What a find and what a beauty :tu

 

never heard of that. neat, thanks for sharing. :tu

 

I missed that one....THANKS for sharing :tu

 

That car is so cool I can overlook the green. Is the 245 HP due to cam change from Powerpack hyd to 097 solid.

 

Still looking for the HP rating of a 56 Corvette with dual quads...But found this:

Here's another issue of personal interest. Tom McCahill, I think in the June '56 Mechanix Illustrated Magazine, discusses this engine. He eludes to the fact (as close as he can go with his editors anyway) that the solid lifter version available on the 1956 Corvettes (and as an OTC kit for passenger cars) was conservatively rated at 240 hp, and that Chevrolet engineers were to hold off a claim to the 1 hp/cu.in. milestone for important reasons to soon follow.

Had Chevrolet made this announcement, they might have shared the spotlight with the 1956 Chrysler 300's claim of being the first car to offer 1hp/cu.in.

Also, see this link:https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/265-cu-in-240-hp.1013400/

 

What a nice car. Mike

 

I saw that car, the green is what drew me over, then the motor and back story just took it over the top!

 

Man o man,that car is super nice and razor sharp.Sweet,Smooth,and Sassy. kkkkkkkkk for sharing.:shakehands:

 

Found some interesting info here:https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/do...ion-kits/Corvette/1956-Chevrolet-Corvette.pdf

So far, the max HP that I've seen is 240 :confused0024:

And here:"The vast majority of buyers (3,080) opted for the “Dual-Quad” engine. Far fewer (111) ordered the special high-lift solid-tappet camshaft, which gained instant fame as the “Duntov Cam.” Labelled option 449, it was only available with the “dual-quad” engine and raised output to 240 horsepower. Suspension improvements made the Corvette’s newfound power more usable than ever before."

"Never before or since 1956 has Chevrolet ever offered a camshaft as an RPO. In 1956, RPO 449 was a special high-lift camshaft. It was available only on RPO 469 (2x4, 225hp) engines. It cost $188.30 extra and it raised engine horsepower from 225 to 240. A total of 111 of the 3,080 RPO 469 Corvettes were so ordered. "

 

I've never seen one either ..... great find, esp with doc. :congrats:
Cowboy :flag6:
:gba:
bowtie-trifive

 

I am a bit puzzled by this.

Lets start with the nomenclature...

RPO 469 was the 1956 Corvette 2x4 bbl, 225 hp engine. 3080 1956 Corvettes got this engine at a cost of $172.80.

RPO 449 was the 1956 Corvette high lift camshaft 2 x 4 bbl, 240 hp engine. 111 1956 Corvettes got this engine at a cost of $188.30.

This 1956 Chevrolet has received permission for the installation of RPO 469 engine at a cost of $172.80. That engine would be the 225 hp 2 x 4 bbl engine.

The owner's plaque with a statement of Corvette 265 V8 Dual Quads 245 H.P. engine is not correct.

It looks like a standard Corvette 225 hp engine was installed.

When did the 2 x 4 engine become available as an option in passenger cars?

 

Could have been a typo, that's all. The letter was probably typed by someone that wasn't an expert in those kinds of details.

 

The "Corvette" 2x4 engine option in the 56 pass line was RPO 411 at a cost of $242.10 (may be more than Corvette price due to the air cleaner), the special high performance cam engine option was RPO 449 still at $188.30.

 

Hey Cecil, good to see you here. I haven't seen you around for a long time.
By the way, the A26 is coming around very nice these days-------------------------maybe one more year before it's airborn!!!!
Does you avatar indicate a new paint job??????????

 

How does it run ?

 

Yeah Tom, I painted it a year ago. Need to sell it now so I can get back to my cars.
I'd like to see the 26 again next time I pass through. I'm sure you guys are about ready to be done with it and fly it.

 

I noticed on the sale invoice, for a few dollars the buyer ordered a Emergency light indicator, does anyone know where that goes ?

 

Same as the 55:http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/accessories/1955cca/55cca71.html

 

Eckler's sells a non-original replacement: https://www.classicchevy.com/chevy-emergency-brake-warning-light-kit-1955-1957.html Other than that you can try to get one from a member here through the classifieds or see if one pops up on ebay.

 

Thanks Pops, I think I will try for an original. We're they something a lot of people ordered from factory or not so ?

 

We're they something a lot of people ordered from factory or not so ?

The Parking brake warning light was a dealer installed option and was not installed at the factory. They come up on E-Bay but usually go for around $300 for a Nos item. Here is a photo of one that I have installed in my 56 Nomad.

 

OK, I am still puzzled...

Here is the RPO chart from the 1956 Chevrolet Specifications manual.
It shows both RPO 411 and RPO 449 as available options.

This car special ordered RPO 469 (the Corvette 2x4 bbl engine).

The horsepower rating for RPO 411 (as I recall) is 225hp.
The horsepower rating for RPO 469 is also 225 hp.

The only difference that I am aware of is the camshaft. RPO 411 used the same hydraulic cam that the other passenger car 265 engines used. RPO 469 used a solid lifter camshaft.

RPO 449 had, of course, a high lift camshaft, and was rated at 240 hp.

I guess I am most puzzled about why a customer would make a special request for an engine with the same horsepower as one he could order via a regular RPO.

 

OK, I am still puzzled...

I guess I am most puzzled about why a customer would make a special request for an engine with the same horsepower as one he could order via a regular RPO.

Excellent research Harry.....Now, you got me wondering :confused0006:

 

That light for the em brake was also an option on the EARLY Corvettes, such as 53-57, but it was installed in the hole at the bottom of the speedometer housing----------just above the steering column. MOST 56-57 Corvettes had this option. Those that did not have the em brake light option had a chrome plug popped into the hole. EVERY single part shown in the drawing above ------------------------ EXCEPT --------------- the mounting bracket was on the early Corvettes. Thus, it may be possible to find a used one somewhere within the early Vette vendors and then make your own bracket. Now just how do I know this???? Because I have a 56 Vette and have been screwing with the early Vettes since the Civil War days.

 

Did your Corvette serve with the Confederates or them other guys?

 

you guys are good!
Was the 2x4 engine available at the beginning of the model year. I see this is a Jan 56 order.
Is it possible the dual four eng wasn't available in Jan

 

You may be onto something. 1956 Corvette production started in January of 1956, so that is when the RPO 469 engine was available. But this would have been the 1st design 56 engine, and noticeably different than the more common 2nd design engine.

I am just not sure when RPO 411 and 449 was available in passenger cars.

 

Here is an interesting letter from Chevrolet that touches on this topic

 

And now it’s for sale.

An article poses the same HP questions:

http://barnfinds.com/copo-bel-air-1956-chevrolet-post-sedan/

In the comments, doubts about authenticity in light of dealer name given (allegedly not in existence under that name in that year).

 

An additional discrepancy - the various pieces of "documentation" are dated in January, 1956, but the VIN production date charts show VC56S146597 - the VIN showed on the "documents" - would have been built in late May, 1956.....

 

If this was the only issue under contention, I could possibly be persuaded. I can see an order for a car being placed in January, and a special request for a non-standard engine upgrade taking until late May to actually get the car built.

Unlikely, but possible.

But when you add up all of the evidence that has come to light, it begins to look very suspicious.

I spent some time trying to identify / locate the purchaser of the car as listed on the original sales invoice.

I think I identified him as James T. Cochrane, Box 15, Route 70, Lorraine, FL. Lorraine, FL is a small unincorporated community located not too far from Sarasota. James T. Cochrane does show up in that area, but they is very little information about him on Ancestry.

I get even less information on Sunset Chevrolet in Sarasota.

Just too many questions about this car.

 

Good eye Heins....I'm seeing May 25, 1956 on the chart:http://www.trifive.com/vin/56 Chev daily vins by plant.pdf

 

The options list shows powerglide but the "077" camshaft is actually a slight bit larger than the 57-63 "098" camshaft, which was never offered with an automatic. The 098 was too lumpy at idle to work with a powerglide. The original camshaft for a 225hp 56 engine is a "355", mild enough to work marginally with a powerglide. Seems bogus to me.