Custom 96 Impala SS build by Adam at Your Custom Car

by Adam Ferguson
(Concord, NC, USA)

After recent paint job.  Decided to give it somewhat of a vintage paint theme (57 Belair), shaved the handles, lower rocker molding, and rear fender trim.

After recent paint job. Decided to give it somewhat of a vintage paint theme (57 Belair), shaved the handles, lower rocker molding, and rear fender trim.

My dream about building a custom 96 Impala SS started back in 1994 when the Impala SS trilogy (94, 95, 96) hit the GM showroom floors. I was in high school then and was bound and determined to own one of those cars at some point. In 1999, I purchased a 96 Impala SS, and from day one, my modifications began.
Throughout college, I put forth as much time and money as I could to start tricking out my ride. Air bag suspension was my first major modification. I also did several interior and exterior mods, including TVs, speakers, billet accessories, virtually anything I could get my hands on to customize my car. I learned a lot about how to modify cars and trucks through my own experience with my Impala and eventually that turned into owning a business that is all about customizing cars.
Long story short, my Impala is now featured with hundreds of modifications. Some of the most noticed mods to my custom Impala SS include:
the House of Kolors tribal paint with hidden skulls and demons in the Orion Blue tribals along with "marbleizer"
custom shaved tail lights with 4-14 inch led strips installed
custom leather upholstery with suede tribal inserts
smoothed and painted fiberglass interior,
22x 9.5 inch (rear) and 22 x 8.5 inch (front) Starr Bog Lip Wheels,
frame dragging air bag suspension with 8 1/2 inch chrome valves, Dominator Air Bags and all chrome fittings
Rebuilt 96 LT1 Engine with ported & polished aluminum heads, Comp Cams cam shaft, SLP Headers with Jet-Hot Coating, Holley Throttle body, and more Chrome than you can shake a stick at!
My sound system pounds with a pair of 2 12 inch AudioBahn Immortal Series Subwoofers, an Orion HCCA 2100 amplifier, Audiobahn highs.
I would have to say that the hardest part of my build, other than earning the money to afford all of the goodies, would have to be all of the suspension work that I have done to my Impala SS. This was difficult because when I first started the changes, air suspension was first coming onto the market and I had no experience with lowering car suspensions other than heating up or cutting coil springs. We've all been there and done that!
I am proud to say that I am now completely satisfied with my build and have won hundreds of awards at car shows, and even some magazine coverage. I guess all you really need to build a custom car of your dreams is a little time and of course, some determination!

Thanks!
Adam

Comments for Custom 96 Impala SS build by Adam at Your Custom Car

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Jan 11, 2018
I need that impala steering wheel
by: Anonymous

Please tell me where I can get that impala steering wheel

Oct 23, 2014
Re: Airbags
by: Adam

Putting airbags in the rear of these cars is very easy to do. Since we offer custom fit airbag brackets and airbag cups for Impalas and Caprices, you can bolt them up and in instal easily. All you would need to install bags on the rear of your Impala or Caprice would be our rear brackets ( https://www.yourcustomcar.com/rear-airbag-cups-impala-caprice.html ), the air bags you want ( https://www.yourcustomcar.com/dominator-2500.html ), air line, fittings, and valves. If you need assistance choosing, just give us a call.

Oct 21, 2014
Airbags
by: nicholaswheeler356@yahoo.comAnonymous

I sent 1 question about me having the same ideal doing the '61 style moldings in my paint.Like I said I want a Old School SoCal Satin Black/Cherry Flake just on roof, maybe some lace, Lines & boxes on roof. How hard to put bags just on my RearEnd like back in the day? Probably sounds like a weird paint scheme/Ideal to most but , that's my ideal of the car I vision for me at this time, ya know? Once again love your styling of yours

Oct 21, 2014
Well done sir
by: Razorback96SSAnonymous

Very impressed with the finished product....I had been wondering(Wanting) to put '61 Style side moldings on mine in a Diff color(Candy Red & Flaked Out)over a satin black body & Candy Red Flaked Roof. But loved how yours turned out , have to start rethinking my ideal now, Maybe I'll just do the Roof with even more Flake. I want a Old School SoCal HotRod Style. Your's is Deff a inspiration to keep putting the hours in to get mine so I'm happy with it....At least for a while......They're never finished, just finished for Now!¡!¡!¡!¡

Feb 24, 2011
badass
by: Anonymous

nice and clean i have a 96 true ss no wanta be caprice its a work in progress very nice choice u did a great job on it u should be proud.......

Apr 18, 2010
Nice SS
by: Aaron

Adam,

Man that is a tight ride fo sho! I live in Kernersville and in the process of restoring a 96 SS that I just bought can you hit me up on email and let me know where to get that roll pan and rear end work done around our neck of the woods? Thanks

Aaron

Apr 17, 2010
nice car
by: Anonymous

love the car want to know where to get those halo headlights you have

Jan 22, 2010
Experience reply
by: Vaderb95

Hey Adam,
Sorry for the late reply, As I am away allot I figure just to drop it off and come back a couple of months later and pick it up so all work will be done by them. There is not much to do besides a very small dent on the rear quarter panel down low.
I will try and post the before and after pictures once I get back from the middle east this month. Thanks for the info and I will keep you posted of my progress, vaderb95yahoo.com

thanks again,
Marc

Jan 14, 2010
HATERS WILL HATE.
by: NATE

You have to be out of your mind not to like this car. This is the standard of all impala SS. Adam you know your car is the best that is why people vote for you at the shows. Your car with the 20's will smoke most cars with out a doubt with the bags. Need I say anymore. Great Job!

Jan 09, 2010
Re: Too Low
by: Adam

All I can say to that comment about my custom 96 Impala is "To each, his own." I find it hard to believe that I have done such "horrible modifications" to this car since virtually EVERY show I took it to in 2009, it received at least 1 "Best Of" Award. But I don't know, I just built it the way I like it. That's what building custom cars is all about! I built it the way I wanted it. Believe me, had I wanted to turn this car into a racer, it would have been outrageous and I'm sure someone would have chimed in and said I should have made it differently...To each his own! (by the way, they are 20"s)

Thank you for the comment anyway!
Adam

Dec 23, 2009
Re: Experience
by: Adam

Hi Marc,
It sounds like you have got your Impala off to an excellent start! I remember when I rebuilt my LT1, and man! was that an awakening! As far as your custom paint job goes, $5000 is a pretty decent number if your car really requires 300 hours of labor in preparation for paint. Do you have a lot of body-work (ie. repairs) that need to be done? The bumper covers could be installed in an afternoon, but if you plan on shaving your tail lights and installing a roll pan like mine, that could really add to the time involved. I would consider installing the bumper covers and doing as much of the body work as you feel comfortable with. This way, you may be able to cut down on the "required" hours by your body-shop...Just my thoughts.

How about posting a "before" picture of your ride and then after you get it painted, post an "after" pic. It would be cool to see the progress!

Thanks for the post!
Adam
YourCustomCar.com

Dec 23, 2009
Experience
by: Vaderb95

Hey Adam,
I am in the process of doing much the same body style to my 95. I have a fully rebuilt LT-1 balanced and just Edelbrock equipped manifold, cam and throttle body, works great. Just starting to get a handle on the stillen bumbers front and rear, and the paint. Roughly I have been told that it is going to cost 300 man hours to prepare and paint the Imp in a final Midnight blue single color flake and dupont paint adds another $3000 so I would be looking at around $15000 for the work, does this sound like too much?? I really don't need a show paint job as it is mt daily driver, but a good job is all I want. Any thoughts and ideas since you have already done it would be appreciated, Thanks alot and great llooking ride!!

Marc ,

vaderb95@yahoo.com

Dec 19, 2009
Thats a sick Impala man!
by: Will B

Whats Up Adam?
Thats a sick Impala man! I'm currently building a Caprice that I want to put on air ride. I hope to get mine looking that nice soon!


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