NASCAR Star Fell in Love with a Movie Car, and Restored It
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Ray Evernham is well known as the NASCAR crew chief for Jeff Gordon from 1992 to 1999—years in which Gordon took three season championships. Those victories aside, the car that won Evernham’s heart is the 1958 Chevrolet Impala from American Graffiti, the 1973 George Lucas coming-of-age movie that enshrined cruising into US cultural history. Evernham was 15 years old when the movie came out.
These 1959 Cadillac lenses were a common custom touch used on the Impala.
So when the adult Evernham had the chance in 2015 to buy the exact same Impala that was in the film, it was an easy decision. “It was my absolute favorite car from the movie,” he told eBay Motors. The 1958 Impala - opens in new window or tab. is the only year that used three rear tail lights in back with tail fins that pointed up. Those unique one-year-only features provide all the makings of an enduring classic.
When the American Graffiti Impala arrived in the shop of Ray Evernham Enterprises—a 49,000-square- foot facility in Mooresville, NC—he had a big choice to make: restore the car to its “fresh from the factory” form or keep it car exactly as it was during the film’s production.
Evernham established his shop in 2008. It also serves as a museum and office. He and his four full-time employees work on all kinds of racers, muscle cars, and hot rods—but his love of the iconic Impala gave him pause.
Researching the Ultimate Movie Car
Ray Evernham behind the wheel of his restored 1958 Impala from American Graffiti.
Evernham decided to restore the car to its exact condition from the movie (not as it was sold in the showroom). That decision meant leaving the camera mounts, the dent in the left rear-quarter panel, and the imperfections in the pin striping. “It was like falling in love with a movie star and getting to know her in her prime,” he said.
Belts, hoses, and spark plugs obviously needed to be replaced but all the other original parts were maintained to identically match the movie car. A detailed image of that vehicle was etched in Evernham’s mind—after seeing the movie about 50 times over the years. Then, after buying the Impala, he watched it 10 more times, making meticulous notes every time the car appeared in a scene.
On top of that, Evernham frequently referred to Jeff’s All Graffiti All The Time - opens in new window or tab., a fanatical website devoted to the movie and its cars. No detail was too precise for Evernham. For example, he used a set of fake paper license plates just like producers did during the movie. Evernham even had fuzzy dice crocheted by hand to match the set hanging from the rear-view mirror.
The Impala's "tuck and roll" upholstery was made famous in American Graffiti.
As any fan of the movie remembers, one of the most memorable lines in the movie is when the Debbie Dunham character, played by Candy Clark, leans into the car and tells Terry “The Toad” Fields, “That's bitchin’ tuck and roll. You know, I really love the feel of tuck and roll upholstery.” He replies, “Yeah? Well, get in and I'll let you feel it.”
So of course, Evernham kept the original interior and re-dyed it to perfection. “Tuck and roll” is a custom pleated style of upholstery - opens in new window or tab., in which the top piece of vinyl or leather is sewn to a backing fabric in channels (or rolls) and then filled with padding. It’s soft to the touch and stylish.
The restored '58 Impala received a lot of attention at this year's SEMA, where it debuted.
What advice does Evernham have for fellow classic car owners doing a detailed restoration? “When tearing the car apart, save and tag everything, and take plenty of pictures so you know how to put things back together again later,” he told us. He also encourages owners to exhaustively research the history of the car, and based on what you learn, to devise a clear and authentic vision of the automobile. “Be true to that direction,” he said.
Evernham proudly displayed the restored American Graffiti Impala at this year’s SEMA—cruising the streets of Las Vegas. In fact, he arranged for actress Candy Clark to be reunited with the car, filming the two together for an upcoming episode of his AmeriCarna TV series - opens in new window or tab., which shows on Velocity.
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.