One of the benefits of belonging to a big deal car club like Rollerz Only C.C. is the ability to tap into a large network of vehicles and builders available only to a member. Being a member of Rollerz Only is like joining a very large family of car crazies. Sometimes cars even get passed around from one member to another, often in the middle of a project build. That's the way it went down with this '66 Chevy Impala Super Sport convertible from the club's very strong New Mexico chapter.
"I bought the car in the middle of the build," says owner Jerry Gurule of Albuquerque, New Mexico. "When I purchased it, the frame had been powdercoated, and the engine and transmission were done. I bought the car with a few things missing underneath." No problem, Jerry made one or two phone calls and very soon the undercarriage was painted, and the body was put back on the frame and prepped for paint.
As "Sexy Six" was being pieced together, the new owner came to an important conclusion. "One thing that I couldn't stand was that everything on the outside of the car was gold," Jerry remembers. "So I took everything off and chromed it." Once that was done, all that remained were a few "minor things." In true Rollerz Only fashion, other members rallied around Jerry, who says, "We worked together to complete the car."
Sexy SixOwner: Jerry Gurule
Vehicle: '66 Chevrolet Impala SS convertible
City/State: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Club: Rollerz Only C.C.
Engine/Drivetrain: The stock 327-c.i.d. V-8 was heavily chrome plated and made to run better than ever thanks to Jay Madrid and Santa Fe Machine Shop in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Body/Paint: "Nacho" and Chris Aragon at Euro Motorsports in Santa Fe prepped the '66 Chevy sheet metal and then the shop's Martin Villalobos sprayed the jet black paint. The chrome plating chores were handled by John Barth at Duke City Plating in Albuquerque.
Interior: Andrew Ortiz at A&G Upholstery in Santa Fe installed the prefabricated leather interior kit with the original patterns, had the center console and steering column re-chromed, and, according to the owner, "got the convertible top to work."
Sound System: Leaving the original chrome tape deck in the dash, Chris Aragon at Euro Motorsports also equipped the '66 with a Kenwood CD player, two chrome-plated Audiobahn amps and a pair of chrome Dub subwoofers.
Suspension: Sharing trunk space with the audio gear are two chrome tanks and three compressors, vital components of the two-switch airbag system installed by Chris Aragon at Euro Motorsports.
Tires: Dayton Quadra wide whitewalls
Wheels: 13x7 all-chrome Dayton wires with black spokes