“Nomad” — what an awesome title for an uncommon automotive that means what many people want we might do: Be a rover, simply wander arounding, transferring from place to put.
Within the early Nineteen Fifties, there have been no minivans and only a few van conversions, however station wagons had been very fashionable household autos. Earlier than that decade, station wagons had been a comparatively small a part of auto manufacturing. Many had been made principally of wooden (therefore the time period “woodie” automobiles), and usually they had been costly autos to purchase and preserve. Then Common Motors got here up with a brand new concept.
The Nomad began as an idea automotive as a part of the Common Motors Motorama line of “dream cars” in 1954, when Harley Earl was the pinnacle stylist. Stanford-educated, Earl first labored for his father’s very profitable customized auto physique design firm that constructed luxurious automotive our bodies on high-end chassis like these from Cadillac.
Earl was instrumental within the design of GM’s first LaSalle in 1927. In 1953, he designed the primary effectively acquired revolutionary Corvette, and Earl used the entrance fascia (finish) of that Corvette for the entrance of the idea Nomad. Chevrolet used the Nomad title from 1954 to 1972, however to many college students of the enterprise the true Chevy Nomads had been the primary sequence constructed from 1955 by way of 1957.
It was the top-of-the-line station wagon, referred to as the Tri-5 sequence. Due to the optimistic reception, GM authorised the Nomad for 1955 manufacturing, however the design was modified to be in keeping with the all-new, Harley Earl-designed 1955 Chevrolet automotive fashions. This turned out to be an excellent determination, because the Tri-5 sequence is taken into account a few of Earl’s greatest design work in his lengthy profession.
I believe it’s protected to say Nomad modified station wagons from boxy truck-like autos to fashionable standing autos. It had a singular roof design, and the 2 doorways had been just like the doorways from a two-door hardtop and convertible with a slanted roofline and frameless doorways. It has been stated that Nomad was the forerunner of all trendy station wagons.
At present Nomad may be very widespread amongst automotive lovers, however it wasn’t that widespread when it was constructed. Gross sales weren’t simply disappointing however a failure at lower than 0.5% of the greater than half-million Chevrolet station wagons offered on the time. Curiously, the exact opposite was true for its styling.
Why gross sales had been so disappointing is difficult to say — partly it might have been the value of $2,571 or about $30,390 at the moment, or partly as a result of it was simply accessible as a two-door wagon.
The problem’s featured car is a very restored 1956 Chevrolet Nomad that really seems prefer it simply got here off the showroom ground. The colour and trim are as near the unique as potential, and the proud proprietor is Joe Silva, of San Ramon, who has solely owned it for about 4 months.
A 1956 Chevrolet Nomad owned by Joe Silva of San Ramon. (David Krumboltz for Bay Space Information Group)
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A 1956 Chevrolet Nomad owned by Joe Silva of San Ramon. (David Krumboltz for Bay Space Information Group)
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Silva is a real collector, as he states he has owned about 100 completely different automobiles within the final 50 years, however he’s very keen on Chevrolet and the Nomad fashions. He additionally has a 1957 Nomad. This automotive has the usual 327-cubic-inch V8 engine however has a four-speed automated transmission. By the point you learn this, it can even have air con.
Silva has customized wheels with whitewall tires and a contemporary sound system, however after buying the automotive he had a shock — it didn’t have any audio system. That too will quickly be fastened. I additionally like the truth that the gasoline cap is effectively hidden behind the left rear taillight. Silva paid $50,000 for the automotive and feels he obtained a cut price, believing the present worth at $65,000. Clearly, he has no plans to promote.
Remaining be aware: That is my final column. I figured I’ve written about 435 columns protecting every little thing from a Ford Mannequin T to a Rolls-Royce and loved writing each. I wish to thank all of the traditional automotive house owners for sharing their tales with me, and I wish to thank the readers of this paper for studying them. I simply had my 89th birthday, and as Common MacArthur stated, it’s time to fade away.
E mail Dave at MOBopoly@yahoo.com, and go to mercurynews.com/writer/david-krumboltz to learn additional columns of his or see extra images of this and different points’ autos.
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