The Steel Wheel Deal
September 21, 2022
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Spotlighter
THE THIRD TIME’S A CHARM
Were It Not for Passion, This ’56 Del Ray Would Have Been Long Gone
"I shouldn’t have sold that car.” How many times have you heard an enthusiast make that statement? It seems that a great many of us regret selling our favorite rides over the years, whatever the reasons.
Author
Charlie Hughes
Story and Photography
The Allure of Hot Rods
During our younger years, we often sold cars due to priorities like education, work or a new family. When those circumstances force the sale of a hot rod, the seller often quickly regrets the loss and begins dreaming of the day when he will acquire another just like it.
Roger Ward’s First Encounter with the ’56 Del Ray
Some sell their projects to move on to another build and never look back on the one that got away; it was merely a steppingstone toward another dream project. Then there are enthusiasts like Roger Ward of Chesapeake, Virginia, who bought this ’56 Del Ray sedan in the early ’70s because it was the Chevy he always wanted. He drove it during his last year of high school and sold it in 1972 to a sailor who took it home to Michigan. After titling the car there, he eventually brought it back to Virginia and later sold it to Doug Green.
The Car’s Journey Back to Ward
Twenty-seven years later, Ward bought the car back from Green, but that wasn’t until 1999. Ward is fond of saying that he is a true Chevy fan as his father always owned Chevrolets and still does. “It was natural for me to own one also,” he says. Ward likes the styling of the ’56 better than the ’55 and ’57 models. In his opinion, the ’55 is a little too “tubby,” the ’57 is just too “pointy,” and the ’56 is a handsome medium.
Beginning the Restoration
Ward mentioned that when he owned the car the first time, it was a solid cream puff. When he found it again all those years later, it was in need of a total restoration. In fact, Cecil Proffitt, a well-known and respected body man in Ward’s area, advised him to find a better car. Instead, Ward began the long process of a complete rebuild. He wanted to keep the car looking as original as possible as far as the body and interior were concerned, but he wanted a newer super rod-type engine for power.
Reproduction GM upholstery brought the interior back to life, matching the exterior colors perfectly. Aftermarket gauges and a tachometer augment the original instrumentation. Seat belts were an added safety measure, and the Hurst Competition Plus shifter gives a hint that while this car may be a cream puff, it is no slouch in the performance department.
John Joyner’s Ownership
When the rebuild was completed, the car was pretty much as you see it here. It was in 2004 that John Joyner of Cary, North Carolina, came along and offered to buy the car. He, too, liked the lines of the ’56, and Ward was pleased to find someone who appreciated the car as much as he did. With the exchange of some cash, Ward’s ’56 again went away, this time to North Carolina. At the time, Joyner didn’t know of Ward’s regret (soon after selling the car a second time), and spent a lot of time completing cosmetic improvements on the car, as well as slight mechanical changes. Joyner was retired and drove the car very often. He also took it to quite a few car shows, where its fine detailing garnered a variety of awards.
Engine and Mechanical Upgrades
During Ward’s total rebuild, he installed a Chevy ZZ4 crate engine with aluminum heads, roller rockers and hydraulic lifters. Using side mounts for the engine, it was almost a natural fit in the ’56. A Holley 750 double-pump carburetor and GM aluminum intake provide adequate aspiration for the sedan. A GM/PerTronix ignition and Taylor wires activate the spark, and Mr. Gasket headers were Jet Hot-coated and route unwanted gasses into a 2-1/2-inch stainless exhaust system from Danchuk through a pair of throaty Flowmaster mufflers. A liberal amount of chrome and aluminum decorates the engine.
Once the hood is lifted, the mild-mannered factory stock appearance gives way to a dressed-up ZZ4 powerhouse. Notice the meticulous detailing of the firewall, wiper motor and master cylinder.
Transmission and Suspension
Ward selected a Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed transmission from a ’79 Z28 Camaro and added an 11-inch GM heavy-duty clutch and 40-lb flywheel. A Hurst Competition Plus shifter changes the gears.
The original ’56 front suspension was updated by Joe Underwood in Portsmouth, Virginia, who installed tubular control arms, new heavy-duty coil springs and gas shocks. A Monte Carlo 605 power steering unit was modified to adapt to the original ’56 steering column.
In back, a ’69 Camaro 12-bolt Positraction rearend with 3:73 gears rests on heavy-duty multi-leaf springs assisted by Monroe air shocks. Traction bars came from Danchuk. The brakes are ’70 Chevelle power discs up front and ’69 Chevy drums in back. BFGoodrich tires are mounted on American Racing Torq-Thrust D 15×7-inch wheels. Tire sizes are 225/60R15 in front and 255/60R15 for the rear.
Body and Paintwork
Donnie Camper and Jack Plasted of Smithfield, Virginia, smoothed the body before Camper sprayed it in PPG Polyurethane Tropical Turquoise and India Ivory finish. The resulting color combination was flawlessly done.
Interior Restoration
Ward obtained a complete reproduction interior in turquoise and ivory to cover the original seats, panels and floor. A reproduction ’69 Camaro Rosewood steering wheel replaces the original, and Auto Meter gauges are used in the dashboard. Ward also made the leather shift boot. Cruising tunes are provided by a Custom Autosound AM/FM cassette player.
The Return to Ward
Exterior trim pieces were polished or re-chromed, and Joyner added many of the chrome and aluminum dress-up pieces to the engine. He also made a radiator cover, which he formerly used at shows. Joyner says that he had a wonderful time with the car and probably would have kept the ’56 had anyone else been interested in buying it.
Not too long ago, Joyner heard that Ward really regretted selling his ’56. They talked, and Joyner offered to sell the car back to him. Now that he has the car for a third time, his wife told him it was doubtful that her husband would ever sell the car again.
A Happy Ending
It was only fitting that the car is back in the Ward garage in time for the 50th anniversary of the ’56 Chevrolet, never to leave again except for occasional rides and drives. Joyner is pursuing a big-block early Camaro project and is well-known as a driver on quite a few circle tracks in and around North Carolina, so he will continue to enjoy his automotive interests. Here’s one case where everybody wins, even the third time around.
