Trending
Jim Hamilton recalls a long-ago visit in Wisconsin from his uncle and being captivated by his 1956 Chevrolet. That car is but a memory. By 1980, a grown-up Hamilton started a search for a bargain-priced 1956 Chevrolet similar his uncle’s car.
He located such a car in the autumn of that year: It was a white-over-blue 1956 Chevrolet Sport Coupe that had been gutted, had no engine, no transmission, and had once been turned into a drag race car. It was exactly what Hamilton was looking for — a project.
“It was a shell when I bought it,” Hamilton says.
The next step was finding two similar cars to use for parts: One was found in Virginia, the other one in Illinois. Unfortunately, Hamilton soon discovered that some of the parts from the other cars didn’t fit on his car.
A total of 128,382 Sport Coupe models were built in the 1956 model year, with only a few equipped with factory-installed air conditioning. Hamilton’s car was one of the rare models so equipped. Of course, as luck would have it, all of its air conditioning parts were missing. Expanding his search for parts, Hamilton soon found a replacement air conditioner in Nebraska.
The Vehicle Identification Number on his Chevrolet indicates that it was built in California. Supporting that detail is a UCLA decal on the rear window which Hamilton has left in place. At the other end of the cabin is the wrap-around windshield.
He also located 265-cubic-inch V-8 engine that matches the original engine. A four-barrel Rochester carburetor feeds fuel to the engine. The fuel filler cap is cleverly hidden behind the left taillight.
Power steering helps maneuver the 3,222-pound car. The 16-foot, 5.5-inch-long car rides on a 115-inch wheelbase supported by 6.50×15-inch white sidewall tires. The full-size spare tire stores vertically in a well on the right side of the trunk.
A thoughtful safety feature is the right exterior mirror, a twin to the mirror on the driver’s side. Hamilton says he must be alert when driving his car because the shift pattern on the automatic transmission differs from that on modern cars. From left to right the gears are: Park – Neutral – Drive – Low -Reverse.
Other unusual features on the 1956 Chevrolet Sport Coupe are power-assisted windows and a power front seat. The interior of the car is upholstered in the original pattern red and white fabric above the wall-to-wall red carpeting.
In the center of the dashboard is the Wonderbar signal-seeking radio. The 110-mph speedometer is mounted directly in front of the shoulder-wide three-spoke steering wheel that features a 360-degree chrome horn ring.
As time and finances permitted, Hamilton worked off and on to return his Chevrolet to its original condition. When all the bodywork was done, Hamilton painted the car red and white. Hamilton labored on his car for the better part of eight years before declaring the restoration complete in 1988.
– Vern Parker, Motor Matters
E-mail your jpeg image, plus brief details and phone number. You may also submit an image of you with your treasured classic car. Type “Classic Classics” in subject box to info@motormatters.biz.