Though the two-door sedan was more affordable, the Nomad holds a special place in Bel Air history. These Chevys aren’t only desirable but they can also haul groceries at ludicrous speeds, especially if we're talking about a blown LS3.
As you can tell, the Nomad in the photo gallery is far from stock. Gone is the small-block V8 of old for 416 cubic inches (6.8 liters) of pushrod magic that features LSA heads, billet valve covers, Inconel exhaust valves, and high-quality pistons from Mahle. A hot camshaft and a beefy radiator pretty much sum up the glorious engine bay.
Built for display at SEMA, the TruBlue Pearl 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad offered for sale by RK Motors Charlotte is also gifted with a 9.0-inch rear axle, posi-traction differential, 3.73 gearing, a four-speed automatic transmission, and power steering. Amenities include air condition (a modern system, not the old one), leather for the interior, power windows, a vintage radio, and Classic Instruments telemetry.
The body color is complemented by Granite Metallic for the roof, Cobalt Black for the chrome garnish, and a set of custom wheels that hide the power disc brakes. The restomodding theme continues with the choice of rubber boots, namely Michelin Pilot Sport tires measuring 265/35 by 18 inches and 335/30 by 18 inches, front and rear.
Undoubtedly cool and unmistakably fast, the Tri-Five before your eyes doesn’t come cheap. This fellow is selling for $189,900 or $1,706 per month based on a 20-percent down payment over 120 months. Given that Aston Martin charges $152,995 for the V8 Vantage, it’s easy to grasp just how much money we’re talking about here.
It’s also worth highlighting that the average price at auction for a mostly original ‘Mad is higher than $60,000 while factory A/C adds a hefty premium to the tally. Back in the 1950s, the Nomad was Chevy’s most expensive automobile after the Corvette. At $2,571 for the V8, the base price works out to $24,761 these days (adjusted for inflation).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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