The year 1959 was the absolute zenith of bodacious fins as a key element of American car design. General Motors, in fact, owned the bragging rights to two of the more outspoken looks among them. Of course, the 1959 Cadillac is a long-standing king of Finsville, and the new-for-’59 Chevrolet Impala also went big on wings. Among Chevrolet enthusiasts, 1959 is a favorite model year stylistically; the Impala is often the chosen model, with the convertible clearly being the most sought after and stylish body style. Put all that together with the new 348 CI W series V-8 that appeared just a year earlier and you’ve got everything needed to be fine in ’59. The mega fins look even carried over to the new Chevrolet El Camino that year, as well as the station wagon models.

This professionally built custom presses all the right buttons noted above, having been the subject of a professional nut-and-bolt restoration that helped to make it the dazzler it is today. There’s no need for a modern day crate engine here, as an updated and upgraded 348 CI Tri-Power with sublime detailing and numerous upgrades is paired with a smooth and easy-to-drive TCI stage II 700R4 automatic overdrive transmission.

The underpinnings, brakes and suspension have all been rethought and upgraded with modern goods, including power steering, QA1 adjustable shocks, Airlift 3P auto-leveling Air Ride suspension with preset ride heights, and tubular upper and lower control arms in front with tubular adjustable upper and lower trailing arms in the rear. Wildwood 4-wheel disc brakes with slotted and drilled rotors are tucked behind one-off, custom-built billet wheels by Mike Curtis billet alloy wheels. The chrome, aluminum and stainless trim have been professionally restored to show car levels of gleam, and the brilliantly red interior mates nicely with the red Stayfast canvas convertible top with glass rear window. No nut, grommet, or bolt was left unturned in this dazzling custom, making the most of its ’59 style and today’s best components and technology.