NBA star Kobe Bryant’s former 1963 Chevrolet Impala Convertible will cross the auction block at Barrett Jackson’s 2014 car auction in Scottsdale, Arizona this week.
The custom two-door sedan, built by famed Los Angeles-based automotive shop West Coast Customs (made famous by the show Pimp My Ride), was commissioned by Bryant’s wife and given to him as a Christmas gift in 2006. The Impala was sand blasted down to bare metal and repainted with a special purple/royal blue multi-coat paint finish, while the original 327 small block was disassembled and rebuilt with Edelbrock headers and other billet accessories.
The Impala also received some additional touches to help bring it into the 21st century. A power-disc brake setup was installed along with a power tilt function steering wheel and a full hydraulic suspension setup with Pro Hopper pumps. Inside, the seats were reupholstered with white leather studded with Swarovski crystals, complimented by royal blue piping and floor mats.
The low-rider previously appeared for sale on eBay back in September, where bidding reached $125,000. The seller, Exclusive Motorcars, predictably wanted more money for the car as it was never delivered. The car will be auctioned off at Barrett Jackson’s Scottsdale auction with no reserve on Friday, Jan. 17.
No Comments yet