1962 Chevrolet Impala Convertible - Brent Reese

The classic car game has always had its share of conflict between two primary schools of thought. On one hand, you have the purists--the old-schoolers who believe in restoring the classic cars to make them look exactly like they did as they rolled off the assembly line. This involves the painstaking process of researching and then actually finding all the original parts, color schemes and intricacies of the original car before ultimately putting them all together to look brand new. On the other hand, you have the new-schoolers, the modifiers who believe in modernizing, customizing, and tricking out these classic cars to achieve an even further degree of originality and uniqueness. Crazy concepts, wild paint jobs, and outside-the-box thinking dominate this section of the classic car world, which ranges anywhere from muscle cars to lowriders. We've always remained dedicated to showcasing the best of both the old school as well as the new school to allow our readers to define their own tastes as well as learn about the customization process that happens on both sides. This dual concept best defines what Brent Reese of Covina, CA has done with his 1962 Impala hardtop, a true California original. Upon first purchasing the car in San Diego for a mere $2,500, Brent couldn't believe the fantastic shape the car was already in, as the body itself was almost perfect. He instantly knew this one would be best served as a rebuild. But as a man of many cars, often keeping them for only months at a time, Brent still wanted to add his own edge to the classic. Envisioning what this beauty might have looked like if Chevrolet made lowriders straight off the assembly line in 1962. He decided to combine and balance the elements of the old and the new all in one amazing automobile, giving us truly the "Best of Both Worlds."

The stage was set and his purchase was made, so the next step for Brent was to get the car home, sit down, and make a game plan. Brett knew exactly what he was looking to achieve with the car, but wasn't yet sure exactly how he could make it all come together. Balancing the old and the new is already a tricky concept. To further complicate his situation, Brett also had a short timeline to put it all together. A dedicated lowrider that he is, Reese needed this baby shined up and ready to roll by New Year's Day for the Majestics' annual picnic. That left him with only a few months to make it all happen. Having been in the scene for years, Brent had valuable connections in place to help him achieve his goal in plenty of time. The car itself was already fairly stripped down, so he knew that a full frame-off restoration was possible as long as his build team could stay on track.

The body of the '62 only needed a few weeks of work, but knowing that time was of the essence, Brent sent out the car for paint as soon as possible. He chose to ship the car to El Monte's Chevy Shop and let their expert paint team tackle the corona cream colored finish. This two-stage DuPont paint job was shot over the deuce, then the shop sent the car back to Brent just a few short weeks later. The car was now completely buffed out and ready to be assembled. His initial vision of combining originality and lowrider style remained Brent's top priority, as he made the risky move of dropping the frame to have it reinforced and prepared for his elaborate custom hydraulics set up.