1955 Chevrolet Nomad

The 1955 Nomad is the coolest and most-expressive model of Chevy’s Tri-5 era, in my humble opinion. All the elements are there: the full rear-wheel cutouts that blend in such a sporty way with the wraparound two-door wagon styling, the broad chrome spears that shoot back from the thick chrome headlight rims, the vertical chrome bars on the slanted tailgate, and the classic front-end styling with the egg-crate grille of all full-size’55 Chevys.

The Pick of the Day is an apparently preserved 1955 Chevrolet Nomad in the desirable color combination of Gypsy Red and Ivory that has been in the same family for 55 years, according to the private seller advertising the Chevy on ClassicCars.com.

“My father purchased it in Washington, D.C., over 55 years ago,” says the Weirton, West Virginia, seller. “It’s been garage kept from since I can remember and only driven in clear weather.

“The headliner is outstanding and the chrome is excellent. Correct bias wide whitewall tires on stock wheels and full deluxe hub caps. The interior was redone in original colors, the radio works, the car shines with some of the nicest chrome you’ll ever lay your eyes on.”

Based on the 1954 Corvette Nomad concept car originally styled at a Corvette station wagon by the legendary Harley Earl for the General Motors Motorama, the ’55 Nomad was a brilliant effort to add a unique halo car to the lineup of family hardtops and sedans. The Nomad got top-of-the-line features and trim, and was priced accordingly.

The stylish two-door wagon, also produced as the Pontiac Safari, stuck around through 1957, always a handsome design even though the ’56 and ’57 versions went in their own directions, never quite recapturing the sporty flare of the original ’55. Both the Nomad and Safari nameplates would live on in subsequent four-door wagons – great names, by the way, redolent of surfing and California beach culture.

Nomads remain enormously popular for a broad range of classic car enthusiasts, a satisfying car for full restoration as well as an already-hot-looking template for street rodders and customizers practically since the day the cars first rolled off the assembly lines.

This desirable Chevy is especially appealing because of its originality and family history, as well as showing just 33,314 miles on its odometer, although the seller does not say whether that is accurate.

Nor does the seller say whether the V8 engine shown under the hood in the listing photos is the original 265 cid 0r whether it has been performance tuned in any way.

The Nomad seems fairly priced at $60,000 or best offer for the most memorable model from a classic era for Chevrolet.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day