Story: Evan “Evo” Yates

Photography: Andrew Link

Call it cyclical nature or evolution of the game, but automotive trends shift no matter the genre. When Donk, Box & Bubble first dropped in ’06, Bubbles were everywhere and one of the prime options when it came to big rims. Be it the dramatic Blue Book value hit they’ve taken in the past five years, the increased availability of their Blue Oval stepcousins or simply a change in tastes, the ’91 to ’96 Impala/Caprice has fallen into the no man’s land of customization.

Broward County boss Carly is well recog­nized for putting together street-certified old-schools, but he’s also opted to go the Bubble route. “I’m known for my Donks and Boxes and all that, but I wanted something dependable,” Carly explains. “I’ve always had problems with the big motors breaking down. I wanted to have something I could just drive whenever, and the Impala SS was the perfect candidate for that.”

Not playing coy about his intentions, Carly chose to stick to his routine of excessiveness when assembling the SS, aiming for all his would-be challengers. “Every time I do a car, I have to shut it down,” says Carly. “I knew exactly what I wanted to do to it.” Sticking with the trends, Carly decided to take his stance one step further and ride on air instead of in the clouds. “You know, the whole look went from being up high to being low,” says Carly, “so we bagged it and it sits perfect.”

He also chose to narrow the rear end considerably to stuff the massive 26s and their 8-inch rear lips under the quarters. If you’re wondering about his choice in wheels, Carly explains, “I saw them on a new Camaro and fell in love. They’re Forgiato Infernos, and I had to get ’em—they fit the car perfectly.”

For the finishing touches, Carly picked up the Street Trends catalog and went H.A.M. “I basically ordered everything they have for the car: the grille, the headlights, the taillights and the whole interior chrome package.” As for his place in the Bubble game, Carly laughs at the remote chance of catching a competitor in his sights. “There is no one out there like me now,” he brags. “People don’t take their time on these cars. I do it right—the best of the best.”

Spec The Technique:

Performance: Factory LT1; bored .30 over; Borla exhaust with full-length headers; 3.73 gears

Interior: Green leather with green ostrich inserts by Kenny’s Upholstery Service and Next Level; Kandy-painted plastics

Exterior: House of Kolor organic green Kandy over Stratto blue base painted by Dad’s Customs; Street Trends urethane Smoothy front bumper; Full Deer grille insert; smoked Euro headlights and taillights

Ice: Three Kicker 12-inch Solo-Baric L7 subwoofers in custom Plexiglas box built by Kareem at Next Level

Wheels/Tires: Staggered 26-inch Forgiato Infernos; Clear HP166s, 275/25/26

Shout-Outs: Kareem at Next Level; Jeremy at Coast 2 Coast Customs; Kenny’s Upholstery Service; Dad’s Customs