Projects The 56 Chevy Continued Adventure Build

Check out DD Speedshop on YouTube. He is a Winnipeg fellow that has converted 3 trifives fordors to Tudors in the last couple years. They are not concours but good drivers. He is currently piecing together a 55 Nomad that most people wouldn't consider 300 ft yard art. He started it a couple months ago, has put a whole new floor on, quarters, a better frame, made up a drivers door and put an engine in it. He took it for his first run today. He has done more cars in a couple years in his tight single car garage than many in a life time. I watched a slew of his videos in the last couple days. He has unique ways and gets it done.

 

Yes I have seen his vids and I am doing the same rear door skin technique as he has. Seems to be a big hit on Youtube

 

I'm planning on doing the floorpan swap the way he did his.

 

A little Saturday night metal fab with my son.We fabbed up the first inner rocker. Cut out the piece and then started the fold with the tipping die on the bead roller then finished off on the workbench. Will test fit today and get a look at it. Purposely made it a little longer so we can trim it up into place.

 

On another note, I am going cross eyed looking at pics of tri fives online to try and narrow down the decision on colour for the car. On one hand it can be an easy choice on the other it's so hard. There are a bunch of single colour cars I have seen online that I really like especially with the 150 trim but then I think the car has to be 2 tone. post up pics of tri fives that really stand out look wise for you guys. Maybe I can narrow this thing down!

 

Looking very good! No bracing before cutting out the rocker? I’ve seen the orange/cream combo which looks great. By the way your “KMS” is showing...LOL

 

Whole bunch of them in here. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tri-five-chevys-lets-see-em.206159/

 

Great build, family history with the car, love the frame even though it won't be covered here, understand time = money factor.

I like the look of 56's with quarter window to side trim deleted. Here's a 150 and 210.
I know that piece of trim is iconic to 56's but it's so clean with it gone.

 

Think I found the winner colour wise. i have seen this car online a few times and just finished reading the article South City Rod & Custom did on the build. That anniversary gold is killer with the body lines of the tri five! They did an unbelievable job on this build. Love everything about it.

 

Careful you don’t become a “Gold Chainer”...

 

It's funny how picking a color can be such a tough decision. Considering the cost to final body and paint a car these days you don't want to be standing back thinking "I picked the wrong color!"

 

Finally a day to get in the shop and make some further progress. Brought the young apprentice along and had him getting his hands dirty. Left the cutting to me just to be safe both with fingers and how much cutting to be done. Cut up the toe board a ways as well and will make a patch for that myself. Happy with the test fit so far of the new floor panel. The front portion of the old rocker fought me quite a bit getting it out so wish I would have been a little further along but still making headway.

 

Picked up my engine block from my buddy. Same one I bought my 409 from. he has a bit of a motor fetish and a parts buy and sell gig now that he's retired. It's a 76 standard bore 454. Haven't decided a hundred percent on what combo I am going to go with but likely it will either be a 468 or possibly a 496. Want to have it around the 600hp mark with a nice big cam. Will be a single 4 on a dual plane but we'll stuff it with all the good parts. Have been slowly gathering other parts as well just so I don't have any lag time when I need them. Picked up all the new rearend stuff to build the center section and have all new disc brakes for all four corners. Tremec TKX, clutch etc is next on the list so I will have everything to mock up once the frame arrives. Then I can build exhaust, build brake lines etc.

 

Going to be a MONSTER with that parts list.

 

Following the build, looks like you are off to a great start.
Started driving at 16 legally with a 56 four door

 

Keep moving forward. Got the rest of the old rocker finally ripped out and cut out the rest of the bad along the floor pan. Got the new rocker mocked up. Started making the couple patches needed as well. Need to carve out some time so I can get things pushing forward.

 

Besides electrical picking a colour is the hardest thing to do. Swear to god I was thinking about my ‘56 Meteor. Single tone, two tone, and tri tone choices!!!! At one time I was considering doing like the “Colours of Benetton” VW Golf...each panel was painted a different colour. I figured that when I got tired of one colour I could just look at another panel and then repeat.

I really like blue, my daily is blue, my ‘42 Fargo is blue, my TR6 is blue, my ‘32 will be blue... Makes life easier when you just have to decide on a shade!

 

Always fun to score good deals on parts. Moroso oil pan courtesy of FB marketplace. Brand new never installed!

 

anyone know if they make the 2 door 210 side trim for the door?

 

The car above is a 150, not a 210, although that door molding might be the same for both, not real sure about that.

 

Yes it's reproduced. Same door trim for either 150 or 210. It's Bel Air that is different. Not because there are two running parallel to one another. Bel Air trim is approx. 1/4" narrower.

 

Yes I know, they are the same for either as was stated.

 

Any idea who’s making or where you can order? Looked on Danchuk and a couple other sites but couldn’t find

 

Worse comes to worse, you could combine 2 four door ones together to the right length, stainless weld and polish out. Not like you don't have enough to do!

 

Here's a link to Ol 55/East Coast Chevy in PA
their old school, give em a call, thier catalog is excellent reference material- good luck with the 56!!!
https://www.eastcoastchevy.com/Catalog/CatalogIndex.html

 

Just caught up on your progress last night and comes right after me visiting a buddies shop yesterday that mainly restores 55-57’s. If you can’t find the trim, let me know and I suspect they likely have a source or may even have it all since they have been in the business for about 40 years. They are my other family that I even lived with for a while, so I have an “in”.

Oh, and can’t wait to see how this turns out. I have always been a fan of the 56 Chevy 2-door sedan.

 

https://www.danchuk.com/ItemForm.as...Category=9486f5bf-4a27-45f5-9117-72ccacb4190c

 

Have you checked with the guy in Cherry Creek? I think his name is Frank but that's about all I know.

 

ya I thought of that as well. It's only work right...

 

thanks brother, appreciate the reply.