Customs Impala gets new shoes!

My 70th birthday present to myself was a set of Torque Thrusts and new tires for the Impala. I have wanted a set of these wheels, on the right car, since I was a kid in high school, when one night two drunk guys in a '66 El Camino with a set of 'em rolled the car right in front of my folks house.
I'm not saying THEY were role models, but the car looked bitch'n, even upside down in the ditch.
We picked the car up from the shop that changed the pig in the rear end, losing the 4.11's for a much more street friendly 3.36's, when we got home the wheels and tires were stacked up in front of the garage. I got my BlackHawk bumper lift out and swapped wheels.
The difference in appearance is remarkable, bringing to mind my friend Jake's philosophy, "There are two things that make a car: Wheels and stance."
How true.
I've got the Newport wiper motor, and all the bits to replace the turn signal switch and all the gear, but my hip (total hip 4 weeks ago) won't let me fold myself under the dash or lean over the hood to change that stuff. It can wait until I'm all recouped. Edit: The 454 is MUCH happier with the "new" gear ratio too. Putting it "D" and mashing down on the loud pedal it feels faster than it did with the 4.11 gear. Probably because now it shifts when it should, not ending up in 3rd when it's rolling about 15 mph. Using the stupid B&M floor shift would be quicker, but I don't shift it manually. I put in "D" and go.

 

perfect

 

Wow, does that ever look nice.

 

Really nice. Classic, pretty, right on the money.

 

those new boots sure make it look nice!

 

I’d drive it

 

You can’t beat that look.

 

Straight spoke TT's are where it's at!
Super look, I know you're happy.

 

Killer

 

Thanks all. I debated charcoal color spokes, but these really look perfect. I'd have killed for this car when I was driving my parents '65 Olds 88 4 door sedan to school...;-)

 

Looks really nice. Good job.

 

OH, BABY!
Beautiful!

 

Very nice!

 

Boy oh boy... that looks good.
I have to admit, I've got a thing for the right color brown. And that's the right color brown. And the wheels set it off so nicely.

 

They look so right on that car.

 

5 spokes make just about any car look better. I even put a set on my S-10 pickup

 

Thanks. If it were a lowrider stance, or mild custom, polished 5 spokes would have gotten the nod, but these look right for this street brawler look. The 454 has a big, lumpy cam, so it sounds proper too. Polished wheels would have required the FlowMasters and exhaust exiting just ahead of the rear wheels be replaced with quiet mufflers and tailpipes. These fit.

 

Your car now has “the look” nice job.

 

Yup. WAY nicer. The speedo is still off, but it's only 10 mph slow now, vs. 25 mph before. The shift points are better, it doesn't make the dashboard pieces all vibrate against one another, and the gas gauge now doesn't drop while I'm looking at it.

 

Looks great. I just bought the same American TTO wheels for my 37 Ford Ute. Same as cast finish. Straight spoke looks so much better than curved.

 

Looks great, just gotta drop the front end a bit now.

 

Very nice, Brian. Did you decide to drive it to Florida?

 

No. Sigh... My pal up here is hauling two cars back down to Sarasota for Salt Works Fab, there's room in his trailer for three small cars, so my roadster will be #3. Add to that that I don't see being able to get the needed updates, new wiper motor and turn signal switch and linkages, before we go. Recent hip replacement has me somewhat limited activity. We'll leave it there come next spring. Honestly, I didn't run two tanks of gas through the roadster all summer, it has mostly just sat in the garage (and leaked transmission fluid ) We're going to fly down, it's so cheap that the cost of fuel, motels and road food will almost pay for climate controlled storage for 6 months. Seems like a no brainer.

 

I like the stance as is, the PO had cut coils on it at one time, but replaced them with HD springs all around. That nose high stance speaks to my mis-spent youth.

 

Looks great!

 

The TT's look great Brian! Good choice.

 

Those wheels are always the right choice!

 

Thanks BB. The wheel and tires came as a package. Shipping was free, mounted and balanced, lug nuts, everything. I thought they were a pretty good deal, and nothing could have been easier. Well, if I wasn't half crippled up it'd have been easier, I was whipped when I got them on.