Projects At long last - 57Joe gets his 57 Chevy

I don't come from a linage of automotive craftsmen or rodders, but in 2001, when the time came to buy my first car, I just knew I had to have an old car. A buddy's dad tipped me off to one for sale locally, I went and took at look, and struck a deal. 1957 Chevy Bel Air, 4 door post car. 283, 2 barrel, turboglide. It was rough, but it ran well, and provided solid daily transportation to high school, and down to the University of Delaware every weekend, where my girlfriend was at the time. Of course I wanted a coupe or something better than a 4 door, but as a broke high school kid working low paying jobs before college, it was awesome.


Unfortunately, a careless classmate smashed into the back of it while I was sitting at a red light near school, and that was the end of that car. Insurance paid out, and I sold the damaged car, and bought my 57 Ford.

In the 20+ years since then, I've owned dozens of cars, but always wanted another 57 Chevy.

With my 61 Olds project nearing completion, I was talking to my wife about how I was tired of working on projects that I wasn't really into. My 61 Olds will be beautiful, but it's not a car I ever aspired to own. Same with the 55 Ford I recently bought and then later sold. Or the 59 Edsel that has been sitting in the corner of the shop for years as it watched other projects come in and out. I'm not a "car builder" and I don't have the time to turn a full build once every year or two. So if I have to commit myself to project, I decided it has to be something that I really want, and that makes me look forward to getting in the shop, as opposed to making it an obligation.

She said, "Why don't you go buy a 57 Chevy like you've been talking about for years? Sell the stuff you don't want, and go get what you do."

So I did. Meet my next project, a 57 Chevy Nomad.


It's as rough as a night in jail, but it's a place to start. Most importantly, for everything it's missing, it has all of the Nomad specific parts; garnish moldings, headliner bows, seats, etc. And a proper title. A factory V8 car, that's all long gone now. It's as blank of a canvas as I could start with.

I don't want a factory stock Nomad, which is why I'm not going out to get one already done. I also don't feel like I'm committing a sacrilege by customizing a car where only 6,103 were ever made starting with one as rough as this. This is going to be a long haul on this build. The floors aren't totally gone but there are enough braces resembling Swiss cheese to warrant complete replacement. The quarters will need to be repaired as well, and likely replaced entirely on the driver-side. The chassis seems straight and solid. But unlike my orphaned makes, at least I can get some parts for this one and likely find some resources of people who have been through it.

Mainly, I just smile every time I walk past it. I'm excited to get started.

 

Ah....now it all makes sense.

 

Like Like Like!
Glad to see a Nomad for a hot rod.
You can post it on the low production numbers thread.

 

Congratulations on getting a Nomad. They are special. Do yourself a favor and join the Chevrolet Nomad Association.
https://chevynomadclub.org/
A lot of good people with a wealth of Nomad knowledge. The monthly magazine has Nomad specific feature cars, tech articles and classifieds.

Gordy

 

Yeah dude. If it were a hardtop, I'd be tempted to just order a new body. But I have to fix what I have here.

I also don't think I'd be really saving any work by starting with one this hammered. If I found one that was running but "driver" quality, there would probably be suspect repairs to remedy, a tired drivetrain to replace, etc., and I'd be doing all the same work as to this one. Except I'd have paid 3 times as much to start.

 

Great tip there, thanks for that heads up.

 

Great score!!

Please hot rod it. I have been a fan of Eddie Hatch’s blown Nomad for many decades. It is a dream I may never see in my garage, but I’m not giving up yet.

 

I'm not much of a "hot rodder" in that sense, though that Nomad there is kick ass. I'm envisioning something more along the lines of white walls, custom caps, slammed, shaved, Buick grill, smooth hood, and a really sharp custom interior. Lots of chrome under the hood... I think the 57 Nomad is one of the few cars where the designers got it damn close, just needs a bit of cleaning up.

Think maybe something a bit further than the 56 Cole Foster built.

 

I like that example in particular a lot. Not sure I be so bold on the paint, but that is certainly an inspiration for the style.

 

I'm certainly leaning towards the former, though I do love what Chris Mageno did to his 56 Nomad.

I couldn't see myself going that far, but I love seeing someone else do it. Dude needs a wagon to carry his huge stones around for cutting that roof like that.

 

they sure look funny when someone steals the springs out of them

 

There's a lot to be said for doing a car with a good parts well. Hunting down rare (and expensive!) parts can get tiresome. Good luck!!

 

The shop that's doing the paint on my 61 Olds recent sprayed a new 57 Chevy 2 door hardtop body. Owner bought in his coupe for restoration, and after digging into it a bit, it was determined that it would be more cost and time effective to abandon the original body and just buy a complete replacement and go from there. Obviously that's not an option for the Nomad, but I can get a complete front end, rockers, floors, even new doors and a tailgate. That's extremely helpful.

The biggest problem is probably going to be the quarters, where there is no complete quarter available for the 57 Nomad. However, in talking to a couple folks, it appears I can use the lower part of the 2 door hardtop quarter and splice it somewhere in the middle. If the extent of panel repair is limited to the top of the quarter, I can deal with that.

 

Awesome, way cool car, don't think twice about hot rodding it.

 

Mmmmmmmmm
A custom

mmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

My comment on this is do be aware of fit of repo parts before tossing the OEM bits. While having something available is better than nothing, I've heard multiple complaints about panel fit from some manufacturers, although not specifically on '57 Chevys. I know when I parted out some VW Beetles I had, the OEM body parts commanded a price premium, with the buyers saying the aftermarket stuff too often needed considerable work to get a good fit compared to OEM. Those parts sold fast, even with minor damage. Another guy I know did the bodywork on a late-'60 chevy truck and the owner insisted on all new parts. He said fitting the doors was a PITA, it would have been quicker to repair the ones he had.

 

I agree with Steve, use as much original metal as you can...

 

Congradulations, I am a big fan of wagons, you have what looks like a good starting point. I like the idea of a mild custom styling, I'm subscribed. HRP

 

Congratulations Joe...looking forward to this...

You've given me a reason to revisit this inspiration...I will long-roof it...give me a week or 2...
​

 

More pics!

 

Congrats man! I grew up with a good friend that his folks had Nomads. They had a 55 that they had had since ‘67 and now have a few. I did the bodywork and painted their 57 probably 30 years ago now.

Anyway, that will definitely be a cool car when you get done and I like your vision. This is similar to my thinking on my 40 Merc coupe project. If I am going to do a major project, it is going to be something I want and can build the way I like.

 

I know, I know! Ha, it's been sitting on the trailer for the last week while I got a spot clear in the shop for it.

The Edsel project is going to go on indefinite hiatus. I would sell it but it's worth so little that I might as well keep it.

The 57 Ford I've owned for the last 21 years is going to be the casualty. I'll be taking care of a few odds and ends on that soon and putting it up for sale. Will be a good entry level car for someone, a running and driving project.

 

Here's a pic of one of my favorites.

 

Nice!!! I’ll keep an eye out for it in good ol Hunterdon County.

 

A friend's 57 is a cool custom style, never seen a nomad with bubble squirts though