My father is 94 and I am working to sell off some of his car inventory. I was intrigued to find he has an unrestored 1956 full window sedan delivery (code 56-1271). The car has no interior and no engine and transmission. The body, chassis and glass appear to be in reasonably good shape. The vehicle is grey in color and I think was built for the Air Force and has a color code SP1. My question is how rare and valuable is this vehicle? How much would the restoration cost? Would I be able to sell it for a profit after restoring? In inventory, he has a 350ci crate motor and auto transmission we could put in the vehicle.
56 full window sedan delivery restomod feasability
Zjohntk
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Location:
San Jose CA
My father is 94 and I am working to sell off some of his car inventory. I was intrigued to find he has an unrestored 1956 full window sedan delivery (code 56-1271). The car has no interior and no engine and transmission. The body, chassis and glass appear to be in reasonably good shape. The vehicle is grey in color and I think was built for the Air Force and has a color code SP1. My question is how rare and valuable is this vehicle? How much would the restoration cost? Would I be able to sell it for a profit after restoring? In inventory, he has a 350ci crate motor and auto transmission we could put in the vehicle.
Location:
North Alabama region, Tennessee River Valley
You have a rare and special 'sedan delivery' and you should PRESERVE it and restore it as you can. The lack of an interior and engine/trans is not very important, as today the value and FUN (of driving) is much more with the RESTO MOD rather than the original RESTORATION. Most important re the 'restoration' is in the body. Spend your time/money there first, while looking for a late model LS engine/drivetrain to install once your body is preserved and painted. A factory-type bench seat, OR late model bucket seat interior is fine, especially in the SD.
Good luck, and show up some photos when you get a chance?
PS. If you aren't a "Classic Chevy Auto enthusiast', it's probably most beneficial to you ($ wise) to sell it 'as is', but only after advertising where the enthusiasts for that car spend their time.. ie. HERE, and other classic chevy magazines.
Good luck, and show up some photos when you get a chance?
PS. If you aren't a "Classic Chevy Auto enthusiast', it's probably most beneficial to you ($ wise) to sell it 'as is', but only after advertising where the enthusiasts for that car spend their time.. ie. HERE, and other classic chevy magazines.
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The days where these were needed to be put back original are gone. Few would go to all the time and expense to do it, and even fewer
would buy it when it is finished. I'm a big guy to restore these classics........but not this model.
Best it so restomod it and upgrade the brakes and creature comforts and safety features.
Thanks for joining.
Mikey
would buy it when it is finished. I'm a big guy to restore these classics........but not this model.
Best it so restomod it and upgrade the brakes and creature comforts and safety features.
Thanks for joining.
Mikey
# 2 on my dream car list
Location:
North Alabama region, Tennessee River Valley
I recently purchased a similar ‘56 Sedan Delivery, already done, due to advanced age and I’m pretty much beyond the days of off frame restorations. You have no basically no chance of recovering restoration costs, so I’d say the given advice here from all these very experienced Tri-Five guys is spot on. Resto-Rod the car if you can and drive it and enjoy it…a very cool family possession, to be sure.
Mine was a Navy order BTW, stationed in Groton, CT.
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Beautiful SD . And a late welcome to TriFive
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2,484 Posts
Air Force vehicles were usually blue. I believe the Navy had gray vehicles.
Oh thanks so much,
Great Forum, Great Folks, Donny
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Location:
San Jose CA
Good point wagonman, the SD is definitely gray so probably Navy not Air Force. Does anyone know what the production numbers are for the window SDs? The full 1956 SD production was 9445 (news.classicindustries.com). DonnyO - your fabulous 56 window SD looks like the one I saw on eBay. The eBay post says it is one of 300 built. It also says it is a 210, but aren’t all SDs 150 models?
It’s most definitely a 150 and we found no supporting evidence for the 1 of 300 claim. In any event I imagine it’s a fairly low number in that range as there are so few. My guess is these things were in groups of multiple orders, for the Navy, Air Force, CA Fire depts, and so forth.
I have a photo of this one in its original black and it was stationed at Groton, CT Naval Base back in the day.
Not at all clear why it was not painted Navy Gray.
As for the car, I have never bought anything I did’nt look at and most of our stuff over the years have been frame off restoration projects or street rods. Scared to death although the seller, a great guy for sure, provided dozens of usual trouble spot photos. Happy to report this fairly recent auction car (yikes!) far exceeded expectations…and we all know saving/building one of these would be 3-4 times the cost. All Good.
D.
It’s most definitely a 150 and we found no supporting evidence for the 1 of 300 claim. In any event I imagine it’s a fairly low number in that range as there are so few. My guess is these things were in groups of multiple orders, for the Navy, Air Force, CA Fire depts, and so forth.
I have a photo of this one in its original black and it was stationed at Groton, CT Naval Base back in the day.
Not at all clear why it was not painted Navy Gray.
As for the car, I have never bought anything I did’nt look at and most of our stuff over the years have been frame off restoration projects or street rods. Scared to death although the seller, a great guy for sure, provided dozens of usual trouble spot photos. Happy to report this fairly recent auction car (yikes!) far exceeded expectations…and we all know saving/building one of these would be 3-4 times the cost. All Good.
D.
Location:
North Alabama region, Tennessee River Valley
I've never seen any Chevrolet factory information on the 'glass SD' cars, but they were almost certainly a 'fifties version' of the Central Office Production Order COPO process, which generally requires 'no special parts' not already in the inventory, and multiple unit orders from a recurring customer.
PS. I personally think that the 'windows' should have been the 'standard SD' with the metal sides being the ''variance' on special order, but then of course, the metal version could NOT have been produced from 'existing parts in the inventory!! so maybe Chevy knew what they were doing (in those days at least)..
And I can't quickly think of any reasons that all the wagons should haven't had the one piece tailgate...? except possibly 'safety' ? or 'cost'??
PS. I personally think that the 'windows' should have been the 'standard SD' with the metal sides being the ''variance' on special order, but then of course, the metal version could NOT have been produced from 'existing parts in the inventory!! so maybe Chevy knew what they were doing (in those days at least)..
And I can't quickly think of any reasons that all the wagons should haven't had the one piece tailgate...? except possibly 'safety' ? or 'cost'??
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The one piece gate was probably considered too heavy to lift for a housewife.
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I think a lot depends on what you want from the car, do you want to drive it and have fun, turn it over and make a little money, restore it and have an original sedan delivery. If you are just looking to make some cash, it would be best to sell it as is, restoring or resto modding a car is expensive, and you probably won't recover your expenses. If you want to save it in memory of your father, and restore it, you will have money in it and the "fun" of trying to find all, the original parts to do that. If you want to keep it and drive it, resto mod might be your best bet with modern power train, ac, power brakes and steering and such. Best of luck with it.
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