Dan Duffy grew up with a ’61 Impala, and the spark for this build came from his late friend Tommy’s idea to wedge-cut one. When Dan brought the concept—and the must-have 509ci W-motor—to Will Posey at Big Oak Garage, Will realized a traditional wedge cut wouldn’t clear the stock hood. His solution was far bolder: a reverse wedge cut, pivoting at the A-pillar and adding 2.5 inches of height to the rear of the body. In addition, they removed 4.5" off the top of the glass and made a new roof that fits better into the body lines.
1961 Chevrolet Impala Custom Bubble Top
Dirty Martini
Body Modifications
All fabrication by Big Oak Garage
Design by Tavis Highlander
Reverse wedge cut body
Front and rear windshields shortened 4.5 inches
Quarter-panels raised 2.5 inches
Greening Auto custom trim
Reshaped rear wheel openings
Extended hood, pocketed cowl
Axalta Dirty Martini Green metallic paint
Chrome by Advanced Plating
Interior
Interior coverings by The Recovery Room
Off-white leather with tan suede
One-off custom-machined trim by Atomic Machine and Fiber Forged
Custom Dakota Digital HDX gauge system
Customized American Autowire system
Vintage Air climate control system
Flaming River steering column with a one off steering wheel
Clayton Machine Works pedals and shifter
Trunk:
Hidden Martini shaker
Cigar humidor
Head unit for the Kicker stereo system
Engine and Drivetrain
Engine:
Lamar Walden Automotive 509ci Gen I "W-Series" big-block Chevy
Aluminum block and cylinder heads
Forged rotating assembly
Offenhauser intake manifold
Autotrend EFI 6x2 throttle-bodies
Custom stainless long-tube headers
Alumicraft one off custom valve covers
630 horsepower
Drivetrain:
Bowler T56 six-speed manual transmission
Quick Time bellhousing
McLeod RST twin-disc clutch
Roadster Shop 9-inch rearend
Limited-slip differential
Chassis
Roadster Shop Fast Track chassis
10-gauge steel boxed framerails
Tubular upper and lower front A-arms
Parallel four-link and panhard bar, rear
RS SV by Fox coilovers
Splined sway bars
Optimized roll center and camber curves
Schott one-off wheels - 20x8.5 front, 20x12 rear
Pirelli P Zero tires - 255/35-20 front, 325/35-20 rear
Baer 14-inch disc brakes with six-piston calipers, front and rear
Awards
Grand National Roadster Show 2022 - Contender for Al Slonaker Memorial Award
Grand National Roadster Show 2022 - Sam Foose Design Award
Grand National Roadster Show 2022 - Sid Chavers Stitch of Excellence Award
Grand National Roadster Show 2022 - Von Hot Rod Award of Excellence
World of Wheels 2022 - Vaughn Early Memorial Award for Excellence in Design and Fabrication
World of Wheels 2022 - Fabulous Five Award
Darryl Starbird’s National Rod & Custom Show 2022 - Go For The Gold Champion
Goodguys Pleasanton 2022 - Meguiar’s Top 12 Award
Goodguys Nashville 2022 - Alloway’s Hot Rod Builders Choice Top 10
Goodguys 2022 - Fuel Curve Custom of the Year
Triple Crown of Rodding 2022 - Modern Rodding Street Cruiser of the Year
SEMA 2022 - Goodguys Trendsetter of the Year Award
SEMA 2022 - Chevrolet Performance GM Iron Builder of the Year
NOPI Nationals 2025 - Best of Show
Videos
Grand National Roadster Show 2022 - Center Lane video (Feb 2022)
Grand National Roadster Show 2022 - Us Radiator video (Feb 2022)
GoodGuys 38th Annual All American Get Together, Pleasanton, CA (Mar 2022) - video by NotStockPhoto
Big Oak Garage in Hokes Bluff, AL - ScottieDTV video (Mar 2022)
Late night photo shoot, Fort Worth, TX - NotStockPhoto (Mar 2022)
SEMA The Road to Battle of the Builders Top 40 (Nov 2022)
SEMA - Hogs N Rods video (Nov 2022)
SEMA - Max Bukas video (Nov 2022)
Goodguys 2022 Custom of the Year - Jeff Thisted video (Nov 2022)
Goodguys Custom of the Year 2022 - BigDawg2768 video (Nov 2022)
KruzinUSA video (Jul 2023)
Photo shoot video by NotStockPhoto (Sep 2022)
Loading on the trailer - Greyskal3_visions video (Aug 2024)
Lamar Walden Automotive garage - Greyskal3_visions video (Aug 2024)
On display at Summit Racing lobby - Greyskal3_visions video (Jan 2025)
Savoy Automobile Museum video (May 2025)
Savoy Automobile Museum video (May 2025)
Articles
Goodguys 2022 Custom of the Year - Fuel Curve article (Mar 2022)
Goodguys Gazette (Jul 2022)
Wheel Hub Magazine article (Issue #18, Summer 2022)
Big Oak Garage magazine ad
Goodguys 2022 Chevrolet Performance GM Iron Builder of the Year! - Fuel Curve article (Oct 2022)
Auto Evolution article (Oct 2022)
Dakota Digital article (2022)
Modern Rodding article (Feb 2023)
Photo Galleries
Wheel Hub Magazine photo shoot
Build pictures
Car Shows