This 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air two-door hardtop is said to have been under the care of a museum in Illinois for approximately 40 years and was later acquired by the seller in 2019. The car is finished in black over charcoal cloth and yellow vinyl upholstery, and it is powered by a 265ci V8 paired with a three-speed manual transmission with overdrive. Features include a Continental kit, a windshield visor, dual mirrors/spotlights, skirted rear fenders, a dual exhaust system, and body-color 15″ steel wheels with whitewall tires as well as a dash-mounted clock, a traffic-light viewer, a compass, a tissue holder, plastic seat covers, a push-button AM radio, and an eight-track player. This Bel Air is now offered with a brochure, a car cover, and a clean Ohio title in the seller’s name.
The car was finished from the factory in Onyx Black (687). Details include a windshield visor, rear fender skirts, chrome bumpers and trim, hooded headlights, quarter vent windows, electric windshield wipers, and a dual exhaust system with polished outlets. The dual side mirrors are integrated with forward-facing spotlights. The seller notes cracks in the paint finish.
Body-color 15″ steel wheels wear wire-style chrome covers and were mounted with Coker Classic whitewall tires under current ownership. The spare wheel housed in the Continental kit is wrapped in a Firestone whitewall. Braking is handled by drums at each corner, and the master cylinder, wheel cylinders, and brake shoes were replaced under current ownership, per the seller.
The cabin features two rows of bench seats upholstered in charcoal cloth and yellow vinyl protected by plastic seat covers, and they are accompanied by color-coordinated door panels. Black rubber floor mats protect black carpeting, and appointments include a tissue holder, a traffic-light viewer, a dashboard-mounted compass, an analog clock, and a push-button AM radio. An eight-track player was added under current ownership.
The three-spoke steering wheel features a chrome horn ring and frames a 110-mph speedometer and gauges for coolant temperature and fuel level. The five-digit odometer shows 34k miles, approximately 3k of which were added under current ownership. Blemishes on the instrument-cluster lens are photographed below.
The 265ci V8 is fitted with a black air-cleaner housing and Chevrolet-script valve covers. Stainless-steel fuel lines are said to have been added under previous ownership, and the generator and carburetor were reportedly rebuilt and the thermostat and gasket were replaced under current ownership. An oil change was performed in mid-2023.
The engine stamping is shown above. The “GE” suffix is consistent with a 265ci V8 rated at 205 horsepower and equipped with the Power Pack and an overdrive transmission.
Power is sent to the rear wheels through a column-shifted three-speed manual transmission with overdrive.
Decoding the Fisher body tag reveals the following information:
- Style 56-1037D – 1956 Bel Air two-door hardtop
- Body N10377 – Norwood, Ohio, assembly plant and sequence number
- Trim 585 – Charcoal and yellow cloth and vinyl upholstery
- Paint 687 EZ – Onyx Black paint; tinted glass
