This 1961 Chevrolet Impala two-door station wagon conversion, known as “Double Bubble”, was the subject of a multi-year build by Greening Auto Company of Cullman, Alabama, and it was one of the eight finalists for the 2016 Ridler award. The fabricated bodywork is finished in white with bronze accents and features a chopped shooting brake-style roofline, a raked windshield, a custom rear hatch, and lengthened front bodywork. Power is provided by a fuel-injected 473ci V8 that breathes through an eight-stack throttle body setup, and the car rides on an Art Morrison chassis with power rack-and-pinion steering, adjustable RideTech air springs, a triangulated four-link rear suspension, and bespoke Schott 18″ and 20″ wheels. Further equipment includes a Tremec five-speed manual transmission, a Detroit Locker differential, fabricated long-tube headers, and Wilwood disc brakes. The cabin is outfitted with Vintage Air climate control, a custom steering wheel and dashboard, and Cadillac Eldorado seats trimmed in tan leather. Acquired by the selling dealer in 2022, this modified Impala wagon conversion is offered in Missouri with a clean Michigan title.
The build, named “Double Bubble”, was completed by the Greening Auto Company of Cullman, Alabama. The car was featured at the 2016 Detroit Autorama where it achieved a Pirelli Great 8 Award, which is given to the finalists for the Don Ridler Memorial Award. It was subsequently featured in a September 2016 article by Motor Trend, and reportedly received a Goodguys Gold Award the same year.
The front sheetmetal was lengthened and a shooting brake-style roofline was designed and fabricated. The ribbed top was chopped ~3″ and the windshield was raked back and tucked beneath the cowl. Modified fenders and valances were installed along with a custom rear hatch with a ducktail spoiler, and a white finish with bronze full-length spears complete the style. Further details include flush-mount glass, custom light bezels, a power-operated cowl hood, and exhaust outlets that are routed through the rear valance.
The car rides on an Art Morrison chassis with radiused corners and boxed frame rails along with a Mustang II-style front suspension, power rack-and-pinion steering, a CNC-machined triangulated four-link rear setup, adjustable RideTech air springs, tubular control arms, and front and rear sway bars.
Chrome-finished 18″ and 20″ Schott wheels were made exclusively for the car and wear modified Goodyear Eagle tires with custom bronze stripes. Braking is via Wilwood four-wheel discs with six-piston calipers and ventilated 14″ rotors.
The tan leather-trimmed seats were sourced from a 1961 Cadillac Eldorado and are complemented by chromed aluminum trim and color-keyed door and side panels with darker brown leather on their upper sections. The dark brown leather also extends to the custom dashboard, which houses hidden controls for the Vintage Air climate control and the adjustable RideTech systems. Further appointments include a power-adjustable driver’s seat, integrated lighting in the armrests, custom pedals and sill plates, and a shift knob made by Motorhead Jewelry.
A two-tone custom steering wheel is mounted to a Flaming River tilting column and sits ahead of a leather-upholstered dashboard. Centrally-mounted Classic Instruments readouts include a horizontal 120-mph speedometer and four auxiliary displays. The six-digit mechanical odometer shows 366 miles, which is said to represent the mileage added since the completion of the build.
The hood opens on custom hinges to reveal a tucked engine bay that was repainted in body color with a satin-finish clearcoat. The Chevrolet 409ci V8 was modified to displace 473ci by Carma Performance of Nashville, Tennessee, with an Eagle crankshaft and 10.5:1-compression pistons. The engine breathes through an eight-stack throttle body setup and is equipped with electronic fuel injection, Edelbrock cylinder heads, a BeCool aluminum radiator, PerTronix ignition, and custom valve covers with the “Double Bubble” logo.
The Tremec five-speed manual transmission is equipped with a McLeod clutch kit and sends power to the rear wheels via a 9″ rear end with a Detroit Locker differential, 3.50:1 gears, and Strange axles. Spent gases are sent through a custom exhaust system with long-tube headers and a transverse-mounted Flowmaster muffler.
