HomePick of the DayPick of the Day: 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air that pays homage to...

Pick of the Day: 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air that pays homage to Elvis Presley

Resto-mod hardtop wears older restoration that still looks great

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Tri-Five Chevys are iconic representations of peak Americana – reflections of performance, nostalgia and mid-century culture.  Beginning in model year 1955, the redesign of full-size Chevrolet cars brought about a new look with flatter panels, wrap-around glass and multiple body styles.  

The Pick of the Day is a restored two-door 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air hardtop listed on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Hueytown, Alabama.

Not only does this Bel Air exude all the beloved 1950s design language, it also pays homage to music legend Elvis Presley with custom floor mats.  The Chevrolet’s interior is dressed with colorful graphic mats both front and rear with the design of Presley’s signature and silhouette. 

The Bel Air was produced around the time that Presley made his first recordings, and 1956 was when he made his first national TV appearances while recording in Nashville with RCA Victor.  Thus, it makes sense that this ’56 Chevrolet pay tribute.

The Chevrolet has been owned by the seller for over 50 years and was restored in the early 1990s.  

 “This car had very minimal rust when it was restored,” the seller says in the ad.  “The car has been in the rain one time since restored.” 

For being a 30-year-old restoration, the Chevrolet’s current state of preservation looks very good.  Brightwork consists of the original bumpers that were re-chromed, and the car retains its original taillight housings.

Details continue to the Chevrolet’s red interior, where the hardtop came factory-equipped with headliner trim and plush carpeting as part of top-trim Bel Air packaging.  The cloth benches are further accented by generous chrome accent trim, a custom steering wheel, some auxiliary gauges, a Vintage Air HVAC system, and a newer, retro-look AM/FM cassette radio.

The mid-1950s were a heyday for Chevrolet sales, largely thanks to the introduction of a 265cid OHV V8 motor that cranked out 162 horsepower, impressive for its time.  This Bel Air moves under the power of a modern replacement performance-oriented drivetrain. 

chevrolet

“It has a rebuilt 350 engine bored 30 over,” the ad says “Just installed a brand-new gas tank, sending unit, fuel filler neck and fuel line.” 

A Muncie 4-speed manual transmission puts the torque to the ground via a new set of Mickey Thompson white-letter tires on chrome wheels.

The seller is asking $56,000 for this Chevrolet, which could appeal just as much to a Tri-Five collector as an Elvis Presley collector.  One might consider a set of blue suede shoes and a driving soundtrack of “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” to really set the mood.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Tyson Hugie
Tyson Hugie
Tyson Hugie is a Phoenix-based automotive enthusiast who has been writing for The Journal since 2016. His favorite automotive niche is 1980s and 1990s Japanese cars, and he is a self-diagnosed “Acura addict” since he owns a collection of Honda and Acura cars from that era. Tyson can usually be found on weekends tinkering on restoration projects, attending car shows, or enjoying the open road. He publishes videos each week to his YouTube channel and is also a contributing author to Arizona Driver Magazine, KSLCars.com, NSX Driver Magazine, and other automotive publications. His pride and joy is a 1994 Acura Legend LS coupe with nearly 600,000 miles on the odometer, but he loves anything on four wheels and would someday like to own a 1950 Buick Special like his late grandfather’s.

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