FOUR-SPEED MANUAL BIG-BLOCK ’63 IMPALA COUPE – VIDEO

This big-block powered four-speed Jerico '63 Impala is one crazy race car!

Share
Photographers: Shaun Tanner

IT IS pretty common for these big ’63 Impala coupes to be built as lowriders, but the Winnen boys wanted something a bit different. Dad Shane and sons Damien and Jason built their car as a tough street-and-strip Pro Stock-style machine – complete with a Jerico four-speed. It’s a set-up that only requires the use of the clutch to get off the line; after that you can flat-shift.

“We wanted something a bit different, and it had to be old, heavy and manual in the 60s American race-car style that we could cruise in and race,” Damien says.

63 Impala Big Block Four Speed 1The motor is a 502-cube big-block Chev that makes around 600rwhp, and the rear end is a custom four-link nine-inch set-up with coil-overs. The boys have done a lot of work with the rear end, adjusting everything to help tame down the aggressive launches with the manual ’box and ultra-short 5.45 diff gears.

All three Winnen boys drive the car, but dad Shane was on driving duties on the weekend at Portland. He ran low sevens pretty consistently. As you would expect, it’s all in getting the launch spot-on, as you still have to step off the clutch to get going with the Jerico ’box. Shane’s best for the day was his first run: 7.2@94mph.

Comments