just finished working on the 56 today got it running today and brakes done i dont have the skills to make it a 2 door. all i need is to get my radiator repaired it has a leak. but the body is very clean on it has no rust. i was wonderin if it would be better to change the fuel pump to a electrical fuel pump becouse it took me a while to get the fuel pump working and get gas to the carb.
Don't let these guys who don't like TooMany Doored cars get to you, so what if it was Aunt Ethels or Grand Ma's car or something. The stigma is easing, go wild.
If your fuel pump is bad, just replace with a new/rebuilt mechanical...they pumped well enough to put millions of miles on these cars...you don't need an electric.
Yes, besides the gauge, have you checked the sending unit and the wiring to it? Open circuit is COLD. Shorting sending unit to ground is HOT.
For 2K you did get a good deal! I would get rid of the purple valve cover (?). Paint it silver or get a chrome one. I like the steering wheel, I would consider getting a metalflake one, and the floor shifter is cool. With the air cleaner, stering wheel, floor shifter, etc., you got the start of a 60's-early 70's cruiser, something a high school guy on a budget might drive. Get some chrome wheels, thin whitewalls, paint the roof white, leave most if not all the trim on, leave all the door handles on! Do not take off the rear door handles and leave the front on, be proud that it's a 4-door...and drive it and have fun with it!
Here try the paints codes & combo's from stock. http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/models/paintcodes.htm#paint56
Is your gauge sitting on COLD? Find the temp sending unit on your engine. Is there a wire on it? With the ignition switch ON, have someone watch the gauge while you take the wire off the sending unit and touch it to engine ground. The gauge should swing to HOT. If it does, that means everything is working except the sending unit. If it doesn't, then you have to work backwards to figure out if its a break in the wiring, bad gauge, etc.
Paint the vavle cover to match, and when you find a striper to do your dash, have him do the valve cover and oil filter too... I'd say you got a really good deal on the car, I'd go with chrome reverse wheels and narrow whites, or maybe some supremes with the narrow whites...clean the rest up and enjoy.
They'd look fine I guess...just keep in mind that finding 14" tires in a few more years may be pretty hard.
I'm really not a fan of 4-doors, but there was a '56 4-door for sale locally a few years ago that I couldn't stop thinking about. I kept trying to tell a friend to buy it. It was 2-tone brown & white, lowered, and had stock style wheels & hubcaps and pinner whitewalls. I don't know why it looked so good. Maybe the whole less is more thing. Then again, when done tastefully, a mild custom doesn't look bad either...
Congrats, the car looks nice and solid! I´d lower it with 4" blocks in the rear, dropped spindles and / or cut coils in front. I´d paint stock steelies the color of the body with maybe the outer rim horn fading into the color of the roof if you decide to go the 2-tone route, + spider caps. Remove skripts, Hood Vs,in case you have them, emblems and door handles if you like. Paint it and call it a day. Loose you mufflers, get some hop up parts for that trusty 235 and go cruising and relaxing on road trips. That´s what I´d do.
Lower it, reversed chromies with whitewalls, split manifold on the 6 with porter mufflers, then drive it. You've got a good thing going here.
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