Hi folks. Here is our new addition, a mostly original 1956 Chevrolet Bel air 9-passenger wagon. We are in the process of fixing this up as a nice family driver as funds become available. We have it running and driving pretty well now with new front end pieces, new tires and wheels, radiator and water pump, lowered springs, front disc brakes, bilsteins, and front and rear sway bars, as well as repro seat belts for 8 passengers. The car has it's original 265 or 283 V8 (not sure which) and a powerglide which look like they've been gone through in the past. Some of the items we are doing soon will be interior, vintage air/heat. Thanks and have a great day.
It's actually a factory 9-passenger model. You can see the third seat through the window in this picture. The middle seat has a very cool 25/75 split to allow passengers to pass-through from the 2nd seat to the third. This allows for 5 or 6 seating configurations....1st and 3rd only, or any combination of the middle including only a single seat within an otherwise flat cargo area. (My 6 and 7 yr old kids personal favorite with the other usually in the 3rd seat.) The design requires removal of the seat back and bottom cushions to fold the third seat flat. They are not too big though and could stow in the car under most circumstances. (I would have liked to be in the board-room when they argued about that)
And oh yeah...we ride our 3 dogs in it also. One German sheppard, one lab/coyote and one chihuahua/beagle mix.
Nice looking car. Sheet metal looks real good. If it is the original engine, it has to be a 265. The 283 wasn't out till '57. Bill
Welcome, sk6strng. Nice wagon you have there. Did you find it in California? Hopefully the brown flaky stuff wasn't too bad. I like the stance you have on it too..... What do you planfor the paint job? A nice 2-tone I hope... Marshall
Oops. Between wagonitis and CRS (Can't Read sAnything), and drooling with all the new pics from new members, I missed that 1,000 word picture in your first post. That has to be one rare wagon.
I find it amazing that a car can last 54 years and still be in such good overall condition. That third seat is quite rare now and should always be preserved IMO. Great looking 56.
SK6. You'll like it here:2_thumbs_up_-_anima I had ah good friend back when your ride waz 2 yearz old that had ah '56 2door Belair that waz factory black with the area inside the side chrome in silver. MY THINK IZ THAT PUPPY LOOKED WAY BETTER THEN ANYTHING THE GENERAL DID IN '57 AH, the shoulda woulda coulda carz we have known
My wife and I are old car fans and specifically 3-seat wagons. We have had several, and most recently a nice '72 suburban. She decided to look for a 'barn find' while we were on a recent road trip up to see our Son in San Fransisco. (We live in Los Angeles.) It was on Craig's and had just finished not selling at the Good Guys show in Pleasanton. The owner had just returned home when my wife called him from the Bay Bridge on our way home. We met him at his home in San Lorenzo. I don't know the production numbers on the 9-passenger wagons of this vintage but when we saw it we gave him a check and had a fellow flat-bed it down here (about 5 hours away) Thanks for the info on the 265 engine. A long time ago someone put a sweet 1960's period dual exhaust on this with 40-inch glasspacks and it sounds insane. Very nice subtle rumble. It's the power-pack heads which make the sound, I think. I have a set of block-hugger headers a friend gave me which I may look into putting on this. The car is in very, very nice condition overall and has alot of dirt on it from '56 which I am cleaning a bit at a time. I am a huge fan of old unrestored cars and original paint and am in no rush to re-do it but I know this is on my wife list. I respect her excellent taste and she has something like this in mind. It will take real money to do this right so we will get to it at the right time. Thanks and have a great day.