By: Andrew Tanner
A common theme across the board for many car enthusiasts is knowing the right car when they see it! Such is the case for 20-year-old Anthony Falcone, a junior from New Jersey. At the end of his freshman year here at McPherson college, Falcone found a 1965 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport for sale in Wichita. “I have always wanted to build one of these cars and when I found the right one I bought it,” says Falcone, thinking back to pulling his car from a backyard, “It was in a million pieces.”
Many students remember when the car first appeared in Falcone’s bay at the storage facility near school, if for no other reason than its state of disassembly. Now mostly assembled, Falcone hopes to have his Impala at the college’s upcoming spring car show. As rough as it once was, this Impala is an actual Super Sport model, making it more desirable to most collectors. The engine is a 327 cubic inch Chevrolet small block V8 with an upgraded camshaft and roller rockers. Falcone spent many hours during the last school year rebuilding this engine in preparation for the 2017 show, but was met with disappointment when a few problems arose the night before.
The transmission is a 2-speed Powerglide hooked up to a 12-bolt rear axle. If the drivetrain combination isn’t enough, has bucket seats and a console floor shifter, a side effect of being a Super Sport car. As it sits presently, it is painted white with white interior. For ease of use, it came equipped from the factory with power steering and power brakes. Those who know Falcone can vouch that there is seldom a moment he isn’t enthusiastically talking about his Impala or working long into the night, hoping to get it one step closer to being on the road.
His future plans are to make it into a fun cruising car to take out for joyrides, “something that I can get in and drive to the shore or anywhere I want.” He hopes to eventually replace the 327 with a more powerful 454 big block with an upgraded Monster brand 700R4 transmission. If all goes well, the Impala will move onto the show field under its own power in May.
