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This 502-Swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Is the Epitome of Pro-Touring Builds

American cars from the late 1950s were defined by elaborate ornaments, wrap-around windshields, large tailfins, and more bling than a chrome mine. The Chevrolet Tri-Five lines embody all these traits, but in a very tasteful fashion. “Very tasteful” are the right words to describe the one-off build we’ll cover today, a Bel Air that flexes a big-block V8 engine.
502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod 29 photos
Photo: RK Motors Charlotte
502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod502-swapped 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air pro-touring restomod
Priced from approximately $12,500 at the moment of writing, the Ram Jet 502 hiding under the clean-looking hood is equipped with a tunnel ram-style intake manifold and electronic fuel injection. A simple air cleaner, lightweight aluminum heads, chromed valve covers, and a points-style distributor also need to be mentioned, along with an Edelbrock water pump and an aluminum radiator. The no-nonsense powerplant, which develops in excess of 500 free-breathing ponies, spews the yucky stuff through long-tube headers that give the 8.2-liter gas guzzler an unmistakable rumble at idling speeds.

At least 565 pound-feet (766 Nm) of torque are developed at the crankshaft, and most of that is channeled to the Ford 9.0-inch rear axle with a posi-traction differential and 3.70 gears by a five-speed manual transmission. Obviously enough, the pro-touring Bel Air features a top-loader Tremec TKO that’s officially rated at 600 pound-feet (813 Nm) right out of the box.

Offered with 136 miles (219 kilometers) on the clock, the unique-looking restomod stops on a dime thanks to four-wheel disc brakes from Wilwood. It also handles and rides like a charm thanks to the Art Morrison GT Sport chassis and Aldan coil-over shock absorbers, which are complemented by rack-and-pinion steering and polished wheels. The tires, which come in the guise of BFGoodrich g-Force T/A summer-only rubber on both ends, measure 245/40 by 18 inches up front and 275/35 by 20 inches out back.

Finished in Crocus Yellow with gold pearl and a custom shade of black, this amazing coupe is beautifully simple on the inside thanks to a minimalist dashboard and cream leather upholstery. A world-class build that drives as well as it looks, this Bel Air can be yours for $209,900 through American classic car specialist North Carolina’s RK Motors Charlotte.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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