For Sale: 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air in Morgantown, Pennsylvania

1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible

" 'The Hot One is Even Hotter' was the motto that Chevrolet boasted for its 150, 210 and Bel Air series in 1956. With a new Super Turbo Fire V8, the new 1956 promised a friskier, sweeter ride with safer passing. Playing off the success of the previous year redesign, the new 1956 Chevy was met with an appetite of frenzy from the buying public. Minor changes were made to the 1956, including new engine options, a slightly different dash, a newly hidden gas filler cap in the rear fin, and colors, trim and fabrics. The '56 Chevy was a hit as sales continued to climb." OldRide.com

For consignment, a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible showing 754 miles, but the true miles are unknown. This car now packs a 454ci V8 crate motor that puts out 450 horsepower. It has lots of newer parts on board including the convertible top pump and hoses, fuel tank, Moog steering components, and brake/fuel lines.

Exterior
This is a silver and white standout augmented by 17-inch American Racing Torque Thrust Special Edition wheels in black, a fantastic offset for the light colored body featuring two stage Inca Silver and India Ivory. The stainless trim forms a spear in front surrounding the white that ends up covering the top of the rear fender and the entire decklid, and the trim meets the chrome bumper wrap around below the ornate tail light nacelles that house jet age influenced lights. Speaking of jet age, don't stand in the street because the bird beaked aircraft that is the hood ornament is a large, leading piece of metal atop a chrome filled face and bumper. Imperfections include some bubbling on lower panels, some typical darkening of the white canvas on the soft top, crackling on the rocker panels, some checking, chips, and scratches throughout.

Interior
Ivy and charcoal panels alternate on the door panels to include a pleated section and angular inserts over a straight black lower, and both doors are in good condition. White vinyl surrounds charcoal cloth in the typical 50's fashion of triangular uppers and stitched borders below and both the split bench in front and full bench in back present in very nice shape. A beautiful black steering wheel is adorned with a full horn ring and chrome center, a work of art that also steers the car! It leads to an equally stunning design in the restored dash with glossy black over lots of polished metal and a fan shaped Dakota Digital speedometer over a grated metal mid dash. That fan shape is replicated in front of the passenger where Bel Air gold script tops a clock and the center area houses an AM/FM radio and toggle panel that controls the fan, trans bypass, and wipers. Black carpet below appears fresh and the trunk wears a fitted rubber mat.

Drivetrain
Good things are happening under the hood and it's all accompanied by lots of shiny components. Here we have Five Star Engine Exchange's 454ci V8 with a Howards Cam, (.572i/532e lift), and an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor on top, all good for 450 mighty horses. It's mated to a rebuilt 200R4 4-speed automatic that our consignor states is from a Grand National, built by Lee's Speed Shop with 500hp internals. This sends power to the rebuilt rear axle with 3.36 gears. Coated headers are the obvious choice here and are present on the red painted block surrounded by a bling fest.

Undercarriage
We're talking spotless underneath with just a wisp of surface rust on the frame and some rust holes on inner panels but the rest is structurally sound. Four wheel power disc brakes are onboard to hold those horses at bay, and Wilwood is the brand of choice. The dual exhaust flows through stock style mufflers before squeezing out of chrome oval tips out back. Suspension includes coil springs up front and newer leaf springs in back and the newer Moog steering components are clear to see while we have her up on the lift. A touch of surface rust colors the door bottoms but has not become invasive.

Drive-Ability
We take a seat in this well sorted Tri-Five and bring the big V8 to life and it makes its presence known with a healthy growl. It's got a healthy acceleration to go with that sound, and power steering makes lapping our loop a near effortless endeavor and the car tracks straight and stops on point. The A/C is missing some hoses, so naturally it does not work but all other functions operate as intended and this silver streak is ready for the next car show in Your Town, USA! While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.

Grab the family, put the top down, and take in that sweet exhaust note and acceleration on your way to the ice cream parlor, the local cruise night, or just a drive about town. This is a great looking car with a potent engine, clean interior, and lots of new parts you don't have to worry about buying or building. If you've been pining for a tri-five project, the burden has been lifted because your finished car just arrived!

VC56T201415

V-V8
C-2400 Series
56-1956
T-Tarrytown, NY Assy Plant
201415-Sequential Unit Number

TRIM TAG

STYLE 56 1067DTX-1956 BelAir Convertible
BODY L39914-Los Angeles Body #
TRIM 602-Ivory & Charcoal Cloth & Vinyl
PAINT 752-Inca Silver

Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person. There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee is not included in the advertised price.

With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy listening. You can also watch on YouTube!