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It's always nice to see something as classy as young Tony Ildefonzo's clean Chevy Impala called "Playboy's '63." All of the ladies can appreciate all of the detail that went into the driven Super Sport hardtop that flies the Brown Pride C.C. plaque. The car has been a part of Tony's familia for the better part of his life. "The car was purchased in Mexicali, Baja California by my dad, Tony, Sr., when I was a junior in high school," reports Tony. "I was 16 years old and drove it home from there and used it as a daily driver all through my high school days."
Young Tony's intentions on having a fine ride would one day be met, but first he had to finish his schooling before diving into the Super Sport. The car was taken down to Meno's Body Shop in Downey, California, where "El Charro" took care of any imperfections on the sheet metal. Tony chose a unique color for the Impala, sandalwood metallic, which gets quite a reaction, especially from the ladies.
The classy color was further enhanced by the cool interior done up by "Gordo" over at Auto Restylers in South Gate, California. Gordo redid the headliner, factory bucket seats and carpet kit, while the door panels are from Ciadella. Gordo was even involved in both the chrome and gold on the SS. Other interior tricks include OG power windows and aftermarket power vent windows. Gordo was instructed to upholster sections of the trunk with the Impala logo as a symbol of his pride.
Then, the crew got down to business with the chrome undercarriage and suspension. The frame is reinforced at the major stress points; a must if you're going to be installing a serious hydro hookup. The gear is from Homies Hydraulics of Paramount, California, which includes a pair of chrome Marzocchi pumps mounted to the trunk floor. The pumps used two Delta dumps each for the head-turning action like front, back, side to side and three-wheel motion. The trunk is also home to eight deep-cycle batteries wired to both solenoids and switchbox. The Homies crew extended and reinforced the A-arms, and put 8-inch cylinders in front and 10s in the rear. The driveshaft was extended and a heavy-duty center support was implemented to ensure that the shaft stays put.
A car this cherry must have a pumping engine as well, right? Gordo and Jaime Ramirez built and dressed up a '68 GM 283-c.i.d. engine with a chrome air cleaner, Cool-Flex hoses and plated brackets amongst other things. The rest of the highlights include a refurbished dash, center console and a set of 13x7-inch 88-spoke Dayton wires with RTX radials.
The ladies seem to gravitate to this hunk of American iron, and it's no wonder. Classic lines, tasty trimmings and a healthy powerplant would satisfy any hardcore lowrider as well as any young lady who would appreciate such a ride.
text & photos by Marco A. Patino (Lowrider Magazine)
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