George Poteet 1960 Impala, goolsby customs 1960 chevy impala, gm iron builder of the year finalist

Driving in Mind – Goolsby Customs Builds a Road-Worhty 1960 Impala for George Poteet

After having dozens of hot rods and customs crafted through the years, George Poteet knows what he likes in both a car and a builder. He only trusts shops that deliver top-quality results. So, when George gave Jonathan Goolsby a call to rebuild a 1960 Impala, Goolsby knew he and his Goolsby Customs team had to bring their A-game.

George Poteet 1960 Impala, goolsby customs 1960 chevy impala, gm iron builder of the year finalist

Poteet is big on road tripping, so the goal for this 1960 Impala was not to be a radical and finicky custom, but rather a clean, updated cruiser that’s comfortable and easy to drive. Goolsby knew just what to do to achieve those goals.

George Poteet 1960 Impala, goolsby customs 1960 chevy impala, gm iron builder of the year finalist

The starting point was a solid survivor, which saved the effort of looking for a lot of trim or replacing rusty metal. That meant the Goolsby team could dive into the fun stuff, like getting a Roadster Shop Ride Line chassis ready to slide under the big Chevy. This chassis is designed for touring, but with independent front and rear suspensions and Fox coil-over shocks, it delivers modern handling, too. Replacing the factory X-frame required minor trimming to the floor – an easy task for the Goolsby team.

George Poteet 1960 Impala, goolsby customs 1960 chevy impala, gm iron builder of the year finalist


The chassis was eventually fitted with an LS Classic LS3 engine dressed up like a vintage 409 – right down to the dual-throttle-body EFI intake. It was backed with an equally modern Bowler Tru-Street 4L70E automatic overdrive transmission to make long-distance cruising a breeze.

George Poteet 1960 Impala, goolsby customs 1960 chevy impala, gm iron builder of the year finalist

The body was clean enough that the Goolsby team only needed to media blast the underside before applying fresh undercoating. On the exterior they simply got busy with bodywork, massaging out a few dents and making minor repairs before prepping for paint. In an effort to keep a consistent ’60s GM theme on the car, they selected a Cadillac color called London Gray, using BASF Glasurit materials to mix it up and complementing it with a black top.

George Poteet 1960 Impala, goolsby customs 1960 chevy impala, gm iron builder of the year finalist
George Poteet 1960 Impala, goolsby customs 1960 chevy impala, gm iron builder of the year finalist

Another cool complement came with the one-off 17×8-inch wheels designed by Eric Black and built by Billet Specialties. The distinctive wheels have a classic look and are topped with custom billet center caps modeled after early-’60s Corvette hubcaps.

George Poteet 1960 Impala, goolsby customs 1960 chevy impala, gm iron builder of the year finalist

George Poteet 1960 Impala, goolsby customs 1960 chevy impala, gm iron builder of the year finalist

The ’60s Chevy theme carries over inside, where M&M Hot Rod Interiors stitched red Moore & Giles leather based on a ’59 Impala design but inset with ’63 Impala fabric; the door panels follow a ’60 Impala design. The Ididit tilt column was topped with an Impala wheel, Dakota Digital gauges went in the dash, and Vintage Air and Boom Mat keep things cool and quiet.

George Poteet 1960 Impala, goolsby customs 1960 chevy impala, gm iron builder of the year finalist

Completed earlier this year, the Impala should be the perfect summer road-trip ride. It’s big, comfortable, has plenty of power with classic style. It’s exactly what George ordered – and precisely the type of ride Goolsby Customs is well versed at building.

George Poteet 1960 Impala, goolsby customs 1960 chevy impala, gm iron builder of the year finalist

Photos by Damon Lee

Editor, Goodguys Gazette

Damon Lee began snapping photos at car shows when he was 10, tagging along with his father to events throughout the Midwest. He has combined his passion for cars and knack for writing and imagery into a 20-year career in the automotive aftermarket, writing for titles like Super Chevy and Rod & Custom and, more recently, working for respected industry leaders Speedway Motors and Goodguys Rod & Custom Association.