Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1955 Chevrolet Nomad.
When General Motors reworked its Chevrolet lineup in favor of a “shoebox” style layout by flattening the exterior body panels after model year 1954, it set a precedent in automotive design that remains even today.
The 1955 Nomad up for auction shows the distinct direction that was taken. Best of all, it comes with a drivetrain that was retrofitted from C4 Corvette such as a small-block 350cid V8, a 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission, and four-wheel disc brakes. This Ruby Red Nomad has a Pearl White roof, a tan vinyl interior, and a clear Missouri title.
The Nomad nameplate was used for a couple of decades and referred to a station wagon variant of the Bel Air and the Impala models. All 1955 through 1957 Chevrolets have gone on to become very collectible in the marketplace, and the Nomad is no exception. It was produced as a two-door station wagon on the General Motors A-body platform alongside the Pontiac Safari, and it stickered at $2,571 for the inaugural 1955 model year.
This first-year Nomad went through a frame-off restoration by a Chevrolet Camaro specialty facility in California wherein it received a respray in Ruby Red with a Pearl White roof. The exterior look was completed via a set of 18-inch Tyfun wheels wrapped in staggered Nexen tires sized 245/40 up front and 255/35 in the rear.
True to its station wagon body style, the Nomad delivered on utility. Aside from the two rows of bench seats upholstered in two-tone tan and ivory vinyl, the rear cargo area offers plenty of space for belongings and the carpet has been embossed with a Chevrolet bowtie logo.
The magic of this wagon happens underneath its hood: In place of the Nomad’s original 265cid V8 lives a C4 Corvette-sourced 350cid V8. The motor came from a 1987 Corvette and has been upgraded with a Mattson’s radiator, a stainless-steel exhaust system, and a stainless-steel 20-gallon fuel tank. The seller says that maintenance has been kept up over the years.
Similar restomod treatment happens underneath the body where underpinnings both front and rear come from a Corvette along with four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, Bilstein front shock absorbers, and power steering.
The already-popular Nomad has been made even better in this custom hot rod, thanks to Corvette running gear, disc brakes, and a reupholstered interior. Now is your chance to make a move and place a bid!
The auction for this 1955 Chevrolet Nomad ends on Thursday, July 6, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT)
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery
