Blank Canvas: 1957 Chevrolet Nomad
Blank canvas projects are always great to find, but this ramps up a notch or two when the vehicle in question is as desirable as a 1957 Chevrolet Nomad. As you will see, this is a solid classic that is begging for a new owner to place their mark on it. If you feel up to the challenge, you will find the Nomad located in Cedar Lake, Indiana, and listed for sale here on eBay. The bidding has been pretty spirited, and while it has already reached $22,257, this figure remains short of the reserve.
The owner refers to the existing Dusk Pearl paint as old, but it still manages to hold a respectable shine. If the buyer wanted to return the wagon to active duty without touching it cosmetically, it should still turn heads wherever it goes. The panels are straight, with no appreciable dings or dents. Rust issues seem to be confined to a small area in the lower tailgate, a similar-sized area in the tailgate jamb, and a small spot in the lower passenger door. Otherwise, the exterior looks clean. The news when we delve below the surface is even better. The frame is structurally solid, with little more than a coating of surface corrosion. Someone has addressed the previous rust issues in the floor by replacing everything from the firewall back to the tailgate. It is all fresh steel, and it only needs some detail work to have it looking perfect. The exterior trim and chrome appear to be in excellent condition, while the tinted glass looks spotless. The wheels that the Nomad currently wears may not suit some tastes, but changing these could represent a further opportunity for the buyer to place their mark on the vehicle.
When we begin to dig below the surface, we reach the point that demonstrates why I consider this Nomad to be a blank canvas. Apart from the missing radio, the dash appears to be complete. The front seat wears custom upholstery, and the headliner looks acceptable, but a significant amount of the upholstery and the carpet are long gone. How the buyer addresses this will depend on their vision for the vehicle. There are plenty of upholsterers who can stitch together custom trim, and the variety is only limited by the owner’s imagination. If they would like to achieve a more stock look, complete trim kits are readily available. They generally sell for around $2,200, and while that isn’t cheap, the completed work would give the wagon a factory-fresh appearance. Mechanically, the buyer will be digging into their pocket to get this classic back on the road. The engine, transmission, driveshaft, and steering column have all disappeared into the sunset. That means that the buyer will need to source a complete drivetrain for this classic. That opens a world of possibilities. Slotting a later small-block under the hood would be the easiest answer, and the hardware to perform such a transplant is easy to find. The other possibility to consider would be to find something newer and tackle this as a restomod build. That could provide the next owner with the best of both worlds. It would allow them to retain all of the Nomad’s inherent character and appeal but equipped with a drivetrain that is civilized to live with and requires little maintenance to keep it in a roadworthy state. It comes down to a question of personal preference, but I admit that this is a path that I would find tempting.
The buyer of this 1957 Nomad will face a raft of decisions if they wish to create a classic that reflects their personal tastes. The options range from mild to wild, and it doesn’t matter which path they choose, it’s a sure bet that the wagon will turn heads when it is complete. I will be interested to know which options our readers will choose and whether any of you are interested enough to throw their hat into the ring. If you do decide to pursue this one further, I would hardly blame you. It’s not every day that we get a chance to create something special, and sometimes we need to grab those opportunities with both hands.
Comments
Popularity of these may be falling off and this example might prove this to be the case. Last nights block party with 100+ Classic and Contemporary cars featured several 1957 Bel Airs and one Nomad. Besides the Chevy owners talking to each other, I watched large groups walk by with no one stopping to admire these beautiful works of art. Instead, they gravitated over to the beefed up road Queen Jeep’s and Drifter car section. Also being ignored were the C1 & C2 Corvettes and classic Hardtops. Instead, the Millennials fawned over the 2020 Corvettes, classic British convertibles, Present day Ferraris and McLaren.
I’ve got lots of ideas for a car like this but that would be after asking if a mechanically gutted car is worth what is presently bid. Also, those “small spots of rust” are usually 3 times what you see on the outside. Neat, rare car that needs to go to a pro restoration shop. Do it yourselfers are upsidedown the minute they pay for it.
Agree, Bob. this rust riddled carcass is not for spec. As an end user this only makes sense in the $4,000 range. Leave it alone, have the paint wet sanded and polished, throw in a beefed up 327 and drive it while you can. The beauty of the Nomad design is fading with tri 5s in general. I love them. I have long dreamed of owning a’57 Nomad. But I fear tri 5 aficionados are dying off.
It’s like the interest in early fords that once drove the hobby. Each generation fades away and ultimately so do their interests. So it is with Nomads. In that sense, prices will ultimately drop or level off as the ones with the most sentimental memories leave them to their children who have no interest. Look at the numbers of under 25s who have no interest in driving. They don’t care about cars, let alone classics, in the same way.
The number of buyers are only falling off because many want to bes are being priced out of the entire mussle car tri 5 market.
You get those”only worth $5,000 guys who refuse to carry the inflation factor into the equation. I paid $400 for my 57 Nomad in 1973 and sold it for $10,000 in 1995. It sold in 1 hour.
Todays market is very split. Theres the low budget 30-50 k driver buyers and the high number retromod buyers. I’ve seen half a dozen sold between $150k to $200k in the auctions and the demand for those cars marketed in the right place seems strong. The lower market to a much more challenging market of tire kickers.
I love 57’s in this color, very classy looking. There is a bronze, creme top 57 Nomad in town, nice color combination. The older baby boomers folks are dying off, just like the restored Model A people and interest is indeed falling off. All the kids I know want a trashcan muffler car or a Prius, not a “old pile of junk”
Great year, great model. Spent a little for a fun driving car.
When I was in high school half a century ago. A friend had an older brother who was into Nomads and grandmother who supported his addiction, He had two one was daily driver very nice with a 327 & three on the tree, My friend got to use this once in a while. The other was a show car restored to perfection with every option and add on Gimmick offered in 57. I ONLY saw the show care once. I am sure the show car is now in someone’s garage never seen in public like lots of other pieces restored to perfection
Very true comments. …….I’ve owned several of the tri 5’s over the years and they are truly coming down in price except for those who have deep pockets and will settle for nothing else.
The year was 1957 and dad purchased a Nomad, powder blue with a white roof. Front an back seats were covered in skin searing plastic. Fast forward to 1966. I guess the old Nomad had seen better days. We were about a block away from Booty Chevrolet when the Nomad stopped running. Dad and me pushed it onto the dealer’s lot where he picked up a new Caprice wagon. He got $50.00 trade in for the old girl.