Dad bought a nova to go faster. Parked the 56, shortly after being parked the front clip was pulled off and the engine was sold. The front clip went in the garage and the car sat under a tree for some years, around 2000 my grandpa built a shop and we pushed it inside where it sat Until I drug it out. The front clip was still in the garage, before I stripped the car to bare metal I cleaned the front clip up and the pearl white was still beautiful, to bad the whole car wasn't inside all that time. Oh well.
I drew this for Art show Friday this week. I thought you may like. It looks a lot like your gasser. You have a Kool Car. Ron...
1963 Leo H. photo Hello, Our teenage friends originally drove the family cars and station wagons as their first cars. It was simple, borrow the car, have fun and eventually, the mom and dad needed a newer car. So, the loaner, first car became the teenagers mode of transportation. Some of the family cars stayed family cars as they would never become teenage daily drivers. Station wagons had “family” written all over it. A lot of them fell into the teenage hands for their close association to surfing and camping needs. But, the big drawback in any teenage situation is money or lack of money. So, those old family station wagons met the requirements of transportation for most. There were some enterprising teens that had a great paying job, saved up a lot of money and began to build what their versions of a hot rod was at the time. These days, good paying jobs and the need to have a cool station wagon in the coastal road trips outweighs building any other hot rod/custom. So Cal 1956 TWO DOOR STATION WAGON Jnaki In our circle of friends, it was a great thing that Lions Dragstrip was so close to everyone. Time trials, then the bragging rights to time slips and top speeds was a major undertaking for some. It certainly kept the teenage bantering at the local drive in parking lots healthy and engaging. Our friend’s 1956 two tone Chevy Bel Air Hardtop was one of the fastest cars around. The look was stock, other than a lowered rake style. Inside of the motor, was a mystery as no one knew what the owner did to the car. But, when he rolled across the starting line at Lions or at the Cherry Ave, drags, it impressed everyone. Shopping for better times with his secret motor build. This 56 Chevy sedan was rumored that the motor started out as a “stock 283.” Then it went to becoming a “stock 301,” then the final strong rumor was the installation of a Reath Crank and new lower end for a big 352 cubic inches. Finally, the story faded into history without any known proof of what happened in the motor department, other than word of mouth and teenage bravado.
JNAKI, It's so cool that you took all those movies and photos! Also for saving them, and then sharing them with us. So THANK YOU. We love our 56, but it's pass do for a rebuild.
Mine is a work in (slow) progress. But i did just drop off the glove box door and ash tray at chrome shop!
A handful of Miss Taboo over her 60+ years of being a full custom. Only spent about 2 years a stock 150 sedan.
The Jalopy Journal
