By 1956, the changes wrought by the “shoebox Chevrolet” restyling had become part of the USA-1 legend, and these cars have been the basis for Rodding projects for well over a half-century now. In two-door form, Tri-Five Chevrolets are often considered the cars that represented the 1950s. You will not need to go back that far to appreciate this 1956 210 series hardtop, however, as this frame-off custom build features a number of modern upgrades that will make it truly enjoyable. Changes to this classic design begin under the hood with an engine and intake built by Street & Performance of Mena, Arkansas. The highly detailed 5.7L LS1 V-8 engine is complete with fuel injection, custom engine covers, polished components, upgraded cooling accessories, header-fed dual exhaust and a smoothed firewall for a clean installation. It is backed by an automatic transmission, and the 210 rides on 4-wheel independent suspension with tubular front and rear control arms and coilover shocks. Of course, the first thing you notice when looking at this car is the hot red exterior, which is complemented solely by the factory chrome side trim, flight-type hood ornament, bumpers with premium guards and grille. The period-era Bowtie emblem and V-trim are in place on both the hood and decklid. Its beautiful appearance is further augmented once opening the doors, which reveals a custom beige-tone leather interior by Kasper of Waterford, Wisconsin, featuring plush front and rear bucket seats, Vintage Air climate controls, a white-faced dash cluster with an in- dash clock, Pioneer AM/FM radio, a leather-wrapped billet steering wheel on a tilt column, and billet aluminum dash vents, pedals, door handles, interior accents and shifter. A custom full-length center console with recessed lighting, matched door panels, seat belts and power windows are also part of the layout here, and even the trunk features custom upholstery and carpet. This car rides on polished Billet Specialties alloy wheels with modern-profile BF Goodrich g-Force T/A tires, with 4-wheel disc brakes providing stopping power. Rodding today takes on many forms, but refined buyers like the idea of modern comfort as well as horsepower. Blended seamlessly in many ways and with only 3,400 miles on the odometer since the completion of its build, this 1956 Chevrolet 210 is an automotive work of art, sure to be treasured by its new owner.
