Vehicle Description
The Chevrolet Nomad made its debut constructed on top of a Corvette
chassis as one of the Harley Earl fiberglass Dream Car concepts at
the Waldorf Astoria Motorama in 1954. The subsequent all-steel
bodied, mid-year production Bel Air Nomad won favor with customers
who desired a 2-door station wagon that could haul building
materials home one day and stylishly run surfboards out to the
beach the next. This first-generation Chevrolet Nomad underwent a
body-off restoration and was faithfully painted back into its
original two-tone Gypsy Red and Shoreline Beige color combination.
The Nomad was dispatched into climate-controlled storage following
its restoration and has not been driven since. The halo station
wagon appealed to a niche market, and as such, this Nomad is one of
just 8,530 hardtop-styled Chevrolet dream wagons sold for 1955. Low
production numbers belie the lasting impact of the Nomad on the
American station-wagon landscape. Under the hood is a 265 CI
small-block Chevrolet V-8 that helped change the automotive world
as we know it. The compact yet powerful V-8 was available for 180
HP at 4,600 RPM with a Rochester 4-barrel carburetor and dual
exhaust. The V-8 featured hydraulic lifters for smooth and quiet
running when backed up by the optional Powerglide 2-speed automatic
transmission. Optional power steering and power brakes add road
control to the potent underhood package of the top-flite Nomad
wagon, with factory air conditioning ready to keep the two-tone
beige-and-red leather interior at optimal temperature. Power
windows, in-dash clock and AM radio add luxury to Nomad style.
Stone guards and rocker-panel moldings join front and rear bumper
guards for stylish protection on the sporty station wagon from
Chevrolet. Steel wheels with full-size wheel covers and bias-ply
wide whitewall tires are ready to get the Nomad down the open road.
