1956 Chevrolet Bel Air

Description

Style never goes out of fashion, which might explain why the 1955-56-57 Chevrolets remain as popular today as they were when they were new-perhaps more so. Next to the convertibles, the car to own is a Bel Air 2-door, and this lovely 1956 Bel Air is the ideal combination of ready-to-rock mechanicals and a gorgeous but appropriate two-tone paint job.

Starting with a straight car makes it easy to create a stunner like this. The paint is excellent and uses the original break lines to create a period-perfect look with modern colors. The lights in our studio don't really do it justice, because the depth of the dark blue paint is extremely impressive. I'm especially fond of the contrasting white finish, especially on the top. And thanks to the striking Bel Air trim which outlines the paint break, the blue paint really pops against the white details. The bodywork was professionally refinished, so there are no ripples or waves in the panels, and the final finish received a quality cut and buff to produce a high shine that endures to this day. The chrome and stainless trim was entirely restored to give this stunner some sparkling jewelry, and it's all in excellent shape today.

The matching dark blue leather interior is completely custom, but the look is certainly right in the 1956 shape. To be honest, the front seat looks almost completely unused, which is kind of true since the build has just under 3500 miles on it. The door panels are made of the same stuff with dramatic sculpting that still manages to capture the 1950s. The dashboard is truly exceptional, with crisp gauges, clear lenses, and bright trim that seems to defy the years and looks every bit as good as some restored cars we've seen. A/C, a tilt column, an AM/FM/cassette stereo, and a Competition Plus shifter for the 4-speed manual are all upgrades that make it a fabulous cruiser. The simple trunk features more custom trim work and a continuing theme to tie it all together.

Under the hood you'll find a stout 350 cubic inch crate motor with lots of chrome and plenty of horsepower. Based around a 4-bolt main block, there's a steel crank in the middle and it's capped by a set of GM "fast burn" Vortec heads. GM also supplied the high-performance 4-barrel manifold which uses a Demon carb and MSD ignition to make horsepower. Concept 1 accessory drive manages all the spinning stuff at the front of the engine, and there's a big aluminum radiator keeping everything cool. A Ford 9-inch rear with 3.55 gears and a limited slip means that the power gets to the ground without drama. A new dual exhaust system offers relatively quiet mufflers that still give the small block a performance sound. The entire car is extremely tight with no squeaks or rattles, and it rolls on a set of staggered Coys wheels with 235/40/18 front and 255/35/20 rear Nexen radials.

With a very cool color combination, a gorgeous interior and that enhanced V8 under the hood, this Bel Air hardtop is a wonderful machine to show and drive. Please come in and have a look at this one in person, because the photos just don't do it justice. Just be prepared: as soon as you see it, you'll fall in love. Call today!