The 1955-57 Chevrolets, later dubbed the “Tri-Fives”, were hugely successful cars, selling more than 4.5 million units. All were big movers except for the new “sport wagon” called the Nomad. Part of the Bel Air series, the Nomad was derived from a 1954 Corvette-based concept car that had a unique back section compared to other station wagons of the day. This 1955 example looks to be as original as they come, and the word “restored” is used nowhere in the seller’s description. Equipped with the Power Pack V8 (more on that later), this Nomad is in Boxford, Massachusetts, and is available here on eBay where brisk bidding is already up to $65,000.

While the Nomad would later become popular with the surfboard set, these wagons were quite different than what was offered in two-door form in the 150/210 Chevrolets. The front clip and trim were all Bel Air (in fact, Bel Air would be part of the name), but from the windshield back everything else was new, included the roof and slanted tailgate. To cover the tooling costs, a similar wagon was peddled by Pontiac called the Custom Safari. Across all three model years, Nomad production would only equal 22,375 units while the Safari managed just 10,988 copies. They weren’t considered a financial success by GM brass, so these special wagons were gone in 1958, although both names would resurface later on more conventional wagons.

While the seller’s first-year Nomad is a stunning example, what helps separate it is the 265 cubic inch V8 which was standard in the car. In basic 2-barrel carburetor fashion, the engine produced 162 hp. But when the Power Pack option was added, like on the seller’s wagon, the output jumps to 180. That’s because a 4-barrel carburetor was used along with a few other peaks and tweaks. There was even a high compression “Super Power Pack” available at 195 hp, but neither of these packs seems to get mentioned very often now.

The seller’s Nomad originated in Oakland, California and we’re told it’s been babied and garage kept all its life. The paint and all the chrome trim are beautiful and there is no mention of any resprays or replacements. Zero dents, dings, or rust on the car’s straight body panels. If you peek at the undercarriage, you’re likely to see some of the original red oxide that was used by the factory. The interior is equally nice, and the seller estimates that 90% of it is original, too.

When this car left the factory 66 years ago, it was very well equipped. Besides the Power Pack, it also came with a 2-speed Powerglide automatic, power steering and brakes, power seats and windows, and tinted glass. At 47,000 miles, it rolls on Coker bias-ply radial wide whitewall tires with wire wheel covers that I don’t recognize, but the Chevy Bowtie is present. This looks like a wagon you could drive anywhere, with or without the surfboard.