Photo: nbcgibbs/eBay
Chevrolet built no less than 1.5 million Tri Fives in 1957, but only 6,264 of them were two-door Nomad station wagons. The rarest of the Bel Air breed, Nomads have survived in fewer numbers than that, and mint-condition examples are hard to come by. This turquoise-painted wagon is one of those rare birds that has soldiered on for more than 60 years with just 30,000 miles (48,300 km) on the odometer.
Now make no mistake, this wagon no longer sports its original paint. The car has been repainted back in 2011, but the owner went with the same two-tone combo in which the Nomad came from the factory. That's a Tropical Turquoise with India Ivory roof and rear fender trim. Probably the best-looking 1957 paint combo if you're into pastel finishes.
The good news is that the repaint has been done professionally, and it still looks nice and shiny ten years later. What's more, there are no dings and rust spots to talk about, so it's basically a time capsule with a top-notch refinish. And needless to say, the fact that it's been a garage queen since then helped it retain a clean look.
The wagon looks just as impressive inside the cabin. The interior also boasts a two-tone combination, but with black instead of ivory. It even features floor mats with the classic "Chevrolet" logo, which are said to be original. There are no cracks in the upholstery or the dashboard, while the headliner looks pristine, a rear feat on 60-year-old classics.
Popping the hood open reveals a matching-numbers, 4.6-liter small-block V8. Rated at 185 horsepower from the factory, the mill mates to the original two-speed Powerglide transmission. The seller says the Nomad "runs and drives excellent" and "is ready to drive cross country." Given how clean the engine bay looks, I'm pretty sure he's telling the truth.
This garage queen is auctioned off by eBay seller "nbcgibbs" to help "settle the estate of a classic car collector." The good news is that the car is sold with no reserve, so it will go to the highest bidder. On the flip side, the seller accepts private offers, so there must be some sort of "buy it now" price outside eBay.
As of this writing, the highest bid is at $50,300, with three more days to go. That's actually well below the average price of a mint-condition Nomad, with wagons like these fetching upward of $80,000. It remains to be seen if it will end up being a bargain, but it's definitely one of the nicest all-original Nomads available right now.
The good news is that the repaint has been done professionally, and it still looks nice and shiny ten years later. What's more, there are no dings and rust spots to talk about, so it's basically a time capsule with a top-notch refinish. And needless to say, the fact that it's been a garage queen since then helped it retain a clean look.
The wagon looks just as impressive inside the cabin. The interior also boasts a two-tone combination, but with black instead of ivory. It even features floor mats with the classic "Chevrolet" logo, which are said to be original. There are no cracks in the upholstery or the dashboard, while the headliner looks pristine, a rear feat on 60-year-old classics.
Popping the hood open reveals a matching-numbers, 4.6-liter small-block V8. Rated at 185 horsepower from the factory, the mill mates to the original two-speed Powerglide transmission. The seller says the Nomad "runs and drives excellent" and "is ready to drive cross country." Given how clean the engine bay looks, I'm pretty sure he's telling the truth.
This garage queen is auctioned off by eBay seller "nbcgibbs" to help "settle the estate of a classic car collector." The good news is that the car is sold with no reserve, so it will go to the highest bidder. On the flip side, the seller accepts private offers, so there must be some sort of "buy it now" price outside eBay.
As of this writing, the highest bid is at $50,300, with three more days to go. That's actually well below the average price of a mint-condition Nomad, with wagons like these fetching upward of $80,000. It remains to be seen if it will end up being a bargain, but it's definitely one of the nicest all-original Nomads available right now.
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