With 19 models in the Chevrolet line-up for 1956, it’s no wonder people get them confused. This car’s seller properly identified it as a 210 with the Delray package. The 1956 Chevrolet 210 Delray Club Coupe in Valley, Alabama recently emerged from a “real” barn where it languished since the late ’80s. The listing here on eBay suggests a better find than the first impression suggests. Like many “Tri-Five” (1955, ’56, and ’57) Chevrolets, this one became a “hot rod” with a 1965 Chevy 327 that actually runs and “sounds good and strong.” At least five bidders have raised the value of this discarded Delray above $3500, with no one yet pulling the trigger on the $6100 Buy It Now option. Thanks to reader Larry D. for spotting this Cotton State classic.
Barn storage seems to have preserved the 327 with less rust than we usually see on a ride stashed since the ’80s. With a mild cam, headers, and other upgrades, the 5.4L small-block should make for plenty of fun in this Delray. A TH350 three-speed automatic transmission handles the gear changes.
Despite their status as the only shiny objects in sight, the Draglite wheels date to this Chevy’s pre-barn days, as do the tires, one of many reasons to forget about showing up with a battery and a gas can and driving this ’56 home. Items like tail lights and stainless side trim have been removed but come with the sale.
The dash sports Bel Air trim. Floor holes were patched with 1/4″ steel plate in case your neighborhood is seeded with anti-tank mines. A Thunderbird-style seat makes a popular choice for hot rods today just as it did in the ’70s and ’80s. The seller has the brakes working, but bring a trailer for this one. The tide of Tri-Five Chevy prices has largely gone out to sea, but they still represent a rolling nod to a glorious age of American optimism. How would you hop up this barn-find Delray?
This ’56 is not bad for the money. Will he get his $6100? Maybe but this drive is a bit of distance for me or else it would be in my driveway!
Great write up Todd. A fascinating period Hot Rod that someone clearly had fun building. Makes me want to know the whole backstory of this car.
Backstory; The original color, White, as evidenced on the interior trunk
lid photo, and the conversion to the Bel Air dash….yes, I believe I owned this
car in 1968 when it was running the 265 c.i. V-8 and an overhauled Powerglide transmission I had installed in it. This was on the central Coast of California, I see it made its way to Alabama with some modifications along the way.
If this is the car you owned, it has been across the country and back. The provide VIN indicates the car was assembled in Atlanta.
Curiosity about the vin posted on ebay… the “b” indicates a 210 model, which is correct for a ‘del ray’, and the “a” indicates Atlanta, as you have noted. But, missing is the “V” at the beginning of the sequence. If the seller posted this correctly, the missing “V” indicates the car was originally a six cylinder (according to my source).
I believe the upgraded dashboard trim was part of the Delray package. The interior is what makes a Delray special, but except for the dashboard trim, it’s long gone.
Besides the notes above, I would suggest to Todd (or the ‘writers’) to think about the term ‘Club Coupe’. As far as I am aware, I don’t believe any of the Del Ray’s were ‘club coupes’. I also don’t think Chevy offered ‘club coupes’ in 55-57, although I could be corrected on that point. In any event, I’m a 56-nut, have owned one since new, and can relate to this car. Just not for me.
Hello bobH. Often when I include details in these articles I put the reference in as a link. In this case the words “Club Coupe” are bold dark red because they link to the page that shows the 1956 Chevy Brochure page depicting the Club Coupe (having a “post” or B pillar). So as a Public Service Announcement, you can click on all the dark bold red passages for either validation or more information about that topic. Thanks for asking!
Hi Todd…. Thank you. That reference material indeed says ‘club coupe’. I find it interesting that the same body style as a Bel Air, or a one-fifty, or a one-fifty unility, is called a 2-door sedan. And only as a delray, is it a ‘club coupe’. Thanks for the enlightenment.
An Aunt of my Dad bought one new. We always loved the car, green in and out and nice vinyl interior. What made it special was the ENGINE 265 BL.
Always a neat car to drive, Unfortunately she didn’t quit driving soon enough and it was totaled. In the mid seventies it would have cost a fortune to restore; finding sheet metal pounding a couple dents, paint of course. Biggest issue was a bent frame. It ended as a parts car.
In 1970, a year after returning from Vietnam, I was living in San Francisco and heard about a 1956 Chevy 2 door that was for sale. I located the car and knew immediately that I had to make an offer. It wasn’t just the run-of-the-mill Chevy.
It was a DelRey with black & white seats, Power-Pack 4bbl 265, Powerglide, dealer installed AC, power windows, & I think seat, wonder-bar radio, and a one-owner car. Oh! and a dealer installed continental kit. It was medium brown. I think I paid $750.00 for it. Regretfully I took off the continental kit & covered the holes in the trunk with the stock license plate holder. The car had black California plates but it was when California was switching to yellow ones so I took them off. To make matters worse, I had the car painted lime green!
I have probably owned over 125+ cars since. How about the one school-teacher owned black ‘51 Mercury 2 door still like new for $200.00. There were more. Living in California.
Delray was a vinyl interior. It kills me that wheels are put on before all the fun rust is done. Maybe they were laying around….I’d put in an interior depending on what media blasting leaves as a body.
Is the car sold, if not send me your phone number.