Chevy High Performance – November 2019

36 CHEVY HIGH PERFORMANCE II NOVEMBER 2019

Long, Lean, Slidin’ Thing

TECH CHECK

Owner: Ben Bland, El Dorado Springs, Missouri

Vehicle: 1963 Impala

Engine

•Type: Small-block

• Displacement: 283 ci


• Compression Ratio: Stock


• Bore: 3.875 inches


• Stroke: 3.000 inches


• Cylinder Heads: Stock


• Rotating Assembly: Stock


• Valvetrain: Stock


• Camshaft: Stock


• Induction: Assault Racing
  Products intake manifold,
  Quick-Fuel 600-cfm carburetor


• Exhaust: Ram’s-horn
  manifolds, 2 1/2-inch system,
  Flowmaster 40 mufflers
  
  
  • Ancillaries: Aluminum three-
    row core
  
  
  • Machine Work: Leroy Ross (El
    Dorado Springs, MO)
    Drivetrain
  
  
  • Transmission: Original
    Powerglide, rebuilt by Dewayne
    Penn
  
  
  • Rear Axle: Original, open
    differential, 3.08:1 gears
    Chassis
  
  
  • Front Suspension: Factory
    spindles, Slam Specialties
    SS-5 air springs, Monroe shock
    absorbers
    
    
    • Rear Suspension: OE links,
      Monroe shock absorbers
    
    
    • Brakes: Disc conversion, front;
      OE drum, rear
      Wheels & Tires
    
    
    • Wheels: Rocket Racing Igniter
      16x7, front and rear
    
    
    • Tires: Firestone Firehawk
      225/50, front and rear
      Interior
    
    
    • Upholstery: Pete Ciadella
      Interiors (Tempe, AZ)
    
    
    • Material: OE-style cloth/vinyl
    
    
    • Seats: Original
    
    
    • Steering: OE
    
    
    • Shifter: OE
      
      
      • Dash: OE
      
      
      • Instrumentation: OE
      
      
      • Audio: Kicker PxIBT head
        unit, Kicker 6.5-inch Px-Series
        speakers
        Exterior
      
      
      • Bodywork: Ben Bland Customs
        (El Dorado Springs, MO)
      
      
      • Paint By: Ben Bland Customs
      
      
      • Paint: Axis Prestige Flat Black/
        Flat Clear (latter provided by
        Vogel Enterprises)
      
      
      • Hood: OE
      
      
      • Grille: OE, flat-painted
      
      
      • Bumpers: OE, painted gun
        metal gray
      
      
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

interior save for the sweet Pete Ciadella
Interiors upholstery and seat covers.
Then there’s the human element:
“Sure, trophies are awesome, but
these cars are built and surrounded

with the memories of the people we

built them with and friends that we

make along the way. Trophies sit on

a shelf and collect dust as we forget

where and when we won them, but we

never forget the friends we have made

through car shows—an amazing group

of people that we never forget.”

Yup, this is respect and civility at

their finest. CHP