Paal was a young man living in Norway in the early 1980s. He was passionate about cars and dreamed of owning a sports coupe, but the strict regulations in Norway made it impossible to buy one. Only doctors, police chiefs, and priests were allowed to own cars before 1960, and those in the transportation business had to seek permission from the government to buy a car or truck.

One day, Paal’s godfather introduced him to a 1956 Chevy Bel Air Sport Coupe body that he had imported from the United States. Paal fell in love with the car at first sight and knew that he had to have it. He bought the body and worked tirelessly to restore it, using the registration papers from a 4-door taxi that he had purchased to license the car.

After months of hard work, Paal finally finished restoring the car and painted it in matador red and India ivory. The car looked brand new, and Paal was thrilled to have accomplished his dream. However, after just a year of ownership, Paal sold the car to buy a 69 427 Corvette cab. He regretted the sale immediately but hoped that he would be able to buy the car back someday.

Years went by, and the car changed hands several times. Finally, after nine long years, the current owner approached Paal and offered to sell him the car. Paal was overjoyed to be reunited with his beloved 1956 Chevy Bel Air Sport Coupe, even though it was now in pieces.

Paal spent the next several years buying and selling other cars to raise money for the restoration of his Chevy. He wanted to finish the project in time for the car’s 50th anniversary in 2006. He worked tirelessly on the car, using only Chevrolet parts in the steering, brakes, and suspension. He even used a Newman Car Creations chassis from California, which was considered the best in the business.

Finally, after 2000 hours of hard work, the car was completed, and Paal was able to get it licensed once again. The car had a new LS1 engine, a Tremec T56 gearbox, and a Dana 44 axle with a 4.11:1 ratio. The front suspension was from

a C4 Corvette, and the rear suspension had been replaced with billet aluminum parts with spherical ball joints.

Paal was thrilled with the final product, and the licensing authorities were impressed with the quality of the restoration. The car looked and drove like new, and Paal was proud to have accomplished his dream after all these years. He took the car out for a spin, reveling in the feel of the open road and the wind in his hair.