Cruising Back in Time: The 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Hardtop, an Automotive Icon of the Fabulous Fifties
The 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air is an iconic American car that represents the pinnacle of 1950s automotive design. With its sweeping lines, chrome accents, and distinctive two-tone paint jobs, the ’56 Chevy Bel Air captured the spirit of its era like no other car. This was a transitional time in automotive history, as car design was evolving from the conservative post-war era into the flashy, futuristic Space Age. The 1956 Bel Air managed to achieve the delicate balance of incorporating new styling cues while still staying true to Chevy’s design heritage.
In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air hardtop. We’ll explore what made it so unique and historically significant, review its stand-out styling and design features, examine what’s under the hood, and see why this car remains so beloved by auto enthusiasts today. Whether you’re a fan of classic cars, Americana, or just bold, brash 1950s style, the ’56 Chevy Bel Air represents an automotive icon.
Overview and Background of the 1956 Chevy Bel Air
The Bel Air model had been part of Chevrolet’s full-size lineup since 1950. For 1956, Chevy wanted to really make the Bel Air stand out as the premium trim in the range. The company advertised it as having a “sweet, smooth and sassy” blend of style, distinction, and performance.
The 1956 redesign gave the Bel Air an all-new body and a host of styling upgrades inside and out. Two-tone paint, chrome accents, anodized gold trim, and Bel Air script badging helped it look upscale and expensive. Under the hood, revamped V8 engines provided more power for the growing number of hot rodders.
Over 670,000 Bel Air models were produced for ’56, accounting for about 41% of Chevy’s full-size production. The model was available in convertible, sport coupe, sedan and wagon body styles. But the most iconic ’56 Chevy shape is undoubtedly the Bel Air hardtop coupe, with its pillarless side profile and rakish rear roofline.
Distinctive Exterior Styling Features
The 1956 Bel Air’s exterior design is characterized by the two-tone lower and upper bodywork, flowing lines, chrome details, and the unique hardtop roof shape.
Two-Tone Paint
In the mid-1950s, two-tone paint was coming into vogue across the American auto industry. Chevy embraced the trend fully on the ’56 Bel Air, offering striking color combinations like India Ivory over Tropical Turquoise, and Shadow Gray over Blue-Flame. A Palomar Red body topped with Shoreline Beige was another popular pairing. The possibilities were endless with the choice of 9 lower colors and 4 roof colors.
Sweeping Lines
The ’56 Chevy features graceful, curving beltlines and fender contours that flow front to back to side, showcasing the cars’ length. This represented a move away from the slab-sided designs of earlier years. The lower half comes to pointed “dagmars” or “bullets” at the front, while the C-pillars sweep into the short rear deck.
Chrome Details
Brightwork and chrome highlighted the ’56 Chevy’s shape, including a toothy chrome grille, bumper bullets, window and ventipane trim, trunk spears and Bel Air lettering. The anodized gold inset on the rear trunk spears added an upscale touch. Available wheel covers featured a golden Chevy bowtie at the center.
Sport Hardtop Roofline
The Bel Air sport coupe rode on the same 119″ wheelbase as other full-size Chevys but its roof design gave it a lower, sportier look. The innovative hardtop removed the B-pillar between doors, replacing it with retracting windows into the door frames. This created an elegant, continuous window line and sleeker profile.
Special Interior Touches
To match its upgrade exterior styling, the ’56 Chevy Bel Air also received an extra dose of distinction on the inside. Details like two-tone upholstery, the Bel Air name script, and higher grade materials came standard.
Two-Tone Upholstery
Interior color combinations complemented the exterior paint schemes, typically pairing a darker lower color with a lighter upper. Popular choices were gray over blue, red over beige, and charcoal over silver. Seat piping and door panels continued the two-tone theme.
Bel Air Name Script
The Bel Air name appeared across the trailing edge of rear seat cushions, stitched in gold thread as a tasteful reminder you were riding in the top Chevy model. The front seatbacks also featured color-keyed bands with bowtie emblems.
Upscale Materials
Doors and side panels utilized vinyl and cloth textures for a more upscale look than Chevy’s base 150 models. The dashboard held round gauges in a gold color scheme. Some models had faux leather grained panels on the lower doors.
V8 Power Under the Hood
The ’56 Bel Air came standard with Chevy’s well-proven “Blue Flame” straight-six engine. But most buyers opted for the improved small-block V8 engines to give their Bel Air more pep and power.
Standard V8
The base V8 was an improved 265 cubic inch (4.3 liter) engine with 162 horsepower, up from 155 hp the previous year. The 2-barrel carburetor, overhead valves and higher 8.0:1 compression ratio accounted for the power boost.
Optional “Super Turbo-Fire” V8
Serious power seekers could order the double-barrel carbureted version of the 265 V8, which bumped the horsepower to 180. Dubbed the “Super Turbo-Fire” engine, this mill gave the ’56 Bel Air some true performance credentials. 0-60 mph now took just over 12 seconds.
Powerglide Automatic Transmission
Most Bel Airs were equipped with the 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. Manual gearboxes were available across the board, but the Powerglide was considered very innovative for its day. The combination of this transmission and the V8 delivered seamless acceleration.
Why The ’56 Chevy Bel Air Became An Icon
The 1956 Bel Air arrived just as American car culture was taking off. It was the right car for the times, with a blend of style, power and prestige that spoke to the Eisenhower-era aspirations of the growing middle class. Let’s look at some reasons this car became so legendary:
– Quintessential ’50s American style: The two-tone paint, ample chrome, low-slung proportions and hardtop roofline came to define the fabulous fifties cars.
– Leader of the Chevrolet brand: As Chevy’s flagship, the Bel Air led the resurgence of brand’s image and sales through the 1950s.
– Launch pad for small block V8 success: The ’56 Bel Air’s upgraded V8 engines paved the way for the dominance of the Chevy small block through the 60s and 70s.
– Built strong, plentiful and affordable: Typical of Chevys of the era, the ’56 model was over-engineered, mass produced and a great value next to the costlier brands.
– Prime platform for customization: The ’56 lends itself to modification and hot rodding, helping launch the muscle car culture.
– Stark contrast to succeeding decades: As car styling grew more subdued and performance declined through the 70s, the flashy, powerful ’56 looked better than ever.
– Star of screen: The ’56 Chevy has co-starred in countless films, TV shows, music videos, cementing its cultural icon status.
Owning and Collecting a ’56 Chevy Bel Air Today
Thanks to their solid construction and timeless good looks, many 1956 Bel Air models are still on the road today. For collectors and enthusiasts, owning one requires finding the right car and doing the proper maintenance.
Finding a ’56 Chevy
Finding a good ’56 Chevy can take time, as it’s one of the most sought-after American classics. Online sites bring cars from all over, but checking locally for hidden gems can pay off. Joining Chevy clubs opens access to private sales. Expect to pay $20K to $60K for a #1 quality ’56 in Concours condition.
Maintaining and Enjoying a ’56 Chevy
Parts availability for these cars is excellent through suppliers like NPD and Danchuk. Original engines can be rebuilt and modified to any power level. Stainless steel exhaust systems maintain that signature ’50s rumble. Keeping the Bel Air factory-correct takes dedication but the results are rewarding. On the road, these cars attract crowds and thumbs up everywhere – the ultimate cruiser.
The 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air stands tall among the most celebrated cars of the 1950s, and of all time. Its elegant bodywork, game-changing V8 performance, and embodiment of the era’s optimism made it an instant hit that only grew in stature over the decades. The ’56 Chevy shaped not only the auto world to come, but whole generations’ dreams of the magic of driving. For these reasons, the Bel Air remains an invaluable part of our automotive heritage.
