Chevrolet was on a roll with its “tri-five” series of cars in the mid-1950s. In 1956 Chevrolet, sold over 1.5 million cars, continuing the strong momentum that it had enjoyed a year prior when an all-new vehicle design was introduced for its coupes, convertibles, sedans, and station wagons.
The Pick of the Day is a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air two-door hardtop listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Breckenridge, Colorado. (Click the link to view the listing)
Bel Airs are perennial favorites here on The Journal, no doubt due in large part to the sheer numbers in which they were sold when they were new. The 1955 through 1957 models are a popular platform for both preservation and modification in the modern collector-car landscape. To illustrate that, there were about 20 Bel Airs from the 1955 model year alone sold at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, earlier this year. Chances are, someone in your personal auto-enthusiast network has owned a tri-five Chevrolet at some point.
I am a fan of the approach that was taken when building today’s featured car. On the outside, it looks 100 percent original – right down to the hubcaps and the whitewall tires. But the engine, transmission, rear end, braking system, and interior have all been modernized. The build list provided by the seller includes a 327cid crate small-block engine, a 700R4 four-speed automatic overdrive transmission, ceramic-coated headers, an aluminum radiator, power steering, front disc brakes, and air conditioning.
The car has all the chrome glitz and glamour the defined the 1950s, and the two-tone exterior color scheme flows seamlessly to the cabin which has been done up in the same palette. Even as a two-door sport coupe, it offers comfortable seating for six. It’s the perfect cruiser for night out on the town.
An ad for the 1956 Chevrolet said, “Loves to go… and looks it!” The car was marketed as having “frisky new power, V8 or 6, to make the going sweeter and the passing safer.” If the 1956 Bel Air was frisky when it was new, this one is even friskier. (Along with being safer, more comfortable, more reliable, and so many other things!). What’s not to love? Time to plan a trip to Breckenridge for your next toy.
The asking price is $50,000 or best offer.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, click over to see all our favorite rides at Pick of the Day.