Name: Mike Campbell
Vehicle: 1956 Chevrolet 210 Station Wagon

Hi Mike, cool wagon; definitely one of our favourite years for Chevys. These things are fairly thin on the ground over here, what made you decide to go for the wagon instead of a sedan or sport coupe?
It all started at my first Beach Hop; I went for a look and was hooked straight away. I wanted something I hadn’t seen a lot of so looked on the net under Chevy. A picture of a 1956 Chevy wagon came up, I loved the hidden fuel cap and the lines of the chrome.

The wagon oozes patina, especially with that sunburnt white paint that looks pretty original, it looks like it came straight out of the desert somewhere.

Do you have any plans to repaint it or do you reckon you’ll just leave it as is?
I’ve had this discussion with a lot of people. Some have told me they would love a paint job like mine, some think I should paint it. I love it the way it is; it stands out and always gets commented on. I am hoping to go see my painter soon to see if he can just clear coat it to protect it.

Looks like the original old 265ci V8 is still nestled under the bonnet, again fairly rare to see one that hasn’t been molested or hacked up. Do you intend to keep it stock or have you got other plans as far as the drivetrain is concerned?
I originally bought it to put a big block V8 in it, but when it arrived from America, Chuck from Chuck’s Restoration told me it was a matching numbers motor, so I decided to leave it original.

The 15-inch Astro Supreme wheels and whitewall tyres look awesome, a nice period-style touch that complements the lowered body. Did you do this or was the car already like it when you bought it?
When it arrived into the country it was stock standard with hub caps. A good friend got me hooked on them one day when he showed me a picture, so I bought some wheels and a lowering kit to match. I was stoked with how it turned out and it drives better. I still have the original springs if I want to go back to the original look.

What are your future plans for the wagon, if any?
As I am learning every day, the list never stops on old cars. I would love to do the interior next and rebuild the driveline after that, but mainly just go cruising with good friends.

It looks like you’ve got a pretty cool job as well. Working at Repco you must kinda feel like a kid in a lolly shop at times. How long have you been working there?
I haven’t been working there long. I guess it is cool in a way; it is always a challenge and fun when anybody comes into the shop with a V8 or old-school car. I have a few good customers who cruise into the shop or tell me about their projects on the go, and I feel good helping get them on the road.

This article is from NZV8 Magazine issue 64. Click here to check it out.