Chevrolet built five million Tri-Five cars from 1955 to 1957 in a production run that included no fewer than 20 trims. The two-door Bel Air models are the most iconic, but the Nomad is the rarest of them all.
With fewer than 23,000 units assembled over three years, the Nomad, basically a two-door Bel Air wagon, is as scarce as a Tri-Five can get. And with many of them abandoned along the way, chances are only a few thousand are still functional today. This 1957 Nomad is one of those Bel Airs that spend a few decades locked up in a barn.
One of only 6,264 Nomads built in 1957, this two-door Chevy was reportedly parked sometime in 1970s so it hasn't been driven for almost 50 years. It's been discovered in a barn, and it comes without a title. Unfortunately, it also comes without an engine and transmission, which were probably removed decades ago.
The exterior is obviously in bad shape, with rust on every body panel. The roof, however, looks surprisingly good with just a bit of surface rust. The good news is that it includes all the original Bel Air trim, which was originally found all dirty in the back of the car. As it turns out, whoever parked this car back in the day wanted to sell it for parts.
The interior has been dismantled and shows severe rust on the floor panels. However, the seats and most of the moldings still exist, as do the headliner bows, which are usually very expensive to get.
The frame actually looks better than the rest of the car, with no rust holes and no extensive damage. Although it misses the drivetrain, this Nomad still rolls, and it can be loaded onto a trailer.
Is it worth saving? Well, it all depends on what you want to do with it. A restoration to original specs would get really expensive since it needs a period-correct engine and transmission. Doing a restomod out of it wouldn't be cheaper, but it's easier to drop a modern crate engine under the hood.
But of course, it all depends on how much this shell costs. Auctioned off by eBay seller "fruitofthevine2014" (it's advertised as a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air/150/210), the Nomad has a high bid of $7,199 with three days to go. There's no reserve and no "buy it now" price, so there's a good chance it will go for less than $10,000.
Let's hope it will get some proper care and won't end up as a Nomad parts donor.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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