1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible
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Drop the top, and cruise like a movie star! It sounds like fun. But movie stars live in sunny California -- most of us don't. Convertibles may draw people into showrooms, but sedans take them home. In 1956, only about 2.6 percent of Chevy customers drove home in ragtops. Despite that fact, the carefree appeal of 1950s convertibles has made them a symbol of that era.
Drop the top, and cruise like a movie star! It sounds like fun. But movie stars live in sunny California -- most of us don't. Convertibles may draw people into showrooms, but sedans take them home. In 1956, only about 2.6 percent of Chevy customers drove home in ragtops. Despite that fact, the carefree appeal of 1950s convertibles has made them a symbol of that era.
Artifact
Automobile
Date Made
1956
On Exhibit
at Henry Ford Museum in Driving America
Object ID
83.94.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Montgomery L. Young.
Material
Metal
Vinyl
Rubber (Material)
Glass (Material)
Nylon
Chromium
Color
Turquoise (Color)
Ivory (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 59.1 in
Width: 74 in
Length: 194.5 in
Wheelbase: 115 in
Weight: 3320 lbs
Inscriptions
Trunk: D.B. GRAY / HULL, ILL Right and left sides near rear: Bel Air
Specifications
Make & Model: 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible
Maker: General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Michigan
Engine: V-8, overhead valves, 265 cubic inches
Transmission: 2-speed automatic
Height: 59 inches
Wheelbase: 115 inches
Width: 74 inches
Overall length: 197.5 inches
Weight: 3320 pounds
Horsepower: 205 at 4600 revolutions per minutes
Pounds per horsepower: 14.8
Price: $2,538
Average 1956 wage: $4,342 per year
Time you'd work to buy this car: about 7-1/2 months
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