Jean-Daniel Mottier's 1958 Chevrolet Impala - LA Watson
Featured Story - 1958 Chevrolet
1958 Chevrolet Impala owned and restyled by Crazy Cruisers member Jean-Daniel "Momo" Mottier of Geneva, Switzerland. Known as “LA Watson,” the car was built following a tragic fire in 2012 that destroyed the Crazy Cruisers clubhouse. The car is a tribute to the late 1950s custom style associated with Larry Watson and the Bellflower school of customization.[1] Through its design and execution, the car represents an effort to preserve and reinterpret West Coast custom history within a Swiss context.
Contents
Background
Prior to the 2012 clubhouse fire, Momo had acquired the car as a project vehicle from a friend in France. The vehicle was stored outside at the time of the fire and was largely spared, although many spare parts were lost. Using insurance funds from the loss of his 1965 Impala, Momo purchased a second 1958 Chevrolet Impala from Germany. Over a four-year period, components from both vehicles were combined to produce a single completed car.[1]
In 2026 Mottier described the project as the realization of a long-standing ambition. He stated that the 1958 Chevrolet Impala was already “a very beautiful model with a lot of body detail and a superb original design,” but added that “I love traditional custom cars too much; you have to stand out from the crowd.”[1]
Tribute to Jim Doss and Larry Watson
The car was conceived as a tribute to Jim Doss' 1958 Chevrolet Impala, which was restyled by Walkers Body Shop in Bakersfield, California, and later panel-painted by Larry Watson at Watson's House of Style. The original Doss Impala was nosed, decked, and shaved, with reversed side spears, frenched Pontiac taillights, reworked roof scoop, and distinctive lakes pipes that exited as Bellflower-style tailpipes behind the rear wheels. Watson first finished the car in lime green and green, and later repainted it with layered translucent green, gold, and pearl-frost paneling, highlighted by white pinstriping. The gold-and-white interior matched the exterior scalloping.
Rather than replicate the Doss car exactly, Momo chose to reinterpret its spirit. As he told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama, he did not want to build a copy, “but rather a tribute. So I allowed myself some differences, in the contouring shapes and in the colors.”[1] The result connects the Bellflower tradition of late-1950s California to a contemporary European build, reflecting the continued influence of Watson’s color and contour philosophy outside the United States.
Momo has described his long-standing admiration for Watson’s work and the Bellflower style, noting that such historically inspired customs are often more feasible in Switzerland than radical body modifications due to strict inspection laws. The project thus combines historical homage with local regulatory adaptation.[1]
Design and Body Modifications
While inspired by the Doss Impala, Momo's version differs significantly in execution. The exterior was finished in black with gold contouring and striping rather than Watson’s layered green panel scheme. Momo summarized the color concept by stating, “Black and gold, it sings!”[1]
Bodywork and paint were completed with the Agu family, while striping and pinstriping were carried out by Vince Custom Paint. Momo masked up the panel paint scheme himself, using old photos of the Doss Impala as reference.[1]
Exterior modifications included removing door handles, locks, badges, and emblems. The fuel filler door and the panel beneath the trunk were smoothed. The side trim was modified by removing the internal aluminum inserts and matching the front fender trim to the rear. The decorative side air intakes and louvers were removed while preserving their stamped outlines in the body.[1]
The front grille assembly combines a 1954 Chevrolet grille with 1953 Chevrolet grille teeth, shortened to achieve what Momo describes as a “floating grille” appearance. One-piece bumpers were installed front and rear. At the rear, 1959 Lincoln taillights were adapted after modification to reduce the chrome surround and recess depth.[1]
Interior
The interior received front seats from a 1966 Oldsmobile. The rear bench was modified to include a central armrest and storage compartment. The original dashboard speaker grilles were removed and smoothed, and two air pressure gauges for the air suspension replaced the factory radio position. The ashtray was modified to accommodate four air-suspension control switches.[1]
Rear speakers sourced from drive-in cinema equipment were recessed into the rear armrests. The headliner, door panels, and seating were reupholstered in black and Diamond Gold leatherette by Style Inside, visually echoing the black and gold panel paint job.[1]
Mechanical Specifications
Momo's Impala is powered by a 383 cubic inch stroked small-block V8 engine equipped with an Offenhauser intake manifold designed for a Pontiac GTO Tri-Power system. It is paired with a TH700-R4 automatic transmission and a reinforced rear axle with a 3.73 ratio. The exhaust system follows the dual Bellflower-style layout, referencing the West Coast custom tradition.[1]
An air suspension system was installed and subsequently approved by Swiss authorities, as similar systems were available as factory options on certain General Motors models in 1958. The adjustable suspension allows the vehicle to achieve a low stance while remaining compliant with national vehicle regulations.[1]
Legacy
By reinterpreting the Jim Doss Impala’s design language within the constraints of Swiss law, “LA Watson” reflects the international reach of the Bellflower custom aesthetic. Completed in 2016, the car demonstrates how late-1950s California panel and contour styling continues to influence builders outside the United States, effectively extending the historical lineage of Watson-style customs into the twenty-first century.
References
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