For Sale at Auction: 1956 Chevrolet Custom in Scottsdale, Arizona

The customizing of 1956 Chevrolets to resemble the 1956 Cadillac El Dorado was the vision of a wealthy Detroit industrialist and automobile enthusiast, Reuben Allender. By mid-year 1956 R. Allender & Company had designed and built the first of the El Moroccos. The design team started by taking brand-new 1956 Bel Air convertibles, stripping off all body moldings and cutting off taillights, then epoxy-bonding fiberglass tail fins to the quarter-panels, refinishing the bodies in white and adding extensive custom moldings and door "saddle" trim to complete their look. Many of the new trim components that R. Allender & Company used to replicate the Cadillac look were actually from other cars and brands but were used in clever ways to appear custom and hide their formerly common usage. The result was a scaled-down El Dorado available for purchase from the local Chevrolet dealer but at a lower cost than the Cadillac it was emulating. By September 1956, the El Morocco had made its way to the cover of Motor Trend magazine. This rare example was discovered in a Pennsylvania backyard among a deteriorating Chevy collection. The El Morocco components were still complete, as all the added parts were made of fiberglass, stainless steel or cast aluminum. Powered by a 265ci V8 engine and paired to a Powerglide automatic transmission, this vehicle received an award-winning restoration. It has won numerous awards since its completion, including AACA Senior and Chevy Vette Fest Golden Spinner. Options on this example include radio, power steering, power brakes, power windows and seat. One of only two known to exist from an estimated total production of 16.