Issue 24
1961 Chevy Impala
Owner Robert Lopez
Model Salena
Photos Tyrone Diaz
Text Giselle
Cali’s Golden Treasure
It’s early Saturday morning; the sun is barely rising. You are dressed in jeans that need a good washing and a t-shirt that you should have thrown out years ago. Why you ask? It’s time for an auction and you want to be comfortable. You go not expecting to find anything spectacular but hoping to at least see something worth the effort made to get there. Mr. Lopez of Hayward, California was lucky enough to make such a great find at an auction. It was here that he picked up his 1961 Chevy Impala. Appropriately enough, he named the car Cali’s Golden Treasure.
Acquired two years ago in Bakersfield, Cali’s golden Treasure has gone through a transformation to create it into the beauty it is today. Black and tan in color, Mr. Lopez rebuilt the 350 motor engine and the tranny. He reinforced and fully wrapped the frame and added a four pump hydraulic system with twelve batteries, which he purchased at Showtime Hydraulics. He customized the upholstery through Niko’s in Oakland, CA. He had everything plated from the bumper to the grill, from the undercarriage down to the handles of the car. Nothing was left untouched. He put on new wheels purchased at Dayton’s Wire Wheels.
It’s hard to imagine that Mr. Lopez only needed two months to turn his Impala into a stunning sight. Purchased for $18,000, he has already put in $14,000 into his creation but it is all worth it. Although he has never displayed his car in a show, Mr. Lopez makes sure the car gets a workout by driving it at least three times a month.
Mr. Lopez would like to thank Impala World crew and staff- Mark Lopez, Javier Sanchez, Ron Demello, Manuel Cruz and himself. He would also like to thank the editors of SLM for showing his car. His creation, is also a reminder to all our SLM readers that you never know what you will find unless you take the time to look, your Cali’s Golden Treasure could be waiting for you at the next car auction.