The 1961 Chevrolet Impala Bubbletop has one of the most iconic rooflines in automotive history. So why did Will Posey cut it up? He didn't do it simply to be different. Rather, the proprietor of Big Oak Garage in Hokes Bluff, Alabama, thought he could modify the build known as "Dirty Martini" to create a true one-of-one piece of automotive art.

The green Impala netted him last year's Goodguys Chevrolet Performance Builder of the Year award in the GM Iron category, among a variety of other accolades.

If Posey had wedge-cut the car in a traditional way (making cuts to the body to lower the frame in the front) the engine would be sticking through the hood, which was a no-go. Posey then had the idea for a reverse wedge-cut to extend the rear of the car, instead of taking away pieces from the front. 

He did so by extending the rear quarter panels vertically, modifying the doors and rocker panels, and reshaping the rear wheel openings, while also making custom modifications like sucking in the bumpers.

Plus, Posey has never liked how the glass in the rear windshield of the Bubbletop cars extends above the side glass. As a result, he decided to cut four-and-a-half inches off the windshield and make a new roof for the car. The shortened windshield and back glass each feature a green tint, and Greening Auto Company custom-machined the flush-mounted trim. 

"We brought the hood all the way back to the windshield so it pocketed the cowl and then made our own hood hinges so it was a single pivot hinge to open the hood, and the pivot's actually under the dash," Posey said. "I wanted the engine compartment super, super sanitary. It's all fuel-injected so we don't see wires. There was a lot of planning in the fab stage to make all that stuff disappear."

The Impala's green color is a custom mixture by Axalta that Posey named "Dirty Martini Green" and is where the car gets its name. The car rides on custom-machined Schott Performance Wheels with gold centers measuring 20 x 12 and 20 x 8.5. They were designed by well-known conceptual artist Tavis Highlander, who also was responsible for all the initial drawings and renderings of the "Dirty Martini" build.

"He's just an awesome dude to work with," Posey said. "He saw my vision and I saw his vision."

Recovery Room Hot Rod Interiors in Plattsmouth, Nebraska, a shop run by Tracy Weaver, was responsible for the custom off-white leather interior with suede inserts. Posey has worked with Weaver and his team on multiple builds and has more on the books.

"I know it's a long way from Alabama," Posey said. A lot of people are like, ‘Why do you go that far for the interior?' He's just really, really good, we see eye to eye and we bounce ideas off each other."

Additionally, every piece of the trim in the interior was designed, CAD-drawn and machined by Atomic Machine and Fiber Forged. The interior also includes Dakota Digital gauges and Clayton Machine pedals, along with a custom-machined steering wheel mounted to a Flaming River tilt column.

The Impala made the rounds on the show circuit last year, picking up a variety of coveted awards along the way. Among them were the 2022 Goodguys Fuel Curve Custom of the Year and the aforementioned Chevrolet Performance Builder of the Year. The accolades allowed Posey to showcase the car as part of the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association's yearly Top 12 at the final event of the season in Scottsdale.

Be sure to keep watching The BLOCK for much more on Chevrolet Performance and features on builds from across the nation.

*Because of its effect on a vehicle's emissions performance, this engine is intended exclusively for use in competition vehicles. This engine is designed and intended for use in vehicles operated exclusively for competition: in racing or organized competition on courses separate from public streets or highways. Installation or use of this engine on a vehicle operated on public roads, streets or highways is likely to violate U.S., Canadian, and state and provincial laws and regulations related to motor vehicle emissions.