What are the trouble areas to look for on them particularly for rust and are there any other things to look for on them it's a 56 if it matters.
Rust on the body mount supports, around the rear trunk pan. Floor pans, lift carpet and check. See if the fender eyebrows ar full of bondo. Just my experience with these cars.
I've bought and sold a few. the beauty to these cars is everything is reproduced and is easy to find (used for the most part). Try finding parts for a 59 pontiac!!! If the price is cheap then some rust is allowable. Remember these cars are over 50 years old. I've been told and seen eyebrow fender rust is more common on 55, 56 and less on 57's. Its one thing to fix the fenders and a body support but when you have rust in the all the floors, roof drip rails you got your work cut out for you. guys up north sigh at what we call rust down here. I'm actually going after this 4 door this wk end. All OG 265, fairly clean western KS car. The more I look at it the more I think its too nice to part out.
Definitely these, the body mounts between the inner rockers and floor pans are the worst. The trunk pan area that gets bad is where the pan meets the rear wheel tubs, Tri-5 guys call that the "ring of death". Eyebrow rot is usually 55-56 more than '57 Another spot to check is the panel below the trunklid by the rear bumper. That likes to fill up with leaves and rot out. Other things to look for are front seat frames for the 2 door models (they're extremely expensive to replace. It's a valuable resale part if you're not going to use it) and take a close look at the drip rails, some get rotten there as well, especially station wagons, and it's an exceptionally hard spot to repair.
Look and see if it says Chevrolet anywhere on it. If it does, move on until you find one that says Ford...
take your old clothes and crawl underneath the car. watch out for recent bedliner material or undercoatings. Seen more than once where they just covered half ***ed floor/trunk pan fixes
Look for rust/bubbling of paint at bottom of front fenders and around rear fender well lip, especially at the bottom. Open the trunk, and look for cracks where the shocks go through the trunk floor and is fastened. This area is prone to cracking and causing the floor to flex there. Check the rain gutter for rust. A thin credit card size magnet advertisers use works great for finding rust and body damage. Lift carpet around the shifter and look for tunnel damage due to many holes cut in the floor for different floor shifters.
And watch for torn rear crossmembers on the farm 55 chevy cars from where the chain was hooked to pull start the ford wheat trucks .
Rodents like to get in the head liner and build nests. So look real good around the drip moldings, and the C pillar.
I got a 55 4dr western ks farm special. Has over load springs and all. This one you can see the red on the floor pans! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7833212
I would second several of the opinions above regarding the floors. If I did another one, I would go one of two ways. 1. Super cheap starting point and just plan ahead on a new floor, tail pan, rockers, front fenders and go. The new floor can be had complete with braces and is a pretty cool way to go. 2. OR... Make sure that the floor in particular is in good condition including frame mounts between the frame and steel floor. Try to find one that is in excellent mostly rust free condition and most of the rest of the car will be the same. Of course it is gonna cost you a BUNCH more money.
Along with what's already been said, I'd add to be sure and look at the rear shock-to-body mounts; they are frequently torn out as it was a poor design (especially if air shocks were ever used). The other is the VIN tag; the tag is stainless steel, the body steel, and the tag is spot welded on in 2 places. Those welds, due to dissimilar metals, rust/break loose, and there goes your VIN tag. The good thing about the tri-five Chevrolets: EVERYTHING is made repop, and you can virtually build a car just from available new parts. Butch/56sedandelivery.
Almost all great comments except a few Ford notes. But they sometimes get jealous. Another thing is there is a 1/4 rubber tube each side of windshield and rear window for water to drain. These are brittle and rotten which lets water on floor near front kick panels and under the trunk front area. Often causing small rusted out areas making the Chevy almost look like a Ford if bad enough. The good thing is almost every part can be replaced with a new patch panel.
That's easy. But I've had this damned 57 for ten years and still can't figure out how to put fuel in it!
Yep thats why I had to settle on 55's years back. I see where aftermarket guys selling everything you need to convert a 55 to be like the 56..
That's my favorite thing about the 56's, the taillight filler, but there's kits to convert 55's to that style, as mentioned. Also correct me if I'm wrong guys, but aren't there kits to convert 4 doors to 2 doors? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Didn't see it listed so here goes. The rear wheel well area has a rubber seal from the factory that for obvious reasons, hold everything and then rots. If you see a 1/2 circle on the 1/4 panels above the tires, that's a problem waiting to rust through.
The pillar doglegs at the back lower ends of the windshield tend to be rotten as well. It isn't so much the rain gutters themselves that rot out but rather the roof just above them an inch or so and under them. So much is available and there are so many parts cars in the world it would be difficult NOT to find a repair part for a Tri-5 Chevy car.
That's why my 55 wagon now looks a little like Nomad. The Illinois salt started radiusing the openings so I finished them. As for the fuel filler in the lite my wagon had a plug where the back up light bulb should have been. Most people don't realize back up lights were an accessory on old cars. I added another double filiment socket so now have two brake/tail/blinkers on each side behind Buick lenses. Much like the accessory Lee lenses. Brighter and looks nice. Add to that 87 Ford ****** third brake light above drip rail and most people actually know I'm stopping. I drove a truck in midwest and even Chicago. But ain't never seen how crazy people drive till moving to Florida
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