Custom Nomads: Why are they all so ugly?

Harry Bradley once said the purpose of customizing a car was to make it look BETTER, not worse. For some reason, every custom Nomad I've ever seen looks far worse than a stock Nomad. Case in point from the Autorama

 

Its hard to improve on something that looks that good in original form....Different isn't always better......

 

With the Newmad, they took a beautiful design and made it look like a Nash

 

Looking the the Realmad makes me real mad. How ugly.

 

I've seen a couple of photos of a '55 Nomad that looked great.

 

I look at designs by Gene Winfield, Rick Dore, John D'Agostino, Richard Zocchi, Gary Howard, et al, and the cars look better than they did originally, but I've yet to see a Nomad (or Safari) custom that didn't look tasteless.. Of course, that's just my own opinion and your results may vary.

 

i agree...not all of them look bad..its just the people that really get into it and change body lines and all that..the original body is great and can be used in many different kinds of builds, why change it?

 

There was the Surfari that was featured in The Rodders Journal about six years ago. I think most on the HAMB would agree that it looks pretty nice. I'll see if I can find some photos. I do agree with the ones that you posted. I think the RealMad is actually a Caprice though.

 

The Realmad is a '56, designed by Chip Foose and built by Steve's Auto Restorations (as was the Newmad).

 

That ride kick a neucular family's ass...keep it up white boy....rember two tone paint kicks!

 

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To Quote JHjh:
agree...not all of them look bad..its just the people that really get into it and change body lines and all that..the original body is great and can be used in many different kinds of builds, why change it?

My answer: I think too many of these "show car" guys get up in the "we got to make three mods to score all the points" syndrome. While I don't think the panoramic lens on the camera helped any in the photo that Arkiehotrods posted of the copper colored Nomad you can see where mods were made just to be making mods as in the lower trailing edge of the door. It serves no purpose and doesn't add to the car but it garners X# of points from the judges.
My thoughts have always been that a custom should make an original but equally nice stocker sitting beside it look like it is over done or has something wrong with it.
The good thing about that particular car is that it is still immediately recognizable as a 56 Nomad with no identity issues. The other thing is that inside a show hall isn't always the best place to take photos of a car that flatter the car.

 

Having had a '55 Nomad in our family for the last 30 years I feel EXACTLY the same way. Those examples are all completely hideous! Doesn't matter what they started with- those changes applied to ANY car would suck. I could go line by line on that latest one as to how they ruined it, but it's really a waste of time. To me the '56 Nomad is one of THE most beautiful designs to EVER roll down an assembly line- bar NONE! I cannot feel that anyone of those people that desecrated those cars ever had any love for a Nomad. Perhaps the design is just to striking for anyone to go at it tastefully and come out with a winner. Only a couple custom Nomads I have ever seen made it- and they were EXTREMELY mild. One of the best ever will always be the Sam Hollingsworth '57 (I want to clone it SOOOO bad!)- and another was one I saw in a pocket Hot Rod Spotlite book of a Black chopped '57 that was otherwise ALL stock with chrome reverse rims- it was awesome and another one I would copy given the chance. Can't forget the '56 that Cole Foster did as well- tasteful to the max!

Sad someone can't get it right- when and if I ever have the money I have a pair of Nomads planned that will need to end up in The Rodder's Journal.

 

WELL SAID!

 

DAMM--I thought a 57 Buick would make a nice Nomad,
maybe I should rethink that idea. TwoChops

 

Because the design was perfect straight from the factory. Depending on what style you are aiming at all those need is a little rake and some Cragars/Daisys or a big drop and some Astros/chrome reverse wheels.

 

I think the term I ike best is "Guilding the Lilly". Its overdoing it or changing it for the sake of change. My 57 Safari is being kept super mild, cause the factory lines speak for themselves.

 

it only takes a little... ie; cole foster-built nomad

 

What Muttley said. Its one of those SUPER rare cars that are just right from the factory.

 

they don't need anything except an owner with taste!! been trying to get my hands on a co workers, this is what i wanna recreate!

 

That did not start out as a Nomad it was a Handyman wagon.

 

I agree most of the ones posted aren't great. To me they didn't retain enough of the cars identity. That being said I have seen plenty of custom Nomads I've liked. The first one that comes to mind was a '57 built back in the '70's, I believe. I remember seeing it in the back of a rod & custom a couple years back (in the little pages section). I think they said it was rootbeer brown / copper. I remember it being low, flamed and having tru-spokes. Any one know what I'm talking about ? Here's a few "modified" ones I really like...

 

Nomads are like Cadillacs, very hard to improve on a design that's near perfect. And just because something's designed by Chip Foose does'nt automatically make it great. He's capable of creating both good and bad.

 

Customizing Nomads,are like customizing 40 Fords,restraint is the best approach, because the original design was right to begin with! As the examples shown by "Nailhead" demonstrate,mild changes to components,but leave the lines of the car alone.

 

Saw this last weekend and loved it. There was a very similar Chrisman-built car in TRJ a while back that was also killer; like this one it had 210 side trim.

 

Must be something wrong with me... I don't mind that '56. I read that it started as a two-door wagon. Does that make it OK?

I guess it looks better than a two-door wagon, but not as nice as a 'real' Nomad. It's still an improvement... isn't it?

 

I agree on how perfect they are from the factory, but Russ Meek's sectioned '56 did/does look pretty sweet!

 

55 nomads and safaris with a mild lowering and mags are perfect.

losboulevard james's 55 is THE perfect nomad.

 

Even though I really like this car, and would like to own this version of it.......

....here is some fuel for the fire in this thread.

 

I'll agree to a point........lowered mads with big or little hoops are in........body mods - not that kool.

Paco

 

pretty...