Korek Designs Customizes the Same 1958 Chevy Impala the Owner Bought in 1974
While shopping for his first car with his father back in 1974, Ted Stoneburner was hoping to find a ’55 Chevy, but instead stumbled upon a 1958 Chevy Impala. His father convinced him he would like the newer car better and though the Impala was far from perfect, its 283 ran and the Powerglide shifted – what can you expect for $125!
Ted worked on the Impala and drove it through his early adulthood until selling the car in 1998…only to buy it back in 2015! This time, however, he had big plans for his high school car, which started with a call to Ryan Korek of Korek Designs.
The two guys were on the same page of creating a smooth, modern driver while retaining the classic lines and look of the one-year-only Impala design. A rendering was created by Eric Brockmeyer that everyone agreed as the goal, then the Korek team got busy.
The plan allowed for only a few subtle modifications, but the crew had their hands full in simply massaging, tightening gaps and the overall assembly of so much steel and chrome. One subtle but substantial body mod that ’58 fans will recognize is the addition of pronounced wheel lips over each Schott wheel. The key lock cylinders, hood spears, and four chrome bars from the front and rear fenders were all removed, and a third brake light built into the rear roof vent trim. Finally, a custom blended BASF pearl white was applied and accented with satin silver on top.
Cracking the hood open reveals a surprise – a genuine 409 perched between the massaged fender wells and firewall. The engine features Bob Walla aluminum heads, a dual quad intake topped with Edelbrock AVS-2 carbs, and an Isky valvetrain, all backed by a Tremec TKO 600 five-speed transmission. (Just a touch more power than the ’74 version of this 1958 Chevy Impala.)
The car’s original Chevy X-frame was pushed aside in favor of an Art Morrison chassis equipped with rack-and-pinion steering, Baer brakes, and Strange coil-overs providing a secure base to handle the 409’s power and produce a smooth ride.
John Miller at Hide Originals reworked the factory seats and door panels in red Relicate leather materials. All the chrome across the dash was restored, Vintage Air and Dakota Digital gauges were installed, along with updated Clayton Machine Works pedals and an Ididit column – just a few updates over Ted’s 1970s version of the car.
Owning your high school ride for 33 years is rare in today’s world, even if there was a 17-year break in that time. And thanks to Korek Designs, Ted now cruises a 1958 Chevy Impala he could only have dreamed about when he and his dad forked over $125 for the car 50 years ago.
Photos by Damon Lee
