When it comes to Chevrolet wagons from the 1950s, everyone seems to have a thing for the Nomad. And that's totally understandable because the Tri-Five Nomad is not only a design icon of the era, but it's also rare and expensive nowadays. But we forget that Chevy offered quite a few grocery getters alongside the Nomad in the mid-to-late 1950s.
Yes, none were as fancy in the equipment department, but the fact that they were more affordable and used as workhorses is what makes them hard to find today. Because once they were done hauling stuff with them, most owners abandoned them in junkyards. I'm talking about haulers like the Yeoman and the Brookwood.
The former arrived in 1958 when Chevrolet introduced its then-new series of full-size cars that replaced the Tri-Five. Based on the Delray, it was the company's entry-level wagon. The Brookwood, on the other hand, was Chevy's mid-range wagon and filled the gap between the Yeoman and the range-topping Nomad (based on the Bel Air).
When Chevrolet redesigned its full-size cars again for the 1959 model year, the Yeoman was retired, and the Brookwood became the base wagon, also gaining a two-door version in the process. The nameplate soldiered on until 1961 and then returned for another short stint between 1969 and 1972.
The car you're looking at is a 1959 example that was lucky enough to survive to see 2022 in one piece. It's not the cleanest Brookwood out there, and it's by no means rust-free, but it's a mostly original survivor that still wears its factory paint. And that's a rare feat for a not-so-desirable wagon that you're more likely to see in junkyards than on public roads.
Saved by YouTube's "IowaClassicCars" in 2015, this Brookwood spent the last five years or so in a barn. It was running when it was parked but needed serious repairs to become road-worthy again.
Now that he finally has a proper place to store it, the owner got it running again in what might be the first step in a refurbishment process that will see the wagon drive on public roads again. And that's great news for any classic station wagon fan. And I know the Brookwood was the cheapest Chevy wagon in 1959, but it's essentially an Impala with a long roof design-wise. And that's cool enough in my book.
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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