Change Gallery : Change Vehicle

Allow us to introduce you to Virginia.

This is going to be a nice car when it is completed!

Virginia is a Southern U.S. 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Sedan that has its original 235 straight six cylinder motor and "three on the tree" transmission.

It will be receiving a complete "Ground Up / Frame Off" Rotisserie Restoration and some key upgrades will be added.

This Bel Air sedan is being built for a special upcoming wedding!

We started by performing a compression test on the engine. The carb was leaking fuel and required to be rebuilt. After rebuilding the carb, we re installed it on the intake.

It ran decent and we set the idle.

We began the dis assembly of the car, beginning with the chrome trim, bumpers, fenders, hood and all exterior panels.

All of the glass was removed. The fluids were drained and the motor and transmission were pulled from the car.

Everything that was attached between the body and chassis was unhooked and removed. All of the body mount bolts were removed and the body was carefully lifted from the frame.

The frame was attached to a custom rotisserie that we made and was degreased and scraped to prepare it for media blasting. After the frame was blasted, we welded a few areas where rust had eaten into a couple of brackets areas. After the welds were ground smooth, the complete frame was prepared for a special black two part epoxy paint.

The complete frame received two coats of black epoxy paint and all four "roller wheels" were re installed on the frame.

The body was attached to another rotisserie we made for Virginia's body shell. Many years of road grime and heavy brushed on undercoating was removed from the complete underside to prepare it for media blasting.

The complete body was media blasted which exposed all of the nasty improper repairs over the years. Chunks of fiberglass matting were covering a large amount of structural sections and many areas of the floor.

With all of the "nasty stuff" removed, the fabrication step is next.

The complete body was supported with cross bracing to ensure proper fitment of all panels later in the build.

With the body properly supported, the driver's side floor was removed first. The replacement (factory correct floor pan) was dry fitted and adjustments made before it was welded into the car.

Next was the passenger side floor which was carefully removed and the new pan was also fitted, adjusted and welded into its proper location.

The next task will be the drilling out all of the factory spot welds on the passenger side rocker panel before it can be removed and a new replacement rocker panel will be fitted next.

Stay tuned as this build continues.....

You are viewing the 1956 CHEVY BEL AIR in current projects.