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New guy with a 56 Wagon
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56longroof
Posted 2019-04-09 1:46 AM (#580572)
Subject: New guy with a 56 Wagon


Member

Posts: 11

My dad stumbled upon this car while out for a walk in his neighborhood. We are both car guys and he knew I was looking for a wagon. He Left my phone number on a note on the car and I got a call from the gentlemen about 6 months later and I bought it. Original California car with 59,000 original miles. Will now be at my home in Washington State. 1 family owned until 2018. Had to sell my 64 Comet Caliente to make the room in the garage for it. Previous owner claims 1 repaint. I do have a few questions already. What is the correct color for the wheels and engine? Do you think the interior is original? These are the only pictures I have right now. Plan on taking more when I get back from working out of the country. Thank you and glad I found this site.



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Attachments 33F0429B-C9B5-403E-B493-6776F1989B6D.jpeg (269KB - 165 downloads)
Attachments 081F01C2-6F1C-495A-807E-FF855489D3E4.jpeg (387KB - 155 downloads)
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ABloch
Posted 2019-04-09 2:24 AM (#580574 - in reply to #580572)
Subject: RE: New guy with a 56 Wagon



Expert

Posts: 1476
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Location: Pacific Northwest
Nice wagon.

Post a picture of the body tag off the cowl and we can tell you more about the colors.

Engine would have been silver.



(dodge.jpg)



(engine.jpg)



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Attachments dodge.jpg (269KB - 138 downloads)
Attachments engine.jpg (108KB - 148 downloads)
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56D500boy
Posted 2019-04-09 2:31 AM (#580575 - in reply to #580572)
Subject: RE: New guy with a 56 Wagon



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Location: Lower Mainland BC
Congrats. The wagon looks very nice. We will have more answers for you as you are able to provide us with more photos. Quick answers include: The engine should be silver, not red. The wheels were an off-white with a grey center. No photos of the interior yet so no comments.

In the interim, you might want to look through these threads that I have started:

56 Dodge Body Codes:
http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=69565&...

56 Dodge Paint Codes:
http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=63553&...


56 Dodge Trim Codes:
http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=65230&...


56 Dodge Wagons:
http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=64788&...

There will be more. You will need to help us help you with interior photos and a photo of the data tag attached to the firewall (visible when the hood is raised)

In the meantime, welcome.



Edited by 56D500boy 2019-04-09 2:33 AM
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56longroof
Posted 2019-04-09 3:53 AM (#580578 - in reply to #580572)
Subject: RE: New guy with a 56 Wagon


Member

Posts: 11

Here is the interior picture.
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56longroof
Posted 2019-04-09 3:58 AM (#580579 - in reply to #580572)
Subject: Re: New guy with a 56 Wagon


Member

Posts: 11

Thank you for the information and welcome. I’m out of the country for work but, will take a picture of the data tag then. My interior picture would not load but, internet is not very good where I’m at.
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56D500boy
Posted 2019-04-09 10:59 AM (#580596 - in reply to #580579)
Subject: Re: New guy with a 56 Wagon



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Location: Lower Mainland BC
56longroof - 2019-04-09 12:58 AM

Thank you for the information and welcome. I’m out of the country for work but, will take a picture of the data tag then. My interior picture would not load but, internet is not very good where I’m at.


Personally, I am looking forward to your photos. I/m just up in Vancouver BC so there is a chance that we will meet some day and compare cars in person (mine is a 56 Custom Royal sedan with the D500 hemi engine).

While waiting for your photos, I will guess that if you don't have the third seat, the body code on the tag will be 858 = Custom Sierra (4dr wagon with the headlight hoods and the chrome fin toppers). The paint looks like it is Aquamarine and White but I can't find a code for that, i.e. Aquamarine Roof, Sapphire White Saddle and Aquamarine lower. Might be 099 = special order (??)

Trim = no guesses until there are photos.

Okay that lasted 12 seconds: I have to guess that it might be like this one (also a Custom Sierra) with an 835 Trim code:

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Old Ray
Posted 2019-04-09 11:28 AM (#580599 - in reply to #580596)
Subject: Re: New guy with a 56 Wagon



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quote: Trim = no guesses until there are photos

.... one seat pix from the OP at anothor site;


https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-1955-1956-plymouth-and-dodge-thread.334234/page-55#post-13027826

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56D500boy
Posted 2019-04-09 11:44 AM (#580604 - in reply to #580599)
Subject: Re: New guy with a 56 Wagon



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Old Ray - 2019-04-09 8:28 AM

quote: Trim = no guesses until there are photos

.... one seat pix from the OP at anothor site;


https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-1955-1956-plymouth-and-dodge-thread.334234/page-55#post-13027826




Thanks Ray. Obviously not the original factory upholstery. Might mean the paint has been redone too. Engine isn't factory colour either so it's possibly all been massaged over the years. Still, a nice car.

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56longroof
Posted 2019-04-10 1:14 AM (#580656 - in reply to #580572)
Subject: Re: New guy with a 56 Wagon


Member

Posts: 11

Once again, thank you for the help. I found this site through jalopyjournal. I’ve been over there for years and started poking around and kept seeing this site so, I came over here. Meeting up sounds good. I plan on taking it to Goodguys in Puyallup if I’m home. The only reason I thought the upholstery is original or at least part of it is I found remnants of that old clear thick wrap they use to put on seats and furniture to protect them. It’s underneath some of the handles etc.I wish I could have talked to the original owner to hear the full history and what’s been done over he years but, he passed away and the son inherited it. He had no knowledge of the car that was any help and just wanted to sell it. I’m guessing the car was either maintained I’ve rthe years or someone did some sort of mild restoration work maybe 10 years ago? My guess is as good as yours. Looking forward to getting back home and taking some new pictures of it and breaking down the data plate.
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71charger_fan
Posted 2019-04-10 9:03 AM (#580666 - in reply to #580572)
Subject: Re: New guy with a 56 Wagon


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Posts: 667
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Location: Frederick, MD
I love that wagon. Probably the only thing I'd change would be plumbing in a dual-circuit master cylinder and front disk brakes for safety's sake.
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Doctor DeSoto
Posted 2019-04-10 11:58 AM (#580675 - in reply to #580666)
Subject: Re: New guy with a 56 Wagon



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Location: Parts Unknown
The mylar door panel inserts and ribbed seat material indicate CUSTOM Sierra,
as does the raised tooth grille bars and painted headlight surrounds. Some have
the slotted tail light bezels, while others do not, and as yet, I have been unable
to confirm if these were a constant part of the package, later owner changes, or ?

If I am not mistaken the ribbed seat material should not be on the actual seat
area, but rather, on the vertical area below the knees to the floor. But I would have
to check my photos.

Wheels should be eggshell (cream) color.

Nice rig.

I still have an OEM roof rack for a 56 wagon, in case you want to gussy your car up.
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56D500boy
Posted 2019-04-10 12:03 PM (#580676 - in reply to #580675)
Subject: Re: New guy with a 56 Wagon



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Doctor DeSoto - 2019-04-10 8:58 AM

The mylar door panel inserts and ribbed seat material indicate CUSTOM Sierra,
as does the raised tooth grille bars and painted headlight surrounds. Some have
the slotted tail light bezels, while others do not, and as yet, I have been unable
to confirm if these were a constant part of the package, later owner changes, or ?


No ribbed tail light bezels show up in the original 56 Dodge Wagon brochure photos.

http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=64788&...

Doctor DeSoto - 2019-04-10 8:58 AM

If I am not mistaken the ribbed seat material should not be on the actual seat
area, but rather, on the vertical area below the knees to the floor. But I would have
to check my photos.


Some of the photos of the D500 wagon you owned (I archived them for my collection):



Edited by 56D500boy 2019-04-10 1:05 PM




(56.jpg)



(56_4.jpg)



(56_14.jpg)



(56_15.jpg)



(56CustomSierraWagonD500CowlTag.jpg)



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Attachments 56.jpg (77KB - 137 downloads)
Attachments 56_4.jpg (85KB - 168 downloads)
Attachments 56_14.jpg (65KB - 141 downloads)
Attachments 56_15.jpg (64KB - 148 downloads)
Attachments 56CustomSierraWagonD500CowlTag.jpg (56KB - 144 downloads)
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Doctor DeSoto
Posted 2019-04-11 12:08 AM (#580702 - in reply to #580676)
Subject: Re: New guy with a 56 Wagon



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Location: Parts Unknown
Ah, you beat me to it ! Perfect !

Well, I guess my memory was fuzzy on those ribs, but there you have it, a nice,
unmolested OEM interior, complete with the ribs.

The comment about the tail light bezels is more a reflection of how I saw them
on the streets and in wrecking yards, back when they were still seen in those places.

As a matter of what is "original" vs. what was OEM, my car wore Coronet headlight
bezels when I got it. It was wearing them in the 1980's when I saw it the first time,
being driven by the man who special ordered it new. According to his son (who I bought
the car from), it had the all-chrome bezels from the day that he and his mother picked
the car up at the dealership.

Now, the interesting (mystery) part of the story ....

Mom and Dad decided the new 56 Dodge was "the cat's pajamas" and that they had
to have one. Mom picked the colors and insisted on a wagon. Dad insisted on the D500
package. The order was placed and delivery was eagerly awaited. The call came, the
son, home on leave from the Army, was asked to drive Mom to town to pick up the new
Dodge. When they got there, confusion ensued, and it was discovered an unknowing
salesman had sold the special order car to a walk-in buyer and it was gone. Mom was
furious and raised the roof, demanding a replacement be produced immediately. The
son said a "rush order" was placed and a SECOND special order D500 wagon in those
colors appeared much quicker than the first one.

In questioning the son about those headlight bezels, he insisted the car had them when
they picked it up at the dealer. Yet my research into what makes a Custom Sierra from
a regular Sierra, it indicated the slightly fancier interior details, as well as the raised grille
teeth and painted headlight doors. No exceptions. This got me thinking, perhaps the first
special order car had been ordered as a regular Sierra (?). When car No.2 arrived, the
dealership staff, realizing this car was not exactly what the first had been ordered as, and
remembering the fit pitched by Mom when car No.1 went missing, swapped that most
obvious difference (the headlight bezels) to not raise suspicion that car No.2 was a little
different than what car No.1 had been ordered as.

Delivered to the buyer at the dealer AS NEW with not exactly OEM correct parts. "Original",
yet not exactly OEM.
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56longroof
Posted 2019-04-16 4:09 AM (#580961 - in reply to #580572)
Subject: Re: New guy with a 56 Wagon


Member

Posts: 11

Doctor DeSoto,

I sent you a PM about your roof rack. Definitely interested.

-Oliver
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57burb
Posted 2019-04-16 12:05 PM (#580970 - in reply to #580702)
Subject: Re: New guy with a 56 Wagon



Expert

Posts: 3966
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Location: DFW, TX
Engine color would have originally been a bright silver.

IMO I have no issue with the red engine and wheels on your car. They look terrific against the paint colors. I can understand wanting to make it factory-correct, too. The interior looks like a mostly original pattern, but with maroon fabric and carpets? That doesn't seem correct. The trim tag is the only way to know for sure how it was built.

Wheel color on the '50s Dodges seemingly ALWAYS devolves into anecdotal comments. I think it has boiled down to this (and I expect some pushback from someone ):
- wheels on cars with factory spinner wheel covers were ALWAYS gray (primer?) in the center with an eggshell white painted around the exposed wheel rim
- wheels on cars with factory full wheel covers (like you have there) were usually as above, but sometimes just painted solid argent
- wheels on cars with small 'dog dish' hub caps were usually painted argent, sometimes they are seen black, and very rarely a 1960s-era color photo will show body color wheels, but it's hard to say that is "original"

Frankly, I think the determining factor is whether the car was built with whitewall tires or not. If so, the eggshell wheels were installed. If the car was built with blackwall tires, the wheels were argent. Don't take any of that for gospel. Seriously, if you want an idea of the fights this question will start, take a look here: http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=30370&...




Edited by 57burb 2019-04-16 12:07 PM




(wheel.JPG)



(56146258-770-0@2X.jpg)



(PICT0073.JPG)



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Attachments wheel.JPG (72KB - 142 downloads)
Attachments 56146258-770-0@2X.jpg (61KB - 136 downloads)
Attachments PICT0073.JPG (102KB - 153 downloads)
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56longroof
Posted 2019-05-08 8:06 PM (#581953 - in reply to #580572)
Subject: RE: New guy with a 56 Wagon


Member

Posts: 11

Here are some more pictures. Upon closer examination of the interior I believe some of it to be original and some to be replacement. I need to find a few small pieces. Will post a wanted ad.
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