My first “car of note” from this past weekend’s Goodguys 19th PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, may be familiar to those of you that follow the custom car scene. It’s a 1961 Chevy Impala custom built by Greening Auto Company, and it’s known as “Double Bubble.”
This award winning radical custom combines two of my favorite Chevy body styles—the early sixties “bubble top” coupe, and the ’50s Nomad sport wagon. The concept is so great that I’m a bit upset that I didn’t think of it. If you think the idea is nuts, then the execution will blow your mind.
No detail was spared with this build. They included a ribbed roof in the style of the ’55–’57 Nomad, but made it flow perfectly with the 1961 sheetmetal. The upside-down Vette taillights fit so well, you’d think it was Bill Mitchell’s idea. The interior is equal parts 21st century and 1961, without looking cliché. The engine is a traditional 409, but with electronic fuel injection. It all just works. The balance between throwback and contemporary is perfect. The throwback aspects are never sentimental or ironic, and the modern touches are never heavy handed. It might be the best designed post-war custom I’ve ever seen…so far.