Beautiful restoration with just 4711 miles since it was finished. Loaded with almost every option including two tops and dual quads. Long-term ownership with known history back to 1960s. Runs and drives like it should. A beautiful Corvette!

This very pretty 1956 Corvette is loaded with options and the original owner checked almost every item on the list:

Heater
AM radio
Parking brake alarm
Courtesy lights
Windshield washers
6.70-15 whitewall tires
Auxiliary hardtop
Two-tone exterior paint
225 horsepower 265 cubic inch V8 with two 4-barrel carbs
Power convertible top

The only options he didn’t select? PowerGlide automatic transmission, the high lift racing camshaft, and power windows for some reason. He specified Venetian Red with a beige cove insert (it is not and never has been white) with a red interior, which was by far the most popular combination in 1956. The car was treated to a comprehensive 18-year body-off restoration that was completed in 1999 and another body-on freshening in 2014 to prep it for show duty. The bodywork was completely stripped to bare fiberglass and refinished in its original Venetian Red, which looks incredibly deep and shiny. It’s a bit orange, of course, but the contrast with the beige side cove is just gorgeous—it’s a very sophisticated look. Fit and finish are like the factory did it (not perfect, but appropriate) because the guys doing the work knew that perfection is not a good idea if you’re going to compete at the highest levels. Think of it as “Corvette correct.” The doors open and close easily, the trunk latches down without a big slam, and you can close the hood with a gentle push. The chrome was all refinished to show standards and all new emblems and lenses were installed.

Inside, the textured vinyl seats, low-nap carpet, and ornate door panels are just as they were in 1956, and you can see most of the options here: heater/defroster, an AM radio (not working, sadly), and courtesy lights. The dashboard is largely the same as 1955, painted in the same beige as the side coves, and all the gauges work including the unique total revolutions counter on the tach. A 3-speed manual was standard equipment (there were no 4-speeds in 1956) and it’s reasonably crisp with light clutch action. The driving position is very much old-school performance, with a big wheel right in your chest so you can do the maneuvering with your shoulders rather than your arms. The radio pulls in stations loud and clear and broadcasts through the single speaker in front of the passenger. Tan canvas was optional for the convertible top, which is technically power actuated, although the system does need the driver to release the latches and the deck lid to allow it to stow itself underneath. There’s also a fully restored matching hardtop, complete with textured headliner that is the same as the seat upholstery. The surprisingly spacious trunk has a correct rubber mat and there’s a full-sized spare stowed underneath.

RPO 469 was a 265 cubic inch V8 with two 4-barrel carburetors making 225 horsepower—a fairly robust figure for 1956. The engine is a correct 3720991 casting with a GR suffix code, denoting the dual quad version for a manual transmission. To that, the restoration added the Special High Lift Camshaft (affectionately known as the “Duntov Cam”), bringing horsepower to 240. The engine was rebuilt and detailed during the restoration and still looks fantastic today. Correct ignition shielding, a generator with built-in tachometer drive, new wiring, correct hoses and clamps, and all the other little things that make it look right are there. It starts easily and idles well, and on the road there’s plenty of punch at any speed which is what owning a Corvette is all about, right? The 3-speed manual transmission shifts crisply, and with 3.70 gears, this roadster is entertainingly quick even in today’s world of 700+ horsepower Corvettes. Everything underneath was rebuilt, including brakes, suspension, and steering, and it’s nicely detailed, including a reproduction A/C oil filter and a stainless exhaust system. Spiral shocks are in place out back along with proper canvas check straps on the axle, and steel wheels carry attractive spinner hubcaps and correctly sized 6.70-15 wide whitewall tires.

This Corvette gets everything right. It’s correct, it’s beautiful, it’s fun, and it’s ready to display at almost any level. The investment in the restoration was considerably more than the asking price, and the 1956 Corvettes are among the rarest of Chevrolet’s plastic fantastic. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.