When a 1964 Chevrolet Impala pops into your head, we doubt the first thing that comes to mind is a drift car. In fact, we assume at least three other types of modifications come to mind such as a resto-mod, lowrider or drag car. Still, someone was inspired enough to transform a 1964 Chevrolet Impala into a rat rod drift car and ice racer.
Swapping out the original 409 Turbo-Fire V8 with a 396 Big Block V8 with a Vortech V-4 XX supercharger, owner Joakim Ringeli created a drifting monster. Unfortunately, horsepower numbers are unclear but we can assume output is way above the standard 400 horsepower found in the 409 Turbo-Fire V8. As you can see in the videos below, the Impala has been stripped on the inside and even the dash has been replaced and a roll cage has been added. This weight reduction keeps the car light and nimble for when Ringeli whips it around either track. Although you may have to bang a few dents out and do some rust work, 889,600 Impalas were made in 1964, so you can make your very own drift car if you feel so inclined.
The beautiful thing about leaving the body work along is Ringeli doesn’t have to worry about scratches, imperfections or any other trivial issue you would worry over with a show car. All Ringeli has to do is smash through the Muncie M21 four-speed manual transmission and have a ball.
