The key ingredient in any good “restomod recipe” is the engine. And let’s just say, this car is one of the most delicious builds I’ve seen in a while:
The Pick of the Day is a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Russellville, Missouri. (Click the link to view the listing)
Indeed, the paint job is striking, but pop the hood, because that’s where the real eye candy is stored. Power comes from a Corvette-sourced, fuel-injected 5.7-liter LS1 V8 mated to a four-speed 4L60E automatic transmission. And the goodies don’t stop there. The car is also upgraded with performance headers, a dual exhaust system, and an aluminum radiator with an electric fan.
The ’55 Chevy took the automotive landscape by storm with its new styling, and the ’56 took things a even further with a new grille, a curved side molding, and revised taillights.
“Nothing without wings climbs like a ’56 Chevrolet,” advertisements said. The reason for that was because Chevrolet had entered a 1956 Chevrolet in the (1955) Pikes Peak Hill Climb near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The car was piloted by Zora Arkus-Duntov who achieved a class record for production passenger cars. One interesting thing about that race: Because the 1956 cars were not slated for reveal until later in the year, the actual vehicle in the race was heavily disguised via add-on front and rear fenders.
This custom car’s stance is nicely executed via a custom suspension with two-inch drop spindles and tubular A-arms. The frame and underbody have been coated in black, and the chassis benefits from four-wheel power-assisted disc brakes. “The car is well sorted-out and has almost 1,200 miles since restored,” the seller says.
Moving to the cockpit, the equipment list includes a Dakota gauges, air conditioning, a tilt steering column, a new steering wheel, and a RetroSound stereo. Most people in the market for a 1956 Chevrolet aren’t planning on taking it to climb Pikes Peak, but it would be interesting to see how much faster this one could tackle the grade when compared to its historic counterpart 69 years ago.
“Stars right up and fun to cruise in,” the seller says. “You can buy it done way cheaper than you can build – and enjoy it now.”
The asking price is $68,000 or best offer.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, check out the library of selections at Pick of the Day.