Lomita, California is the location of this 1956 Chevrolet 210 Delray Coupe – not Delray Beach, Florida, its namesake. This looks like a fantastic project or just a driver car for someone. It can be found on Craigslist or here on the CL archive with an asking price of $25,000. Thanks to Michael for this hot tip!
Being a huge fan of the 1955 and 1956 tri-five Chevys this one is pretty appealing to me. Not that there’s anything wrong with the ’57s at all, I just prefer the two previous, simpler models. The Chevy 210 series included a trim level, the Delray, on its two-door models starting in 1954. The seller thinks that this may be the original “Crocus Yellow” paint but you can see the RF fender has been painted at some point. They mention that they’re “not sure if paint is original since there is paint on the body tag – not sure if those tags got painted originally or not.”
This is a great looking car! Just over 56,000 Chevrolet 210 Delray club coupes were made in 1956. The seller says that this was their grandfather’s car and he owned it for at least 50 years and kept it all original. Yes, the wheel covers are there even though they aren’t shown on the car. There are several underside photos, kudos to the seller for including those! There is a lot of surface rust underneath but only a personal inspection will tell the full tale on the structural condition. It appears to be solid.
The interior looks almost perfect, this can’t be original, can it be? The headliner looks brand new but the stitching on the seats looks too new to be 62 years old to me. The trunk looks good and it seems to have about the right amount of color compared to the faded exterior paint to suggest that this could be the car’s original paint?
This is Chevy’s 265 cubic-inch V8, the biggest engine available in this model. It would have had between 162 hp and 225 hp depending on the carburetor, or carburetors. I’m assuming that this engine sports a 2-barrel carb. This car has new tires and a new battery and it looks like a great weekend project to me. Can you tell whether it’s wearing its original paint by looking at these photos? How about the price?
Beautiful car.
It looks mint green to me by the jamb photos but the light could be deceiving.
Hopefully left as is or returned to stock.
This is my favorite of the Tri-Fives. Chevy seemed to get the right combination before the tail fins got too big. This is a nice unit, however, I would have a problem justifying the asking price. Having an original ‘49 Chevy, and knowing others with originals, this guy is a little on the high side. But then, it’s easier to come down than to go up. Maybe if my bankroll was a little more substantial my opinion would change and this car would be heading for my place….
Good luck
I prefer the 55, & 56 over the 57. This one is a great color, and I’d enjoy having it in my garage. $25k is a bit too steep for my bank account. Hopefully this one gets only what’s necessary to keep her going strong, and not restored to a trailer queen status.
Frame on the driver side mid to axle look suspect. I wonder if Grandpa is cold yet? New battery and tires? Check. Rube with 25K…..
The advertisement says it was built on Oakland Ca. but, the Vin. number says it was built in Los Angeles. I don’t think that has much to do with the car, just pointing it out. The stamp looks a bit funny from the others I’ve seen.
The price is about 10K too heavy in my opinion but, you never know.
jw454, you are correct, the price is a little heavy. If it was completed, painted, done, done, it might reach $25000.00.
Dad had one of these and I prefer the 56 to the 55 & 57, just seems Chevy got it perfect for that year. Nice car but to steep on the asking price.
25K if it was in SHOW condition, but it’s only worth $10-11K at the current state…
I can finally say that the prices at Barrett Jackson aren’t so bad if this guy really gets $25k for this car. A nice resto original or lightly modified with a updated drive train might fetch $25-$30k. This is about a $12-$15k car. Looks like a great start for doing up but at $25k where do you go with this. Nice solid car though
I think the ad says it spent its life in Oakland. The car I mean . So to join the Internet Car Detective Association I’ll posit that it is unusual for the interior to be so clean and the exterior to be so sun baked. On the other hand, being in Oakland with rain and the usual street detritus and water the frame looks about right for a car that was used as it was intended.
Even though it was his Grandpa’s car and I get the attachment, it doesn’t translate for me pricewise. Having bought one of these for 250 bucks once I am the last person to ask. I would pay 8 K for it and even at that I’m wincing. It’s a post and even with a bigger engine than some I just don’t see it. Now maybe if it was completely restored…..and I had been drinking…. 25K.
Still great to see a survivor
The condition of the paint Does not matter to me because if it were mine I’d repaint it anyway ( same colour ) as for the seat if they’re recovered then so much the better then I wouldn’t have to do it. I find it sad that the grand son/ daughter are not interested in keeping and enjoying grandpa’s old car. People don’t seam as sentimental these days as they once were maybe because our modern world is so geared toward deposing of everything that is more than five years old, electronics two years old. The world is a changing place and nothing last forever.
Totally agree with all the comments, I love the car and I was surprised that it was a v-8, auto, love the 210 and del ray trim. I think it is a little too much money, for this car. If you did a nice job of freshing it up, you would be upside down and if you had a few surprises, you would be buried, looking at the current values. I agree, relatives don’t have much sentiment, but they always think its worth a ton of money.
Yes, my dad had a black 56 like this in about 1974 for a short time,
it was really in nice clean shape,but no eng/trans.Even @ 6years old I”wanted”
it,…of coarse he sold it not long later,probably dirt cheap.Ever since that time
I’ve always had a soft spot for 56 chevys….although I still see too many tri fives sometimes…lol..
My dad had one of these in black also, but with 6 cylinder & 3 on the tree. He sold it in 1968 for 50 bucks. We lived in Houston at the time & he says it was already full of rust.
maybe 9k tops
All respect to grandpa, perhaps if this car was belair coup and asking price lower, as a ’57 man I could possibly find the argument to purchase.
Being pretty much complete and original it would be nice to restore it to stock. Body looks solid and still has original door panels and seat material. I do also think the price is high but you never know how bad someone wants one.
If you look closely at the actual CL add. You will see a split on the passenger side of the seat. I am thinking it is the original paint give or take some touch up. No I haven’t gone to check out the Body tag clearly pictured to derive the exact data available. It is a nice car and I actually prefer them in this exact condition. Just not at double the price of what it should bring. But hey maybe he will find a high rolling sucker that will give him that much. It won’t be me though.
Wow, I would want to own and pamper this DelRay. But, 25K puts it out of this retired man’s reach. Nice daily driver!
1956 chevy was my first car,,, he is at 25k, i would be at 10K, cast iron powerglides were junk, but then i took mine up to 80mph regularly in 1st gear :)
Nice 56. Great car for an all stock redo. Might work at ‘$10 – $12000. Had a 55 – 210 post in high school ( 1964 ) black w/ blue interior . Miss it.
56 post car has always been my favorite, with 55 a close second. Never cared for the 57, it was just too over the top. As different as the 58 was, I prefer it over the 57.
I like this car, but at half the price. Maybe it is worth it, but except for high end restorations or reatomods, I have been seeing these going down the last few years. My father in law sold his 55 Belair couple years ago, a nice older restoration completed in the 80’s, but needed some work on the paint & chrome. Not original drivetrain, had a 350 & th350. He was happy to get $9,000 for it.
Hi,
I am the new proud owner of this timecapsule
The odometer is only 48123 miles since new and is correct when i check all the paper history in the glovebox !!
The Chevy has a new home now in Southern Sweden, I can just tell everybody
this car is 100% solid and rustfree with a lovely history.
Is a true 210 Delray painted in 695A Crocus Yellow from factory just some overspray on right frontfender.Has been garaged since 2002 , all windows and the padded dash looks like brandnew without scratches.
Engine and transmission runs like a new car and doors closed like a Mercedes.
I am realy happy with this unrestored Classic and
I have put on dogdish hubcaps and 7.10×15 Firestone byplas tires for a correct look.
Best Regards from Sweden !!
// Anders“Nisse“ Nilsson
Congratulations!! Be sure and post some pictures! 🙂