BAREFOOT NOMAD 59

1959 CHEVY NOMAD STATION WAGON

ON JUNE 11, 1959 MY PARENTS BOUGHT THIS CAR AT ALLEN GWYNN CHEVROLET IN GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA. SUMMER WAS AROUND THE CORNER AND I HAD JUST FINISHED KINDERGARTEN. I WAS WEEKS SHY OF TURNING SIX YEARS OLD. THE CAR WAS BEAUTIFUL AND LOOKED LIKE A ROCKETSHIP. I REMEMBER THE NEW CAR SMELL SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT WHILE MY DAD DROVE THE CAR DOWN SAN FERNANDO BLVD. (NO FREEWAY THEN) TO OUR HOME IN MISSION HILLS.

MY MOTHER USED THE CAR FOR GROCERY SHOPPING AS WELL AS HAULING NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS TO SCHOOL AND TO CUB SCOUT AND BOY SCOUT MEETINGS. MY DAD TOOK US ON VACATIONS IN THE STATION WAGON TOO AND OF COURSE CAMPING. MOM CALLED THE WAGON “THE BLUE BOMB.” DAD HAD OTHER NAMES FOR IT WHEN IT WOULD BREAK DOWN. STILL IT HELPED MOVE US TO ORANGE COUNTY IN 1965.

AFTER A COUPLE OF REBUILT ENGINS AND A STOLEN FRONT SEAT NOT TO MENTION THE WEAR AND TEAR OF 300 THOUSAND MILES ON THE BODY AND INTERIOR, MY PARENTS WERE READY TO JUNK THE CAR AND THAT’S WHEN THIS HIGH SCHOOL KID (ME) RESCUED THE CAR IN 1971. THE FRONT FENDER HAD BEEN HIT AND AS I COULDN’T AFFORD BODY WORK OR PAINT, I WAS FORCED TO REPLACE IT WITH A WHITE 59 IMPALA FENDER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH I BOUGHT AT A JUNKYARD. MY SISTER USED TO ASK ME TO PARK THE CAR DOWN THE STREET WHEN SHE HAD A DATE AS NOT TO EMBARASS HER. IT WAS IN SUCH BAD CONDITION.

MY FRIENDS AND I WOULD PILE INTO THE CAR WITH OUR SURFBOARDS AND DRIVE TO HUNGTINGTON BEACH OR SAN ONOFRE. THE CARPET WAS RAGGED AND WORN BY THEN SO THE SAND AND BEACH TAR ON OUR BARE FEET JUST GOT GROUND INTO THE CARPET FIBER. SPEAKING OF “BARE FEET” A COP TRIED TO GIVE ME A TICKET ONCE WHEN HE SAW ME GETTING INTO THE CAR BAREFOOT. IT WAS THE SEVENTIES AND WE ALL HAD LONG HAIR AND NO SHOES!
HE FOUND THERE WASN'T A LAW AGAINST DRIVING BAREFOOT SO LET ME GO. HE LIKED THE CAR THOUGH AND WHEN HE NOTICED IT WAS A NOMAD HE CALLED ME A “BAREFOOT NOMAD.” YEARS LATER I FOUND A SURFBOARD WITH THAT MONIKER.

WHEN THE THIRD USED ENGINE GAVE OUT I PUT THE NOMAD IN AN OUTDOOR STORAGE LOT FOR TWO YEARS. A LIGHT RUST BEGAN TO CREEP ALONG THE ROOF AND TAIL FINS SO A BUDDY AND I REBUILT THE ENGINE IN 1976 AND I DROVE IT FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, THOUGH I HAD ANOTHER CAR AS WELL. I FINALLY RESTORED THE CAR IN 1996. ONLY THING MISSING ARE THE TAIL TAIL TRIM STRIPS WHICH FEEL OF THE LENSES OVER THE YEARS.