Jeff -The converts got the glory, but the Bel Air Nomad is at the top of the heap for me. Also the highest priced Bel Air.
My favorite Nomad but I liked how it looked with the chrome reverse rims as seen on the Revell model box (and I've heard the story so there's no need to get into that). My first car was a 55 Nomad.
While there was no badging, the '55 - '57's had an optional interior on the 210 2dr sedans (only). The optional interior made the car a Delray. . If a person looks at the cowl tag on a 210 2dr sedan, the model number will be either 1011 or 1011A. The 1011A is for the Delray. A 210 2dr sedan without the Delray interior is just model number 1011. Gotta56forme/Scott
Esoteric Chevy tech. Elusive...the stuff arguments are made of. I can recall this one group of 'tennis shoe M.F.s' that came up with impossible-to-follow Chev specs. This crowd knew part numbers, mid-year applications, etc., and only one of them had a car. Following this thread, I see there WERE many Chevy particulars I never got onto, albeit working on them daily at Mayfield's Garage... So, kudos to all you fellas that took the time to dig deep into what you were working on! Lots to know...
Mike Life sure could be a lot worse, considering what the rest of the world does to waste their time. Like sitting around hashing over stats from the 1987 Super Bowl or what was the most popular tennis shoe in the NBA in 1977. Then there is politics (I know), cripes get a life. So many people we went to school with are/were dead and gone long ago because of the choices they made in life. I'd rather have my three (unfinished) projects than to have pissed all my money away in bars and casinos. Rant over.
The western village I grew up in had a progressive Chevrolet/Oldsmobile dealership and when the 55-57 Chevys became 8-10 years old my friends would watch the OK used car lot like hawks.Locals would trade their shoe box in on a new Impala and a 60,000 mile gem could be had for $600.00.
I was still in HS when the '57's came out. But by '58 I had a steady job, and a dad willing to sign the loan papers. I found this 270hp, HT on a used car lot, stick shift with O/D, 4:11 rear end. I paid $1800 for it. The car had less than 10,000 miles on it. I drove it (and it saw some drag strip time too) until I got married 2 years later. Traded it in for a station wagon (not a Nomad). Oh, if we could only turn back time.....
Lol i forgot about these. these wagons, they are rare i hardly ever see em, and I heard they are a hard to get car even in there hay day. Love them back seats 3rd row.
Not a new one but my first '57 a few months ago (March 2016), heard about it from a friend of a friend who had it under a torn tarp in his back yard for a few years. Added a battery, gas, cleaned the windows and drove it home for $2800. Cleaned up well, carb sucks (235 w/ 3 speed all stock).
These numbers are from a book by the editors of consumers guide. cost production sedan 2 dr $2238 62,751 sedan 4dr $2290 254,331 townsman $2580 27,375 sport sedan 4 dr ht $2364 137,672 nomad $2757 6,103 convertible $2511 47,562 sport coupe ht $2299 166,426 The cheapest 57 was a 150 sedan utility sedan at $1885
A photo of my Mom beside our 57, that my Dad bought after totaling our 55. He got a new Chevy about every 4 to 5 years. unless he totaled them that is. lol I'm in the middle Ron...