1956 Chevrolet One-Fifty

Chevrolet returned to vehicle production in the immediate post-World War II era using mildly updated vehicles from the pre-war era. The styling was conservative and attractive, the engineering durable, and the prices affordable. The 'Stovebolt Six' engine dated back to 1937 and would be the sole powerplant powering Chevrolet vehicles through 1954. The 1950s was the golden age of the automobile, with automakers of all genres trying to catch-up and outdo each other with facelifts and upgrades made every model year. Customer trends continued to grow towards larger cars with better handling, increased styling, more power, and lower cost.

In 1953, Chevrolet dropped the Styleline and Fleetline designations, along with the fastback body style, and introduced new model names. The Special line was replaced with the One-Fifty or 150 models and represented the entry-level Chevy product, offered in two- and four-door sedans, station wagon, club coupe, and business coupe. The 235.5 cubic-inch inline six-cylinder engine delivered 108 horsepower with the standard manual transmission or 115 hp with the PowerGlide installed. Above the 150 Series was the 210 Series with similar styling but nicer interior trims, more standard accouterments, and extra brightwork. The top trim level was the Bel Air that wore wide-ribbed beauty molding, a chrome gravel shield, rear fender skirts, double windshield pillar moldings, and dashboard-mounted rearview mirrors.

The One-Fifty, Two-Ten, BelAir, and Corvette model designations would be the sole Chevrolet automobile models through 1957. For 1958, the Del Ray replaced the One-Fifty, the Biscayne the Two-Ten, and the Bel Air remained as the top-of-the-line Chevy.

Chevrolet vehicles continued to attract customers with extensive engineering advancements and a styling refresh year-over-year. The 1956 models gained shiny full-width lattice work on their grille, incorporating a large, square parking lamp under each headlight. The hood was now flatter and longer and sported a large Chevrolet emblem with a wide chrome 'V' on the V-8-equipped models, plus a new stylized jet-plane hood ornament. The wheel openings were rounder and had more of a flare, with an elegant swoop for the rear. Along the sides were 'L' shaped trim, allowing the Two-Ten to be ordered with optional two-tone body sides.

The restyling of the 1956 Chevrolet automobiles had cost the company $40 million, with $1 million spent on the front fenders and grille alone. The investment paid off as Chevrolet broke new sales records, and the 1,621,004 units sold made Chevrolet the number one automaker in America.

The 1956 Chevrolet vehicles rested on a 115-inch wheelbase with station wagons having an overall length of 200.8 inches and all other body styles at 197.5 inches. The nine-passenger station wagons rested on 6.70 x 15 six-ply tires while all other models used 6.70 x 15 four-ply tires. The 7.10 x 15 four-ply tires were optional equipment. The standard engine was a 235.5 cubic-inch inline-6 with overhead valves, an 8.0:1 compression ratio, four main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, a Carter one-barrel carburetor (Rochester one-barrel unit for Powerglide), and delivered 140 horsepower at 4,200 RPM. The optional overhead valve 265 cubic-inch V8 engine had five main bearings, 8.0:1 compression ratio, a Rochester two-barrel carburetor (Carter two-barrel or Rochester two-barrel for the Powerglide) and produced 162 horsepower at 4,400 RPM. A three-speed manual transmission with column-mounted control was standard and overdrive was available for an additional $108. The Powerglide two-speed automatic was $189 extra. With the Powerglide installed, horsepower rose to 170 bhp on the V8. Chevrolet also offered a four-barrel Super Turbo-Fire version of the V8 which had 9.25:1 compression and produced 205 horsepower. A dual four-barrel version boosted output to 225 bhp.

The 1956 Chevrolet One-Fifty wore One-Fifty rear fender nameplates, chrome moldings around the windshield and rear window, and a chrome strip, located under the headlamp hood crease, that traversed the body side to a point below the rear side window. Standard equipment included a lockable glovebox, dome light, cloth and vinyl upholstery, rubber floor mats, small hubcaps, a single interior sun visor, and a two-spoke steering wheel with a horn ring. Station wagons had all-vinyl upholstery.

The two-door sedan was priced at $1,825, the four-door sedan at $1,870, the Utility Sedan at $1,735, and the two-door, six-passenger station wagon at $2,170. The optional V8 engine added approximately $100 to the base price. The most popular One-Fifty body style was the two-door sedan with 66,416 units sold, followed by 29,898 of the four-door sedan, 17,936 of the station wagon, and 11,196 of the Utility Sedan. The combined 125,446 examples of the One-Fifty built in 1956 represents just eight percent of Chevrolet's total automobile production for the year. The Two-Ten accounted for 47 percent of production and the Bel Air at 44.6 percent.

The One-Fifty was plain and stark, with minimal frills and amenities, and popular with fleet buyers, or private customers on a very tight budget. Due to being sparsely equipped, they were very light, which made them popular with the performance set. Chevrolet capitalized on this by quietly offering the 150s with the 265 CID V-8 engine in 1955, upping the ante a bit for 1956 by offering the 265 with a 4-barrel carburetor or even a dual 4-barrel carburetor setup.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2021