The clean 210 sedan lines are accented by a slight nose-down stance, thanks to the judicious trimming of a half coil off the front springs.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Bob Swisher has built more than his share of street rods, but says his silver 1956 Chevy 210 is about the best over-the-road car he's ever constructed. Powered by a late model Corvette engine/transmission package, the car was resurrected from an abandoned hulk found in southwest Kansas.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The `Fuel Injection' badge isn't misleading and it's not an old Rochester mechanical unit that validates the claim. It's electronic fuel injection, which came standard on the LT1 Corvette engine that now powers the car.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Tucked neatly under the hood is a 1996 LT1 Corvette engine in purely stock form. Matched to the corresponding automatic overdrive transmission, it moves the little two-door down the highway in style, returning decent gas mileage in the process.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The trunk of the Chevy sedan is finished in plush gray carpet and is usually filled with car show supplies and folding chairs.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Swisher was able to track down a full set of original Halibrand slotted wheels for his Chevy. The rear wheels carry BF Goodrich TA tires sized 235/70R/15, while the fronts are smaller 205/70R/14s.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Swisher's taste in street rods runs the gamut: he found this 1924 Model T in original running condition in South Dakota, brought it home, slipped a Total Cost Involved chassis under it, installed a 327 Chevy V-8 in it and painted it a beautiful shade of burgundy.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Swisher built the center console, which houses a B&M floor shift, outlets for the Vintage Air air conditioner and a couple of handy cupholders.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The '56 Chevy shares space with Swisher's low-mileage 1969 Jeepster and his son, Ryan's 1947 Chevy sedan, a father-son street rod project completed several years ago.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Swisher chose a set of seats out of a 1990 Pontiac Bonneville for his street cruiser. JC Upholstery of Salina recovered both the front and back seats in soft gray suede, along with crafting matching door panels.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The original instrument bezel is now filled with Dakota Digital readouts that glow a pleasant electric green and provide instant feedback on engine conditions and speed.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
One of the subtle touches that sets Swisher's '56 apart is the shadow detail painted just below the chrome side trim. He came up with the idea after seeing another '56 Chevy at a car show at high noon, when the sun cast a dark shadow below the side spear. Teal pinstriping completes the highlight.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The owner was pleasantly surprised to find that the Bonneville back seat had almost exactly the right dimensions for the interior of his '56 Chevy.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Swisher found it easier to install new bumpers front and aft. By blacking out the vertical elements in the grille, he was able to accentuate the the horizontal look of the shark-like front end design.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
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