Slide 1

A true diamond from the heart of coal country, Danielle displays the Impala as The Coal Miner’s Daughter—a tribute to her father, who has since retired from the industry.

Slide 2

While the Tackett family has been working diligently on the Impala since 1997, preparations have been underway since the Reagan administration! Starting in the early 1980s, Danny began setting aside NOS (new old stock) trim pieces in hopes of performing a “someday” restoration. One such piece—the vehicle’s massive grille—has been hand polished to a better-than-showroom shine. Any trim pieces that couldn’t be replaced have been painstakingly refurbished by his daughter, Danielle.

Slide 3

What a view! Danny has gone to great lengths to ensure that the Impala shines just as brightly under the hood as it does from the outside. But it’s what you don’t see on this small block that leaves the biggest impression. “I didn’t want to cover up all the polished pieces on the front of the motor,” recalls Danny. “That’s where I got the idea for the clear acrylic fan shroud.”

 

That clever trick provides a perfect view of the Impala’s chromed radiator fan, custom stainless steel hard lines and accessory brackets, and billet aluminum V-belt system without sacrificing drivability.

Slide 4

She’s all grown up now, but Danielle was just six years old when she began working on the Impala with her father. Under his guidance, she learned how to refinish the car’s nearly impossible-to-find OEM side molding, hammering out the imperfections and polishing it to a high shine. “You’ve got to go slow and take your time with the polishing wheel,” she advises. “Otherwise it’ll get too thin and you’ll ruin the whole piece. You only get one shot!”

Slide 5

The Tackett family is always working to keep the Impala in the winner’s circle. While it’s been running the show circuit since 1997, Danny just recently bolted on a fresh set of 17” Cragar S/S wheels, which better show off the high performance disc brakes hiding just behind the spokes.

Slide 6

Why mess with perfection? Sporting a clean interior from day one, The Tacketts opted to keep it simple, swapping the Impala’s worn upholstery for a set of reproduction seat covers and some fresh red carpet from Classy Chassis Interiors in Bristol, VA.