As popular as the “Tri Five” Chevies were when they were new, the Nomad sport wagon wasn’t a big seller. In fact, over three years, they were less than one-half of one percent of total Chevy production. Yet today, they may be the most coveted of these cars with collectors. This one from 1957 is rusty and its engine and transmission are no more, so it will be an ambitious but potentially worthwhile project for someone so inclined. Located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, it’s available here on eBay where one loner bidder has jumped in at $9,500. Hats off to Larry D for another great tip!

Chevy’s line of automobiles was all-new in 1955 and gained a V8 engine. The entry-level model was the 150, the mid-range car was the 210, and the Bel Air was the top dog. Through 1957, Chevrolet built just shy of five million of these cars, which equates to a reasonable number of survivors in the hands of enthusiasts. The Nomad was added to the line-up as a 2-door sport wagon that shared no sheet metal with other Chevy wagons back of the doors. It was based on a 1954 Corvette concept car and just 22,897 were built in 1955-57 as part of the Bel Air series. That’s about one-third the number of Bel Air 4-door wagons sold at the same time. Pontiac had its version of the wagon called the Safari and GM pulled the plug on both for 1958, although the names would resurface later on more traditional station wagons.

We’re told this ’57 Nomad once had a V8 engine and an automatic, but there’s an empty hole now. An educated guess would put that pairing at the 283 cubic-inch small-block with a Powerglide. We don’t know if anything else related to the mechanical well-being of the car is missing. The biggest challenges will lie with bringing the body and interior back up to snuff.

The seller has owned this wagon for at least five years and may have started to take it apart given the pile of chrome pieces that will go with it. While it carries some old red paint, that’s a respray and it looks to have been white, to begin with. Rust has played havoc with the floors, rockers, door jambs, tailgate, and the bottom of the dashboard. So, replacements or repairs will have to be enlisted. There is also a rust hole in the roof. While the suspension looks crusty to me, the seller says the frame is good.

One of these Nomads in top condition can easily trade for six figures, no there is upside potential with this one. But a huge cost in getting this one wagon back on the road will be in sourcing a new drivetrain and buying a bunch of sheet metal, which fortunately is available for these vehicles. In the end, you’d have one of just 6,264 built for 1957, the lowest of the three production years.