Not sure if it's the same car, but I remember one red '62 bubbletop that had an aluminum front end and "Z11 style" heads & intake that was owned by Donny Shaffer in Missouri and then sold to Mike Martin in California. I have seen it in pictures all lettered up when Donny had it and then when Mike had it, the only lettering was the Aluminum Don't Touch! in white on each fender. Besides a few updates such as headers, breathers in the valve covers, and a CLEAN bolt-in roll bar, back seat delete, and 5 star wheels with slicks - it looked like a restored car. Back seat area was carpeted with Red salt/pepper so it matched the rest. The article on it when Mike owned it claimed 550HP and said it ran in the 11's. (Sounds like a very honest HP number for the ET/MPH).
Shortly after that, another article with a Mike Martin car had a Fawn '61 Impala with a single 4 Holley Dominator adapted to a stock single 4 intake on a 409 that was claimed to be in the 10's and over 700HP. Also built in the same style as the '62 like a racing version of a stock restoration, except this one also had a snorkel hood scoop.
In a conversation with Donny many years back he told me that the bolt-in roll bar was the SAME piece in both cars and that Mike had swapped it from the '62 to the '61 and just painted it gold. Same thing with the wheels & tires as the '62 was taken out of drag strip duty.
I think he told me that Martin had sold both by the time we were talking, but I can not remember if that's right or who they sold to.
The magazines are around here somewhere....I think from about 1989. They have been a HUGE inspiration for how I want my car to be ever since. Sad that it's taking this long and still not even close.
