IF DANNY HAMILTON’S IMMACULATE ’61 IMPALA LOOKS STOCK, THAT’S BECAUSE IT ESSENTIALLY IS. IN MAY OF 1996 A CUSTOMER CAME TO DANNY’S HAMILTON AUTO BODY SHOP IN DIEPPE, NB AND TOLD HIM ABOUT A ’61 CHEVY THAT HAD BEEN IN STORAGE IN SUSSEX, NB FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS.
     “He already had a lot of cars and projects on the go and I think his words were ‘If I bring that home my wife will divorce me,’” says Hamilton, who was immediately interested in the car. “My dad (Art Hamilton) bought a 1961 Impala (4-door HT) brand new at Lounsbury’s Chevrolet and I was there with him when he bought it.” Hamilton was 12 years old and from that moment on he was an admirer of the ’61 Chevy’s crisp, clean lines.  This car had been in storage for a decade and had just under 70,000 miles on it. The body was in amazingly good condition. The only problem was the car was so nice a dozen other people were in the running to buy it. Needless to say, Hamilton won out and soon had it at his Hamilton Auto Body facilities.
     As he and his sons began to dismantle the car, they were surprised at how solid the car really was. “It had two paint jobs on it, but had all its original panels,” says Hamilton. “We only had to patch a few spots.” During this process, the original colour, Sea Mist Green, was discovered when the front fenders were taken off. Hamilton wanted to change it, but was vetoed by wife Annette and his sons. When the original 283 was sent out for a rebuild to Gauvin’s Engines in Moncton, Hamilton received a phone call saying the engine was like new. “At that pointed we decided to keep everything numbers matching.” The 283 (190hp) was put back together and made to look as equally new on the outside.  The car still has a 2-barrel carburetor and its original 2-speed Powerglide tranny and stock rear end.
     On a recent 900 mile trip, Hamilton spent just $130 on gas. The interior was refurbished to resemble the original thanks to a kit from Cars. Though Hamilton loved the car, the old brakes and suspension needed an upgrade, which was accomplished thanks to an Air Ride Technologies Cool Ride suspension. The brakes were upgraded, too, thanks to an M.P. Power Brakes/4-wheel disc setup. Since the suspension was upgraded, the stock wheels and tires wouldn’t do, so Hamilton went with 20-inch American Racing Torque Thrusts out back wrapped in 245/35Z B.F. Goodrich G-Force KDWs with 18-inch Torque Thrust units up front and 215/40ZR18 G-Force tires.
     The car required 1,400 hours over six years to complete, but the reception it got when it debuted was worth the wait. It was twice singled out as a top 10 car at the Atlantic Nationals, which regularly attracts more than 1,400 cars. At the 2008 Atlantic Nationals, Chip Foose gave the Impala a special award as the stand out car of the show.  In the end, it’s about driving and that is Hamilton’s favourite thing to do. “I really enjoy driving the the car and cruising all day at 75 mph.”