1956 Chevy
This year marked 70 years since the 1955 Chevy hit the streets, kicking off a three-year run that forever changed the automotive landscape. And judging by the rows of spotless Bel Airs, hardtop sedans, wicked gassers, and full-tilt pro-touring machines, the legend is alive, well, and meaner than ever. Everywhere you turned, there was another masterpiece—whether it was a flawless restoration, a ground-shaking drag car, or a radical custom that pushed the envelope.
In 1955, Chevrolet didn’t just redesign a car—they ignited a movement. The Tri-Five Chevys (that’s shorthand for the 1955, 1956, and 1957 models) arrived like a thunderclap and never really left. These machines were leaner, lower, and louder—in both looks and performance—ushering in a new era of V8-powered excitement. The shoebox shape, the tailfins, the grille teeth…every detail had attitude. And the world noticed.
Back in the ’80s (40-some years ago, if you can believe it has been that long already), it was fairly easy to find a 12-bolt rearend for under your muscle car. The strength and presence can’t be denied, but finding one today is so much more difficult and expensive that most people don’t even bother looking anymore. This is part of the reason why so many 9-inch Ford rearends have been put under so many GM cars.
