A man named Jim Lamatrice purchased this 1956 Chevrolet 210 sedan brand new and would own it for the next 45 years. The best option that year was the mid-year release of the Corvette-derived 265-cu. in., 225-hp Power Pak engine, with dual-WCFB Carter four barrels on an inline intake, Duntov-type 30/30 mechanic camshaft, and factory dual exhaust. Jim’s classic “shoebox Chevy” also ended up with the three-speed overdrive manual transmission and steep 4.57:1 PosiTraction rear gearing; the overdrive kept the car streetable with a final gear ratio of about 3.70:1.

Many original Power Pak race cars were radically changed over the years; it is rare indeed to find an example whose competition heritage ended in Stock Eliminator, as this 210 post sedan did, and whose equipment as such has remained in place. The 210 Chevy could be converted with minimal changes (basically intake and carburetor swaps) to various classes of Junior Stock racing; between 1957 and 1970, it ran in H, I, N, and O/Stock, setting records and winning events, the most important being an O/Stock title at the 1970 NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California. It also won a similar crown at the fabled Fuel Gas Championships at Bakersfield later that same season. While Jim conducted almost every change to the car himself, during this time legendary fuel dragster racer and upholsterer Tony Nancy redid the car’s interior.

After 1970, Jim decided he wanted to enjoy the car in a more relaxed fashion and mildly detuned it for street use; it was repainted metallic brown and driven on occasion until 1978. Living in Arizona by now, Jim parked the car at that point and did not drive it again until he finally decided to sell it in 2002. Its third owner, Joe Petralia, decided the car should be as close to competition-ready as it had been in 1970, and did a full restoration to that end, using all the original speed parts that Jim had included and rebuilding the engine to its NHRA-legal 225-hp configuration.

A race car that is also completely streetable, this may be one of the finest authentic Junior Stockers of the 1955–1957 Chevrolet breed to be offered for sale.