Page 3 of 12
Re: 1956 Chevrolet 210
Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:25 pm
by koala27
PhilA wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 6:31 pm
They do like to rust. Seems to depend heavily upon the environment though- I've seen them rotten from the top down (like yours) or from the bottom up (more common up north) mostly because there was absolutely zero rust protection on the inside edges of the panels. If GM didn't have to put paint on a part, guess what.. they didn't.
Funny to think this was the next step on in chassis development from mine- nothing groundbreaking and people call the trichev lineup "a series of very average vehicles", but there's a certain something about a very average vehicle that they got the styling just right on...
Phil
I'd agree on all that Phil. My 55 was an import from NY state so it was a "bottom up" ruster. Mind you by the time I got it (late 70s) the rot had reached the top of the wings/fenders (!).
As for the reason for the popularity of the Trichevs you're right, the chassis is no great leap forward. I think the fact that the styling was a dramatic (by Chevy standards) change plus the introduction of the small block V8 made all the difference.
Re: 1956 Chevrolet 210
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 7:13 am
by AMCrebel
Hooli wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:02 pm
Is this the one I remember having a straight six lump rather than the V8 I'd expect?
It was originally a straight six with 3 speed manual transmission. At some stage it’s been fitted with a 283 V8 and auto from a 1960s Chevy possibly a truck.
Re: 1956 Chevrolet 210
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 9:20 am
by AMCrebel
Pretty sure there is a Pontiac that uses the same centre body section as mine - I have seen one (forgotten the name of it) - I imagine the chassis is the same too, but ahead of the A post and after the back window are different as well as the dash of course.
Re: 1956 Chevrolet 210
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 1:22 pm
by mercrocker
Contemporary Pontiac lines with the tri-Chevy were the Chieftain and Star Chief. I've always understood the centre pressings to be as per Chevy, too.
Re: 1956 Chevrolet 210
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 4:56 am
by PhilA
Yeah, GM liked to share the mid sections of their vehicles, fitting different outer panels (wings, hood, door skins, rear quarters, trunk lid) to make a "new" vehicle, with the same frame under them all.
That was about the only way they could do annual tooling and not bankrupt themselves.
Phil
Re: 1956 Chevrolet 210
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:08 am
by mercrocker
Not to mention having 5 distinct brand lines - although of course they didn't all share major pressings. Complete annual make-overs kind of petered out after the peak of the late fifties and it's quite interesting (to me anyway) the underlying commonality between outwardly different makes and years.
Re: 1956 Chevrolet 210
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:13 am
by treehugger
The star chief! Now theres a motor.
Re: 1956 Chevrolet 210
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:18 am
by AMCrebel
Was Pontiac a more upmarket brand?
They seemed to offer bigger engines and better transmissions than the equivalent Chevy?
Back to mine - I bought the wrong model, panels are available for all the other models - even a rebody option, but almost nothing for the 4 door hardtop.
Re: 1956 Chevrolet 210
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:26 am
by LynehamHerc
Which presumably makes it more valuable?
Re: 1956 Chevrolet 210
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:28 am
by Hooli
chadders wrote: ↑Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:26 am
Which presumably makes it more expensive to restore & less valuable?
FTFY