OwnerZacharias Banker
Vehicle'62 ChevroletImpala Convertible
City/StateMonrovia, California
Car ClubKlique Car Club in Arizona
Most lowrider cars are built for the streets. There is a point, however, where one can go too far in the building process and then there's no turning back. Once the frame comes off for reinforcing and you fill in a few holes, someone might think, "Well, I may as well paint the belly while I can." And since that engine you just pulled out is on a stand, you might as well build that up too, or get a bigger one. Billet pulleys, chrome carbs, the exhaust, and then you can't stop there! A-arms molded for chrome, the rear end, etc. It never ends. That's when your "enjoy the street" build becomes a project that you didn't plan on. Now you have a show car that's for the streets too. The only difference is that you need a cleaning crew to follow you around.
A good example of this scenario is Zacharias Banker's '62 Impala convertible. This car was supposed to be something simple, but it turned out to be a two-year project. The frame was pulled off, and then, with no turning back, the fine line was crossed and the car was gone through from one end to the other, top to bottom.
Today we are featuring a glimpse of Zacharias' ride. This engine compartment was dressed up by Jesse from Custom Lowz, in Riverside, California. The ragtop received a brand-new GM Performance crate motor with roller rockers that was gear-driven instead of the conventional timing chain. To make sure that the drivetrain held up to the power that the small-block was going to put out, a 400 Turbo transmission was used.
The painted engine was dressed up with several bolt-on performance items, including an Edelbrock EnduraShine aluminum intake and a 650-cfm carburetor combination. Serpentine pulleys were used on the chrome-plated brackets and pulleys. With all of this performance underhood, the car had to be upgraded with a fully chromed disc brake setup. With chrome on his mind, the engine compartment was accented with a triple-chrome dosage that can be seen on the fenderwells, hood hinges, and throughout the engine compartment. He went too far-but that's a good thing!
We're sure this will not be the last that you'll see of Zacharias' ride, maybe you'll even be seeing more of it in a upcoming issue of Lowrider. Whether at a show or to hit the streets with some go, this '62 handles both with a trunk full of rags and car care cleaners that come in handy.