Vehicle Description
This attractive 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air hardtop is one of those cars
that already has all the right ingredients. Fuel-injected small
block? Yep. Overdrive transmission? Of course. Gorgeous interior
with all the toys? What did you expect? And it's so nice that it's
mind-boggling to believe that the build is more than a few years
old.
Basic black never looks wrong, but on shoebox Chevys, it's
downright spectacular, especially rendered in modern two-stage
urethane. It tends to emphasize the chrome and trim, all of which
remain intact on this mild custom, and all of it was treated to a
pretty decent makeover a few years ago. All the body panels are
straight, and the reflections in our photo studio are proof enough
that someone invested the time and effort to make this one look
right. They didn't shave, delete, or modify any of the exterior
pieces, but you know instantly that this car is special, which is a
testament to the workmanship. It's been driven and enjoyed
properly, so it's not perfect and there are a few nicks and
scratches here and there, but nothing that you would worry about if
you're the kind of guy who likes to hit the road. Same for the
chrome; obviously the money was spent but it was a few years ago
and the whole thing has now mellowed to a nice driver-grade cruiser
that needs no excuses.
The completely freshened interior is a big step up from 1956, and
offers all the comforts and conveniences of a modern luxury car
with all the style of 1956. Seriously, is there anyone who thinks
they can do a better job than the GM stylists? The factory bench
seat is wrapped in beautiful upholstery that has the right look
with modern materials to make it comfortable. Black carpets match
the dash which retains a factory look, complete with original
gauges in the original gauge pod and a pair of aftermarket dials
underneath. The floor-mounted shifter falls easily to hand and
you'll be delighted to note that it's linked to a 4-speed automatic
transmission, making this Bel Air move like your favorite muscle
car yet cruises easily at highway speeds. A polished tilt column
holds a leather-wrapped wheel, and a powerful entertainment system
fills the car with sound thanks to an AM/FM/CD head unit and
speakers stashed throughout. The trunk is finished with a correct
rubber mat and you can see that there are no issues in the spare
tire well, the most common place for rust to begin on these
cars.
You can't make a car look this good and not have it perform, so a
fuel injected 5.3 liter Vortec V8 went under the hood. Famous for
its great manners and strong performance, the engine is equally
happy trundling through traffic or hammering down the interstate.
Thanks to OEM engineering, it starts instantly, idles well, and
even tells you what it needs when something goes wrong through the
ALDL connector. Better yet, with a giant aluminum radiator it never
overheats and fuel injection delivers instant power without a
stutter. It's also nicely well detailed so that it looks almost
like the factory installed it themselves, including the serpentine
belt drive system and VORTEC engine shroud. A custom dual exhaust
system with Flowmasters gives it a traditional V8 voice, and the
original rear end doesn't seem to mind the torque. Power front disc
brakes help it stop like a modern car and it rides on great-looking
chrome Cragar SS mags wearing 215/65/15 white-letter radials.
Customs don't get much more user-friendly than this, and it's the
kind of car you can drive anywhere with confidence and it will
still draw a crowd when you get there. Call today!