Every classic car restoration project is a journey, and we always enjoy hearing about how our customers' navigated that long road with help from the parts in our catalogs. But being able to see the journey a vehicle went through via photos is even more rewarding. Farley Schrieber, of Ohio, sent us numerous photos documenting the two-and-a-half-year restoration process of his stunning 1956 Chevy Bel Air. This car was restored from the frame up, and now features upgraded suspension and a potent big-block V8.
Schrieber told us that he has owned this Tri-Five Chevy for 28 years. The old photo above shows how it looked earlier in its life. Even though it was already in good condition, he had big plans to start over from a clean slate.
The process began by stripping the frame, welding in a tubular crossmember, and refinishing it in corrosion-resistant gloss black. This would serve as a solid foundation for the rest of the build.
Heidt's tubular control arms and adjustable coilovers were installed, along with an upgraded rear end and four-wheel disc brakes, completing the rolling chassis. Next, it was time to move on to paint and body work.
The sheetmetal was stripped, smoothed, and primed before heading into the paint booth for several coats of classic red with white accents.
With paint complete, the exterior trim, door handles, lighting, glass, and weatherstrip were installed. It was then time to move on to the interior.
To perfectly match the exterior, bright red carpet was installed throughout the interior and trunk, and a white headliner was also installed. The front and rear bench seats were reupholstered in red and white two-tone. This color scheme was carried over to the door panels and trunk panels. The red dashboard features an original-style Bel Air emblem, radio, and gauges.
Schrieber's '56 Bel Air was finished with a potent 468ci big-block V8 under the hood. It features Brodix heads, Weiand intake manifold, Holley carburetor, and ceramic-coated headers routed to a custom dual exhaust system. A Rossler Turbo 400 transmission delivers power efficiently to the rear wheels.
We're glad we could get a closer look at the restoration process for this '56 Bel Air, and see the transformation it underwent. The result is a Chevy that's both beautiful and fast — an impressive combination. If you own a Tri-Five Chevy, we'd be happy to help you find the parts you need to restore or modify it. Click the button below for a free full-color '55-'57 Chevy parts catalog.