Some motorsports icons simply need no introduction – Foyt, Earnhardt, Andretti, Force and, of course, Dan Gurney. As a successful driver, engineer, and executive, Gurney became a household name in virtually every kind of racing in existence. During his Formula One years he clinched four grand prix victories. In Le Mans, he won both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring. He was victorious in NASCAR, USAC, Can-Am, Trans Am, and the British Touring Car Championship. He invented the Gurney Flap, inspired the Gurney Bubble, and was one of the first Formula One drivers to embrace a full-face helmet. He even began the now cherished tradition of spraying everyone with champagne in victory circle.

Given Gurney’s significance in motorsports, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that finding and owning one of his race cars is something to aspire to. To own a Gurney race car that’s been restored to competition specs is the sort of thing dreams are made of. And to own a Gurney race car that is still somehow paired with its original engine is truly out of this world!

A Family Affair

Of course, the new owner of this 1961 Impala isn’t just some random enthusiast. His name is Justin Gurney and, being the son of Dan Gurney, he distinctly remembers the story of the car from his youth. While Dan was overseas racing Formula One for Porsche, he noticed that his co-racers were running lower classes for both entertainment and experience. So, he decided to enter the Saloon class that, at the time, was dominated by 3.8 liter Jaguars. The only thing was, he didn’t want to drive a Jaguar.

Gurney called up his good friend Zora Arkus-Duntov to enquire about purchasing a hotted-up Impala. That’s right, he wanted to pit the full-size cruiser we all know and love against tidy European cars. What’s better: he wanted that cruiser equipped with 409 cubic inches of glorious big-block power. It wasn’t long until he was the happy owner of the rowdy 1961 Impala you see here, bench seats, 4-speed, manual steering, and all! 

After an epic test run at Riverside, Gurney handed the car off to the very first employee at All American Racers, the company he founded with Carroll Shelby. That employee used his honeymoon to commute the Chevy cross-country from Van Nuys to New York. From there, it boarded a ship and made its way across the pond to Britain. 

That’s Not How We Do Things

In Britain, the car was fitted with a Corvette sway bar and simple brake ducts before taking to the track as the resident oddball. Spectators loved the Impala and loved to see it win. However, competitors and the FIA weren’t quite as enthused. There was just something they couldn’t stand about a big ‘ole Chevy whipping up on one of Europe’s storied saloon constructors, so they banned the car from competition. Despite his entry complying with every rule for the class, as laid out in a stern letter from Gurney, officials refused to back down. Dan ended up selling the Impala at the very event that banned it.

In the hands of its second owner, the Dan Gurney Chevrolet Impala was converted to right-hand drive, fitted with a 6-cylinder, and used as a tow rig for another race car, which was hopefully NOT a 3.8 liter Jaguar. The coveted 409 found a new home in a boat, and the car’s legacy was in danger of being lost to the winds of time. Fortunately, an enthusiast in Scotland purchased the Chevy, restored it, returned it back to left-hand drive, and even tracked down that original big block. 

That’s where Justin Gurney comes back into the picture. After 63 long years, the Dan Gurney Chevrolet Impala has officially returned stateside and officially returned to its original family. While included with the sale, the original 409 is not installed in the car. Justin said he plans to leave it that way so the Impala can be driven and enjoyed as was intended.