Vintage looks and modern amenities go together with some classic cars, making them even more reliable and enjoyable to drive than when they were sold new. Today’s focus car is a perfect example.
The Pick of the Day is a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air two-door listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Wichita, Kansas. (Click the link to view the listing)
“This is 1956 Chevy two-door sedan Bel Air that was built from the frame up in just over three months,” the listing states.
Tri-five Chevrolets have been popular in the car-collector community for decades, and the affinity for these vehicles shows no signs of slowing down. For model year 1956, the A-body Bel Air received evolutionary styling changes like a full-width grille, sweeping side spear moldings, combination taillights with reverse lamps built-in, and additional trim changes. Speaking of the taillights, the driver side lamp was hinged and provided access to the fuel filler cap underneath it. Clever packaging indeed.
This ’56 comes in a two-door “post” body style with generous chrome around the exterior. A look inside the engine bay gives us some clues about just how extensively this car was reworked: Power for this tri-five comes from a newer 350cid small-block V8 motor, and the seller states that there have been fewer than 100 miles accrued on the motor since installation.
The list of upgrades and modifications continues from there, including a Holley carburetor and a Muncie four-speed manual transmission. Power is sent to the pavement through a set of Cragar SS five-spoke chrome wheels with newer tires.
Not to be forgotten, the interior received its share of upgrades and is shown in the same two-tone turquoise and white color scheme as the exterior. Seating is provided by dual vinyl benches, and upgrades include a Sport-Comp 10,000-rpm column-mounted tachometer, bowtie-branded rubber floor mats, a push-button radio, and anodized Bel Air script badging on the passenger side of the dash.
The Bel Air model was reworked the following year in 1957 – right when America’s obsession with tailfins was really starting to take flight. As far as tri-five Chevrolets go, the 1956 is a sweet spot for many collectors.
“The car has always been stored inside and is ready to roll for the next owner,” the listing concludes.
The asking price is $60,000 or best offer. To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
