When talking about cars that spent decades in storage, we usually think about derelict classics plagued by rust and covered in dust. Because that’s how most automobiles emerge out of long-term storage. But you know what? It’s not always like that.
Yes, a heated garage will do the trick and keep a vintage car in one piece for decades, but many classics simply take long-term storage better than others, even when the conditions aren’t all that great. This 1956 Chevrolet Tri-Five is one of those cars.
While it may look like a classic that’s been refreshed at some point, this Chevy hasn’t been touched for decades. Specifically, it spent a whopping 53 years in storage. Parked back in 1967, this drag-spec oldtimer remained behind closed doors until 2020. Come 2022 and the Chevy is being showcased at car events looking just like it did back in 1967.
So what’s the story behind this stock-appearing dragster? Well, the guy who turned it into a track-ready rig purchased it in 1964 for 51 bucks. The car came with its original 265-cubic-inch (4.3-liter) V8, but the owner took it to a speed shop and added a few high-performance parts under the hood, starting with a solid lifter Duntov cam.
He also transplanted several components from a Corvette, including the intake, a pair of four-barrel carburetors, a distributor, and the valve covers. A race-spec clutch, Mickey Thompson high-compression pistons, and an NHRA-approved bell housing completed the list and enabled the Tri-Five to run much faster at the drag strip.
But the owner didn’t get to enjoy it for too long. That’s because he was deployed overseas in 1967. Parked under a military parachute, the Chevy remained in storage until 2020. How come he never got back behind the steering wheel? Well, that’s a bit of a mystery but what matters now is that the Tri-Five soldiered on for more than five decades like a time capsule.
Not only does it still have all the upgrades and the livery it got in 1964, but it also carries the military parachute that kept it safe for all those years in the trunk. And it also comes with a big collection of receipts that document its mid-1960s transformation. Oh, and did I mention that it was driven for only 100 miles (161 km) since it was built?
And check out the cool hand-painted lettering that adorns the gray body. Painted by the owner’s wife, it says “up tight out o’ sight” on the sides and “grey power – a little black, a little white” on the trunk lid. Yeah, the last one might have been controversial back in the day, but I think it’s a cool way of saying that we’re all equal regardless of race or color.
The fact that all these features survived on this car for more than 50 years is downright amazing. As is the fact that, unlike other dragsters from the era, it wasn’t altered into something else over the years. And hopefully, the current owner will preserve it as is for many years to come because this Chevy needs to live on and tell its story.