Jake Bailey’s Duramax-Swapped Impala

Jake Bailey reached a crossroad one day. He had a 1967 Chevy Impala, a cool car with endless possibilities, but he wanted to do something dramatically different with it. Normally, you’d see builders turn a ’67 Impala into a rip-roaring muscle car, a clean lowrider, or even just a simple restomod. Jake weighed all those options out but ultimately decided to go another route instead.

While the exterior of Jake’s Impala looks like an unassuming project car, it’s what’s lurking under the hood that really makes this Chevy different than the rest. “I wanted to build the ultimate road trip vehicle,” Jake says. “A 1960s American land yacht with a modern diesel engine just sounded like a fun combo to run with.”

With a solid plan of action, Jake was ready to start the process of diesel swapping his classic ’67 Chevy. Robert Rowley was recruited to assist with the swap, and what he was given to work with was a bit of a rogue diesel mill. “The engine I went with is a Frankenstein combination of LBZ parts,” Jake says. “The rods are modified LBZ pieces, the pistons are a set of Mahle .020 pistons that we de-lipped and balanced, and the heads and injection are stock LB7 parts. Of course, we did have to fabricate custom engine mounts, as well as a crossmember for the 4L80E transmission. Nothing off the shelf exists for this type of engine swap in a car like this.”

Now that the Impala was diesel-powered, Jake moved onto addressing its suspension setup. The factory ’67 frame was still in good enough shape to continue using, although Jake stiffened it with an X-brace for good measure. He then installed CPP front and rear lowering springs, along with 2-inch drop spindles to bring down the car’s center of gravity. Tubular front control arms, as well as upgraded rear arms, were brought in to lower the car even more while improving the Chevy’s ride quality. 20-inch Ridler wheels, Atturo AZ850 rubber, and an electric Bosch iBooster brake booster give the car classic styling with modern sensibility, which really is the entire theme of this project.

While there is still a lot of work left for Jake to do, his Impala has come a long way in a short amount of time. “Next on the list is bodywork and paint,” he adds. “Overall, I am pleased with my execution so far. I designed all the custom parts in AutoCAD, and if I had to build it a second time, the process would go a lot faster. I have also learned a lot—like managing diesel heat. It’s no joke. I had to research BTU shed and cooler efficiency to make sure this swap stayed cool. For others looking to build something similar, I would recommend reaching out to the diesel swap community. The information they have will save you a lot of time and stress.”

As far as Jake knows, his car is the only Duramax-swapped ’67 Impala on the road, which is something to be proud of. It has been a hit at UCC, Hot Rod Power Tour, FP2.0, and Summit Racing cruise nights, but Jake is looking to expand the car’s reach. Keep your eyes peeled for this diesel-swigging Chevy at a show nearest you. Who knows? Maybe Jake’s car will inspire you to build something just as wild!

1967 Chevy Impala

Owner: Jake Bailey Buckhead, GA

Engine & Drivetrain

• 2003 Chevy diesel 6.7L swap
• Custom oil pan, engine mounts, accessory drive, and plumbing
• Engine work by Robert Rowley
• Stock LBZ connecting rods
• BTW Racing pistons, intake manifold, and 3.5-inch exhaust system
• Mahle rings
• 16-to-1 compression ratio
• Keyed crank and cam
• Welded water and oil pump gears
• Block is bored .020 over
• 1996 Chevy 4L80E transmission
• Custom trans crossmember and tunnel
• TransGo shift kit
• Motion Raceworks Operator Series shifter
• Derale transmission cooler
• 1350 U-joints at both ends with custom 3.5-inch-thick wall driveshaft

Chassis & Suspension

• Factory 1967 frame
• X brace to stiffen frame
• CPP big-block springs (front) and CPP lowering springs (rear)
• 2-inch drop spindles
• Tubular front control arms, adjustable rear upper arms, boxed rear lower arms
• Gabriel shocks
• Sump stock fuel tank

Wheels, Tires & Brakes

• 20×8.5 and 20×10 Ridler 695 wheels
• Atturo AZ850 tires
• Stock brakes
• Electric Bosch iBooster brake booster

Exterior & Paint

• Summit Racing Hot Rod White paint

Interior

• Summit Racing steering wheel
• Saddle blanket upholstery