Chevrolet redesigned its cars in 1955 and they met with tremendous success. Over the next three years, Chevy would produce nearly five million of the so-called “Tri-Fives” which are still in demand today with collectors. This 1956 edition, the mid-range 210, looks good for its age and has a six-banger and a “3-on-the-tree” for your motoring pleasure. Located in Fort Collins, Colorado, this nice auto is available through an estate sale here on eBay. The bidding has leveled off at $17,000.
In 1956, if you were on a budget and wanted a new Chevrolet, you purchased a 150. If your funds weren’t constrained, you opted for the top-end Bel Air. But the Average Joe may have split the difference and brought home the mid-level 210. These two models got their names from shortening their production series numbers (1500 or 2100) by one digit (was this laziness or marketing genius?). This 2-door sedan version of the 210 was quite popular, selling more than 206,000 in the middle year of the Tri-Fives. Other than two-tone paint (India Ivory/Nassau Blue?), this sedan likely didn’t have many options.
As the story goes, this is a single-family-owned auto, purchased new in 1956. The original owner’s name is still on the title along with that of the son who inherited the car when it was 50 years old. We assume the son has also passed on as the automobile is being sold by an estate sales company. It received some new paint and bodywork a few years back which is described as an “amateur” job, but does that mean it’s ready to be redone? It looks fine unless perfection is your goal.
Pop the hood and you’ll find Chevy’s base engine, a 235 cubic inch inline-6 (not the 265 V8 which was new in 1955). In order to drive the car, you’ll need to know how to work a column-shifted manual transmission (it may never get stolen by one of today’s youth!). We’re told the car runs great even though the machine is almost at 100,000 miles on the odometer. The interior is partly original, but the seats look to have been recovered in more recent fabrics and the carpeting is worn out. Here’s a video for your perusal from Facebook.
My father bought a new Chevy every year in the ’50s. Two-doors until 1959. His concession to “child safety.” I would have loved this when I was in high school.
This car is begging to be a restomod, but I’d restore it and leave it stock.
Tri-Fives this nice have gotten hard to find in unrestored form.
Okay then, let’s have some fun, instead of my sappy old dusty memories nobody cares about( still great therapy and cheaper too) but here you have 2 Tri-5 2 doors, eguipped differently, oddly the same colors,,but a great opportunity to hear, what you liked better, and why. Since I always thought the ’57, while technically still a Tri-5, doesn’t qualify, it’s between the ’55 or the ’56.
Personally, I liked the ’56. The angled headlights and the tail lights, the ’55 just didn’t have the zing. The ’55 front still looked a bit old fashioned. I knew way more ’56 hot rods than ’55s, despite what Hollywood may have depicted( 2 Lane Blacktop) We can arg,,oops, I mean, DISCUSS what will happen to these until the cows come home( that dates me, as cows don’t leave the barn ever, anymore), but regardless , both fantastic finds.
So,,whatchutink, ’55 or ’56?
Cool solid car.Go thru it to make sure everything is mechanically in order and cruise it.My buddy had a 55 with a 6 stick about 15 20 years ago and it was a hoot to drive .Hope it doesn’t get resto modded.glwts.
Really. I get the appeal of SBC power…but a time machine like this, you’re not going to do burnouts with. Not unless you’re willing to risk your $40k investment and fight with your classic-car insurance company for ten years over reimbursement after a crash caused by silly driving.
Cruising, is what these cars are for, now. And that’s easy to do with a torque-rich six and three-onna-tree.
Mashing the pedal and hearing tires break free, is an alluring experience. It can still be had, even with some modern (and replaceable) cars.
Ah, I bought a 56 back when I was teaching school (1973) from a woman who kept it in the garage for about 10 years (only taking it out once a year to get a new inspection sticker on it. She sold it to me for $500 and my girls both loved it… we used to drive across the Red River to pick potatoes in the Oklahoma red dirt.. Wish I still had that car… my girls come to visit me about 4 times a year.
My father bought a green and white one of these in `56, – at 43, his first new car. Ours had an automatic, his first, but it didn’t have a radio. My mom died a couple of years later and he and I drove from CT to Miami in late July of that year – old Rt 1 all the way (no I95 back then). No radio and, of course, no A/C – it was a long ride!
Had a 56 2 door 6 cyl 3 speed I used to drag race. Back in the late 1960’s. Corvette 6 camshaft , Hurst floor shifter, 4.56 rear, headers.Large jet in the 1 barrel carb. Traction bars.Had different ratio transmissions for different tracks. JC Penny 14 inch slicks. Narrow 15’s on the front. Ran in the stock class. Would even beat some of the V-8’s.Undefeated for 2 years until got beat by an Olds. So, I bought an Oldsmobile. Did a lot of experimenting with that Chev, including a fuel line cooler, an ice cooler around the intake, water would drip on the headers and evaporate so it didn’t go on the track. Raising the rear of the hood up a couple of inches to let hot air out was good for 2/10ths
that 6 in 1956 was a great engine in highschool has a two tone blue 1956 bel aire convertible 6 cyl power glide great car pinstripe it put 1959 caddy bullets taillights on it sold it for $350 in 1963
Great story
My 16 year old pals mom let him drive her ‘56 210 with v8 and powerglide. We were thrilled when he floored it and peeled out! Tires, we’re smoking.
Any idea what the word “punctuation might mean ?
“punctuation” ?
This car is a steal at 17 K ,but no doubt it will go much higher. It would be a must to put the Del Ray interior back, which would be pricey but well worth it.
From there it would be assume and unless you really did something really stupid, you would have a great car.
Drive this to the car club any time
I had a 56 Bel Air 2 door post in high school ,it was a 265 with a 3 speed that found its way to the floor,before I bought it.Jade green and bright white. Traded it for my 57 Ford conv.500 dollar value back then and drove all through high school.When I got it the engine was a fresh rebuild and never started.We pulled home and on the way Dad had me let the clutch out in 2nd gear,it popped and banged.So got home and Dad turned the disturber half a turn and it started right up.
I too am a 56 model. My carpet is worn out also. But, Lord knows, I try to present as good as this car on most days! Nice write-up.
This car is great.you can drive this car and make a ton of memories! Perfect.punctuation? Yeah give me a break.
A great feature of the 210 is the placement of the trim. It lends itself to a four color paint scheme. My uncle’s parents had one in creme, coral, black and grey. People were constantly wanting to buy it.
Miss my 55 ragtop. Would love to score another I could afford. Love the 265, but probably put a 4bbl carb set up and if possible either a six speed tranny. with a 2 speed rear axel to get better economy. I’d add bucket seats in the front or shorten the width of the bench seat. I’d add 60 Lincoln quad head light and 60 Chrysler V shaped tail lights Custom paint and Continental Kit with Nerf Bumpers and finish off with custom wire wheel kit. Paint Sky blue metallic and white for a show stopping custom ride.
Three on the tree is a great theft prevention system.
Amazing, even some older people I know have no clue how to drive a three on the tree.
I am old, 80. When I was young we didn’t even call it 3 on the tree. It was just a standard 3 speed or later a 3 speed on the column. Or even just a stick shift, it was a given that it was a 3 speed. and on the column. With the new cars in the 60’s came the 4 speeds on the floor and some 3 speeds on the floor that hadn’t been around since the 1930’s
first being 80 is not old can’t be I’m 78 and I’m not old lol but other than that I agree with you on 3 speed was just a stick shift
I’m 80 also.I agree.Father never had automatic till 57 Desoto.He had a bunch of Plymouths with stick shifts.
Al I like your attitude and I agree. But sometimes when you read the kids comments and you realize they are just repeating things they heard and they weren’t their. That’s when you feel your age. Or worse when they start explaining things (HIGH TECH) which are just as hard for me to understand, and I am here!
they are good memories aren’t they both my 1956 and,1958 Chevys had vacuum windshield wipers remember them I lived on top of a hill and in 2nd gear pedal to the metal wipers would stop
My parents had the identical car in1956.
Unfortunately, it had serious rust problems. They traded it for a 1960 Biscayne 2 door.