GLEN MILLS, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, partners with three-time NASCAR_® Cup champion crew chief and 2018 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Evernham to display the beloved 1958 Chevrolet Impala from the movie, American Graffiti at select automotive shows this summer. The Impala is featured in Axalta’s exhibit space during the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green, Kentucky on June 15-17, Goodguys Columbus in Columbus, Ohio on July 7-9, and NSRA Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky on August 3-6, 2017.

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Axalta will feature the American Graffiti 1958 Chevrolet Impala at NHRA Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green, Kentucky on June 15-17, Goodguys Columbus in Columbus, Ohio on July 7-9, and NSRA Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky on August 3-6, 2017. (Photo: Axalta)

For Evernham, the 1958 Impala and the movie, American Graffiti, inspired his life-long passion for American car culture. After pursuing this iconic car for most of his adult life, Evernham finally acquired it from the gentleman who purchased the car directly from Lucasfilm after the movie was produced in 1972. Upon arriving at his shop, it was clear the car needed work to protect it from deteriorating. Evernham and his team set out to preserve the car and restore it to the exact specifications as it appeared in the film. When it came time to restore the most visible part of the car, the finish, Evernham turned to Axalta. With the help of Axalta’s color experts and Cromax^® refinish products, the vehicle’s finish was completely restored to its original paint scheme, including the iconic hand-painted red striping.

“The paint was more than 40 years old and hadn’t been maintained. If it was left unprotected for much longer, the car would have just been bare metal,” said Evernham. “My long-standing relationship with Axalta allowed me to call on the industry’s best paint experts to evaluate the car, get recommendations and subsequently, restore a vehicle that was originally coated in obsolete lacquer material. Axalta’s color match ability played a primary role in making the car look just as it did in the movie.”

See the iconic car and learn more about Axalta’s products, services, and color matching tools for the refinish industry by visiting Axalta experts at the shows.

About Axalta Coating Systems

Axalta is a leading global company focused solely on coatings and providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable solutions. From light OEM vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, buildings and pipelines, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enable the materials we coat to last longer. With more than 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the over 13,000 people of Axalta continue to find ways to serve our more than 100,000 customers in 130 countries better every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information visit axalta.com and follow us @Axalta on Twitter and on LinkedIn.

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