24 West Street, Building # 4 - Middlefield, Connecticut 06455  Ph. 860-349-4570

Originally traded for a Big Block 70 Chevelle that I was selling, this 56 Chevy sported the ugliest engine cavity I have ever seen. After the trade went down, I realized why it was made so easily. The 327 engine leaked from virtually every portal and gasket surface ever known to a small block! However, a 56 Bel Air Hot Rod is worth more than a 70 Chevelle Malibu on any given Sunday so I still felt I was still winning and proceeded with the quick and timely removal of the yellow (yuk!) engine and firewall clean up. As with most projects, by the time you get through with the ugly stuff you’re either off the frame or down to the firewall. Already having the business to run and my share of cars in the form of an exploded view of a body assembly manual, I opted to stop at the firewall on this one. Besides I was extremely excited about owning my first 50’s vintage Chevy and felt like driving it sometime this millennium!

I guess it was originally a factory A/C car but someone made it look like an airplane from the 30’s with the box of rivets and sheet metal patches across the firewall. So those patches had to go. Soon to be replaced by the appropriate amount of welding, bodywork, satin black and now total smoothness. When I tore the engine apart the rings fell apart in 14 pcs. and hit the floor like Chicklets! The block was still o.k. though! The rebuild was pretty standard and returned to me by Kehl Tech performance out of Northford, CT in record time and for an incredibly fair price! (They get all of my engine rebuild business now, Imagine that?)

I quickly learned about 56 Chevy mounts, firewall headers and other oddities that were completely foreign to me at the time but entirely fun in the learning process. Also foreign to me was the use of black iron pipe bracketing to weld up a fiberglass front ends, so I replaced it with stainless tubing. It looks a lot better and now both sides even match.

All in all a fun project that now boasts a nice lumpy cam, Zoom clutch, Edelbrock manifold & carb up top, signature series chrome, Power Disc Brake upgrade, line lock, Accel coil & wires. Even on a cold day she’ll start right up and lump along at an idle for you. The 4 speed and 4-11’s make this car a lot of fun to drive. She can drop trow in all 4’s gears now and when you pull up for cruise night and flip the top and the show usually migrates right towards her.

Originally this car was to be traded and sold but once I drove her with the new drive train, I just couldn’t bring myself to unload it. The 50’s Chevy era is yet another automotive lifestyle that I had not experienced. Having just arrived in the year 2005 I have some catching up to do. Good thing she goes real fast.