Hippie Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Doubt anyone here remembers me...... and that could be a good thing............ I was one of the old guys back when I first joined and I didn't get any younger while I was gone. I recently acquired another W, it's a well optioned base model 2001 Impala with a 3800. The car has 175,000 but it's very solid, pretty straight and the interior is in very good condition for a 12 year old car. I bought it to be my daily driver, it had a brand new trans when I bought it and I just put a 47,000 mile 3800 from an '02 in it. Long boring story on the new engine but let's just say that the oil pan managed to keep all the pieces in on the original engine. It's still going to be my DD but I am liking this car more than anything I've owned in a long, long time and have started fixing little cosmetic issues I never intended to and will be making some changes. It is Dk. Toreador Met. with a tan bucket seat interior and has the 20 slot alloy wheels. The wheels aren't something I would go out and buy to put on a car but they're "tolerable" and they are in good shape, however they will be coming off in the near future for the remainder of nice weather. I'll post before and afterpics s once the new wheels are on, I'm keeping the stock ones for Winter use. The replacements probably are not something a lot of you younger guys will care for but if there are any other old timers here they might appreciate them. They are 17 X 8 Bullitt anthracite wheels off an '09 Mustang GT with 225/55 X 17's. I have plain brushed aluminum center caps for them. I also just orderd a Magnaflow 23405 downpipe and a Dynomax 19363 cat-back dual exhaust system. For the interior I picked up an instrument cluster from an '01 Monte SS and I'm adding the trunk mounted 12 CD changer from a Bonneville. My factory head unit is setup to control the changer and the factory harness is there. Although the changers were never offered in the 2000-2005 Impalas many of them have the correct radio and the harness in place. Mine's one of them, not sure if there is a connection but those I've seen that were "changer ready" had OnStar. The only other readily visible change will be an '05 Impala SS grille and GM molded splash gaurds. I removed the broken "impala" script from the trunk lid to replace it but after I got all the adhesive cleaned off decided I liked the way it looked without it. I like to keep things clean and simple, I'm more inclined to remove things from the exterior than add them unless they are functional items like the splash gaurds. OK, for those of you still awake..... I get kind of windy, sorry...... I'll try not to be the old fart telling you how we did it in the old days, unless you ask. I know all too well that the "old days" don't apply to these cars and you guys know these cars a lot better than I do. Now if there's ever anything you need to know about a '58-'64 Impala I can be of assistance but I'll more than likely be the one asking questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runt Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Welcome back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado_735 Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Welcome back to the forum. Post up some pics when you get a chance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 I remember you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippie Posted July 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Thanks guys. I remember you! Uh oh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wickedbuick Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Welcome back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Welcome back! Post up some pictures of your ride when you get a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 There's still a few of us around from when you were still active here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madbrad Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 I did not know you could get a 3800 in a base model on that gen Impala. Unless it's a 9C1 or 9C3, but then wouldn't be well optioned. Would likely have buckets but no center console LOL. Does it have the fog lights? Can we get pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outonthetiles Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 The only thing you couldn't get in a base model were the fog lights and painted rocker panels. Everything else was available as an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfewtrail Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 I remember you! What he said. Welcome back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88red4cyl Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 Welcome (back) to the site! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuminaPower92 Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 I remember you! Absolutely Awesome song Nunzi! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippie Posted July 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 I did not know you could get a 3800 in a base model on that gen Impala. Unless it's a 9C1 or 9C3, but then wouldn't be well optioned. Would likely have buckets but no center console LOL. Does it have the fog lights? Can we get pics? The only thing you couldn't get in a base model were the fog lights and painted rocker panels. Everything else was available as an option. Doesn't have either and it had chrome script on the trunk lid not body color, it now has no script. Looks cleaner w/o IMO. Defintely a base model. No spoiler, sun roof or leather but it has 20 slot alloy wheels; the RDS/CD/Cassette w/ steering wheel controls; OnStar; HomeLink/DIC; Electrochromic auto dimming mirror; visors w/ lighted mirrors; 6 way power driver seat with Lumbar support; split fold down rear seat; rear window defroster and a few other minor trinkets. Not loaded but nicely equipped. Only things I "had" to have that it didn't come with were a tach and oil pressure gauge and an '01 Monte SS provided those, just have to get the clusters swapped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippie Posted July 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 Here'sa couple of what the Impala shares the driveway with except the Stude gets the garage...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 What year is your Studebaker? That is a very cool car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuminaPower92 Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 That truck is effing sick!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippie Posted July 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 What year is your Studebaker? That is a very cool car. 1955 Commander C-Body Coupe with the Regal trim package. It has a 289 4 bbl. out of a 1956 SkyHawk, 3 on the tree with OD and a 3.73 Dana 44 posi. The 289 has been in there since sometime before 1970 as near as I have been able to find and appears to have never been apart but it's in great shape. It's amazing how easy parts are to get and 95% of them are reasonably priced. If you ever want an "old" car to tinker with I highly recommend a Stude. They were designed with the home mechanic in mind too, very easy to work on, when the design came out in '53 they were years ahead of everybody else and then they just stopped and the world passed them by. That truck is effing sick!!!!!!! Thanks, it doesn't look quite so good in real life any more though, too many Midwest Winters......... 4/6 static drop, 2" drop springs and 2" spindles in front and flipped axle and C-notch in back. Rides like a Caddy but you need a 40 acre field to turn it around and I can only use one side of my driveway to pull in and out of without dragging the frame and back bumper. The 305 TBI has a busted ring or skirt on number 1 otherwise it would be seeing a lot more road time but with a modified 700R4 anbd 3.73 posi it's still a lot of fun and there's a low mile '87 LG-4 roller cam 305 out of a GTA waiting on the engine stand that will be getting a Vortec roller cam before it goes in the truck. May not sound like much cam but it's a big step up from the "Peanut" roller they put in the LG-4 which is the roller version of the TBI cam and it won't require a tune to make the truck functional. Should extend it's redline from 3500 to about 4500 RPM. With 3.73's it runs out of room really quick on the top end, not a good thing for Interstate cruising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1994RedVert Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 Welcome back! I am a fairly new guy on here, but love the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.