1963 Chevrolet Impala Convertible - March Performance

Now that the car had taken on its exterior identity, it was time to breathe life into the inside of the Chevy. The tan leather interior was installed by the Millan Brothers in Reseda, CA, who wrapped the bucket seats and rear seat in a gorgeous tan color that perfectly complemented the red tone of the vehicle. Some interior modernizations included a Dakota Digital dash, and custom kick panels that housed the Pioneer mid- range speakers. A B&M shifter was also incorporated into the stock center console for comfort and performance. The Hawaii convertible features a custom trunk that showcases a best-of-both-worlds setup that enables onlookers to see the hydraulic setup, while also feasting their eyes on an incredible sound system that sounds clear when Wilson cranks up the volume. The trunk has a whammy style set up to allow for plenty of space to encase the audio components and the batteries. The batteries themselves were hidden underneath the fiberglass panels, which were painted to match the exterior of the vehicle. The tub of the trunk was used to house the amplifiers, which provide the thump to Wilson's Pioneer speakers. Chino of C&L was once again asked to help with the trunk, and he did so expertly, hand crafting all of the fiberglass panels to make sure that this car became a custom in every sense of the word.

This ten-month project unfolded amazingly well, thanks to Wilson's concise vision for the '63, and the high quality customization work that was performed by a few truly talented individuals. After all of the details were dialed in, the car was put on the container and shipped to Wilson's home island of Oahu. Though he lives some 2,550 miles from Los Angeles, Wilson made it a point to tell us that, "Growing up, Lowrider Magazine has always been an important part of my life when it comes to cars. I always admired the featured cars and always wished I could own a car worthy to be in the magazine as well." Quick to give credit where it is due, he also states that his wife played a big roll in choosing the color and interior combo for the car. It's obvious that Wilson is a true Lowrider pioneer and a proud member of his community, stating in his own words that, "the car being featured as a cover car from Hawaii is icing on the cake." If you're ever on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, you might catch Wilson cruising the avenues of Honolulu with his car club in that beautiful, yearlong summer weather. If you do happen to catch a glimpse of him in this beautiful '63, make sure to give him a "thumbs up" for keeping the lifestyle alive in Hawaii. Mahalo, Wilson! Thanks for your beautiful addition to our glorious culture.

The Time Machine
Owner: Wilson Montemayor
Vehicle: 1963 Chevrolet Impala convertible
City/State: Honolulu, Hawaii
Club: Timeless Classics CC
Engine: GM Performance Crate Motor, Matson aluminum radiator with dual Spal pull fans, performance billet accessories, chrome valve covers and March Performance serpentine pulleys and brackets
Body/Paint: Three-stage PPG candy red with accented pinstripping by Gary Jensen
Suspension: Two C&L Hydraulic aluminum pumps, whammy tank reservoir and 6 31-series trojan batteries
Wheels: 13x7 96 spoke wheels with custom painted spokes to match.
Tires: 155/80R13