Having 2,000 hp (2,028 ps) might be a little impractical on a classic restomod. However, having the same power on a perfectly dialed unit can be the difference between a widow maker – and a complete package trophy hot rod.
Shawn of AutotopiaLA recently had the privilege of checking out a rare 2,000 hp (2,028 ps) 1961 Bubble Top Impala, a.k.a ‘Under Pressure.’ It’s not only rare due to its attractive styling and power but because it belonged to a very important person around hot rod circles – Gil Losi.
Gil Losi (now deceased) might be popular among R/C car enthusiasts because he started Team Losi, but before that, he was running a skateboard company with his brother and nephew. Team Losi was Gil’s brainchild and had a dominant presence in the 80s and 90s (R/C car boom). Even though Gil sold Team Losi to Horizon Hobby, he wasn’t done tinkering with cars.
Shawn’s feature car, presented by Brandon Gorbulev of Overdriven Performance, is one of his real-life developments, and it’s nothing short of show-stopping. Automobiles have come a long way. They are much more advanced, reliable, and functional than their older counterparts. Not to throw shade at modern designers, but cars these days aren’t as stylish out of the factory as they once were – which explains why we have a thriving aftermarket industry.
The Impala was dubbed a prestigious car within the reach of the average American
The 50s and 60s were an Era of beautifully designed cars – automobiles came with a little more chrome, sexy lines, and sweeping rooflines, something modern designers have begun borrowing.
The Chevrolet Impala is one of those classic cars. It was so popular among car buyers that it was the first car in American history to sell more than 1 million units in a single year. It’s not by chance the Impala became that popular. If anything, the automaker’s Chief Engineer during that era, Ed Cole, described it as “a prestigious car within the reach of the average American.”
The third-generation Impala debuted in 1961. As you’d expect, this generation of the Impala came with several updates both in styling and under the hood. One of the most iconic was the bubble top design typical on the two-door models.
Like most restomods, Gil’s 1961 Bubble Top Impala has an interesting past. It was a work-in-progress and initially belonged to another client at Steve Cook Creations in Oklahoma City, where he was getting work done on his 1954 Mercury. Parked next to his car, Gil couldn’t help but admire the vision he had for it and immediately took over designing it into what it is – a Detroit Great 8 finalist car.
Losi’s 1961 Impala was developed to win Detroit Autorama Ridler’s Award
According to Brandon, Gil’s intent with the 61 Impala was to win the Ridler award. He went deep on this project, making it one of the most iconic restomods in the hot rod community.
So, what makes this car special other than the fact that it’s a Bubble Top Impala? Considering its appealing design out of the box, it’s easy to think the Impala was a straightforward build to actualize. However, Gil went all in on the restomod project. It’s a ridiculously customized car with one-off parts identical to none.
Under the hood, Gil’s Bubble Top Chevy Impala packs a twin-turbo Mike Moran 540ci big block engine making a whopping 2,000 hp (2,028 ps) but detuned to 1,800 hp (1,825 ps). It’s running a custom GM 4L80-E transmission to harness all that power. Part of the engine mods includes a Ron Davis aluminum radiator and intercooler, and twin 80 mm turbos.
“That was a hundred percent the whole point. The biggest, baddest, coolest looking thing you could possibly put into something to get it done. That is what it was for,” Brandon said about the choice to get the 540ci engine on the Impala.
Full custom one-off Art Morison chassis
This ’61 Chevy Bubble Top Impala has a full custom one-off Art Morrison chassis for the suspension. It’s got a four-link Ford 9-inch rear-end and rides on Ridetech Shockwave Air suspension. Down below, they installed custom one-off three-piece Billet Specialties wheels imagined by Gil Losi, and for stopping power, went with Bear brakes.
Looking at the exterior, you’ll notice that every bit of this car has been cut, tucked, and flashed. Brandon says all the trim work on this ’61 Impala was handmade by Little Louie out of solid brass stock.
Some of the stand-out interior features include imported Ferrari red leather, Dakota digital gauges, carbon trims, a Cadillac CTS-V center console, and a custom steering wheel designed by Gil Losi.
All Gil Losi cars in his collection are up for sale. If you are interested in this sleek baby, you’ll need at least $550,000, which is a fair deal considering the engine alone costs about $175,000.
“This is the perfect example to me because some air ride cars suck. This just feels wonderful going down the road. It’s not bouncy. It’s crazy too, as loud as this car is out back, inside the cockpit, it’s not bad,” Shawn said about the ’61 Bubble Top Impala riding down the road.
Curious about how hard it rips? We recommend catching that action in the video below.