each corner. A five gallon chrome air tank keeps plenty of air on tap for the Air Zenith compressor and the entire system is controlled with an AccuAir e-Level Air Ride Suspension Controller. Adding to the killer stance is a set of Foose Legend chrome wheels with 20×8.5-inchers tucked under the nose and fat lipped 22×9.5-inchers in the rear, all of which are wrapped in 245/30/20 and 265/35/22 Goodyear Eagle GT rubber, respectively. Finishing off the exterior appeal is a fresh PPG Viper Red paint job, applied by the owner, one-piece front and rear Carolina Smoothie bumpers, and chrome plated aluminum trim.

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Stage Two

In stage two of the build, Chris decided to tie the whole package together with a highly contemporary interior. From the Dakota Digital gauge in the dash, to the Buick Lacrosse bucket seating with a custom fiberglass center console, all the way to the split rear seating and trunk area, nothing inside this car resembles what GM intended back in 1963. Using red leather and matching red vinyl floor covering, Chris created a clean and contemporary interior for the Impala. A leather wrapped Billet Specialties steering wheel tops off the chrome steering column and a chrome column shifter controls the transmission. Other contemporary conveniences include power windows and keyless door locks.

Entertainment for the road is provided by a Pioneer AVH-X1600 DVD head unit complemented by a Rockford Fosgate 12-inch subwoofer flanked by two Rockford Fosgate 8-inch subwoofers located in the customized rear deck. Completing the sound system are a pair of Rockford Fosgate 6.5-inch speakers located in the kick panels while a pair of Rockford Fosgate amplifiers, 600-watt and 250-watt, powers the entire system.

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The Final Stage

1068In the final stage of the build, Chris focused on the Impala’s power plant. Tucked away neatly under the hood, is a potent Holley Stealth Ram fuel injected 350 Chevy engine bored .030 over and fitted with aluminum heads and a 268 Comp Cam, providing as much flash as it does dash. What’s not chromed or stainless has been painted orange. To help the engine breathe a little easier, a custom side exit dual exhaust system, fitted with shorty ceramic coated headers and a pair of Flowmaster 2.5-inch mufflers, was bent up and assembled between the frame rails. A Chevy Turbo 350 tranny controls all the action, while the braking system, consisting of Wilwood calipers and Classic Performance Products cross drilled and slotted rotors, keep all the ponies in check.

Chris Tetzlaff’s 1963 Chevy Impala SS is one of the cleanest restomods on the show circuit. One of the most interesting points of his build is that not only was it completed in one year, all modifications were done in-house with a total build cost of approximately $43,000. Chris reminds the admirers of his car that if he can do it, anyone can do it if they are willing to put in the time and effort, especially when it is a lifelong dream to own such an iconic part of American automotive history.

Make sure to check out the full gallery below!

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About the author

J.R. Janicek

A resident of Nashville, J.R. Janice's passion for cars was fueled by weekends shared with his uncles at figure-8 races in Louisville. By the late 80s, he was immersed in the mini-truck genre, and attending shows and hangout spots. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Marines and spent one year in Japan where he became familiar with the automotive culture. In 1999, he started photographing automotive events and eventually established a freelance photography company serving the custom automotive niche. He brings a unique perspective as a freelance writer to Power Automedia.
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