Projects 57 Nomad family car. Confessions of a Tri Five Dork

I guess I'm a "Tri Five ****" Guilty as charged.

But i cant take all the blame. This car has been in our garage since 1968 (I was born in 68). My dad (rustypile) drug it out of a guys yard that was using it for a chicken house. When he brought it home he stuck it under the kitchen window where my mother told him to get rid of it or she was gone. Needless to say they worked it out and they stayed together.

some of the resto stuff he may need to step up and lay out here as I was too young to remember. but what I do know is it took several cars and parts from a 56 nomad. My grandmother did the interior and the motor is a detuned 327 from one of my Dads old stock cars.

I drove it to high school when we lived in Austin back in the late 80's and cruised 6th street in it. we moved back to Beaumont where I parked it in 88 and it has sat since.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago I get a visit from my Mom and she tells me that they decided it was time for me and my son to take over the car. It is actually my sons but When he is old enough I will hand him the keys, until then I will take care of her.

My son and I will start working it tomorrow with hopefully some help from the old man. It hasn't ran since about 89 or 90 and my Dad thinks it might have a blown head gasket although I have pulled the plugs and spun the motor and haven't found any indication of it. Will know tomorrow.

tomorrow it will be official that 3 generations all have worked on this old car. The plan is to go through it and see whats really going on in the 40 year old hot rod motor, update the brakes and drive to the round-up after which we'll start freshening up everything.

So am I tri five **** YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

now the pics








I'll be using this thread to make updates on the progress to get her to the round up...
this car is more than just a pile of steel its a chance for me and my son to do some real car bonding as well as my Dad and Son to get to know each other better

 

Dig the Ultra Hot sticker in the back window...very late 80's of you!

Awesome, good luck with the resurrection! Sure looks nice right now.

 

Nah, if you were a TRUE Tri-5 **** it'd have to have a detailed stock 283, stock original color (preferably red-ivory tutone), plus all the goodies out of the dealer accessory book, like rocker moldings, fenderskirts, '57 spinner caps, bumper guards, fingernail guards, windshield visor, stoplight viewer, tissue dispenser, curb feelers, etc, etc....

 

Don't forget the ever important Supremes with 6.70 Pinwall tires!!!!


Awesome project!!! I can't wait to work on something with my son. I was hoping to keep the '54 on the back burner until he was ready but I think I'm going to need to put it together since none of my other stuff as a back seat!


Best of luck and great looking car!

 

Cool history.

Get it running, change the wheels and tires and call it good for now!

 

That's awesome, Shane!! Ultra Hot!! (Homo$@#uals Of Texas)

how did you ever keep that car just sitting in the garage for soooo long?

 

if thats what it takes .....i want to be a "tri-five-****".
keep us posted ****.

 

Very cool! I'd have to dig ya for keeping it sitting so long, but I've kept my 64 Pontiac convertible from college sitting for 15 years myself.

 

Killer project! Can't wait to see the updates!

 

RIGHT ON!!

what is a tri-5 ****? tri-5 would be the 'elite', top of the line, king of the hill, and so on......

"WOW that looks like a NICE nomad!" scrub it up, get it running and drive in style!

 

Have fun with that great project ****.

 

I hope this car is inspiring your build.

Congrats on being a ****, those Nomads to me are the pinnacle of the tri-5 Chevy.

 

You know, I don't particularly dig Tri Fives because I've seen so many. BUT a Nomad always raises my pulse no matter which year it is...........and '57 is the best. I'd break the law to own that car as a project! Well, maybe just break the law a little.

 

Great Great Start !!!! Your son and You !!! Cannot beat that.PLEASE
call that car anything BUT "Her" that sounds so "Gold Chain" !!!! Keep on posting as I love those cars . Tom (Tired Old Man)

 

Very cool...I never thought I would have a tri-five either but now I do and everyday I like it a little bit more...if it was a Nomad I would love it a whole lot more...get that grocery getter runnin' asap and back on the road (without those wheels of course)

 

I feel exactly the same way about mine.

 

Even better(imho).....midyear Corvette knock-offs and goldline tires.....(I think I'm gonna p*** out )

 

Damn, for a second I thought you had the world's coolest grandmother.....interior AND motor! And then I saw the rest of the sentence.....still cool though.

 

cool car. I may be a tri 5 ****.......

 

I'm a MAJOR Tri-5 ****. Out with the old,(all the extra's, and LOW). And in with the new.(yep...Straight axle! and rough!)

 

This will be fun to watch. Good luck with it. It's a *****in car.

 

That's a beauty, looks like she just need a good wash and wax. Be sure to post more pics once she's revived.

 

A pair of sweet chebby's, main!

 

cool nomad...keep it in the family!

 

Cool story...keeping it in the family is great.....thanks for sharing...

 

UPDATE GUYS. got it up a running this weekend but not without the typical problems that plague a car thats been sitting up. Had one lifter stick and it backfired popping the power valve and that caused the plugs to foul. Went thru the carb, replaced the leaking fuel pump and cleaned the upper hose where it goes on the thermostat housing to stop a water leak.

Big news is I dont think the head gaskets are leaking so Im moving forward to repair the brakes, replace the radiator and hoses. big day guys, not many pics but what I have Ill post later. Another thing is I got an 11 year old that learned how to tune up and change the oil in a V8 with the help of his Pa Paw. good day.......

 

Damn nice keep it in the family

 

oh hell ya !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Wish i could have been there buddy!!!

 

The slots Rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very cool