Up for sale is a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad. It is a little rough around the edges, but the rarity of this particular body of 57 might help it to sell. This car does have a reserve set and the current bid price by 21 bidders has reached $13,600. It is located in Cedar Hill, Texas. The seller does have the VIN for this Nomad listed and a clean title, but there are no miles listed. You can find it more on eBay.
Sadly there are no photos provided of the engine. The seller claims that this car does have its original, numbers matching, 283 cubic-inch engine, and manual transmission and that it is able to be driven long enough to get around the block and get on a trailer. They also say the brakes will work long enough for that function as well. At one time the current owner thought about LS swapping the car but never got around to it, nor do they now think that is a good idea. Now they suggest restoring the car.
Inside there is a bench seat and not much else. The drive side of the seat is all torn up. There are some inside handles but no interior panels are present. Rust is eating away at many places on this car. The floors are especially rough and you can see daylight from inside the car on the rear wheel wells and the front floorboards. This is more alarming considering that the listing says someone, an amateur, has already done some of the floors.
These cars are quite rare and while this one is pretty rusty, it has potential and can be saved. Considering the car is currently in Texas, it would be interesting to know if it has spent its entire existence in Texas. There are no photos of the car from underneath and none of the engine, but the inside rust makes me wonder if the car is originally from a northern state where salt was used. Many of you will be able to provide a lot more information so let us know in the comments below
I would like to see the car before the patch job and the Hot Rod Black paint. Several days of prep work on a car that has been sitting out forgotten in the elements for decades. Replacing or hanging removed parts and sweeping it out. Replacing the dry rotted tires with better wore out used really do a number to the value. Knowing this I have to look a little further. Because…….
Had a buddy that made a comfortable living dragging old cars out of the woods and on ebay. He made them look like they were ready to drive often photographing them on a dead end road. You see it. You know it needs everything from the description. But somehow you can see yourself driving it in NO time. He as I said made a good living purchasing from ebay/paying shipping adding used swapmeet custom rims when needed and gallons of Hot Rod Black.
This looks like one of his. Only not rolled into a log pile. Lots of work still needed before the wind will blow on the old bald head…unless you happen to have your own tow truck and driver.
It’s too funny when I see this.
…….that black paint has been on there for a while….
Nice Parts car!!!
RonY Sure…………and you can tell how old the paint is by looking at a picture? Now that is the skill. How long has it been on there? :)
………amcfan, not so much skill involved in my opinion about the paint, just common sense by looking over the pictures really well and seeing all of the old nicks in the paint, chips in others, and the fading in some areas and the gray primer spots, zoom in on some of the areas, you can tell its been there a while, but like I said, just my opinion….but I’ve been wrong before. wont be the last time…..
You’re not really wrong, just gave that piecer too much credit! As I said, for a Few hundred bucks, it would make a great Parts Car for someone with a ’57 Nomad!!!
AMCFAN, exactly. Black primer hides a world of sin, check out the bidding its up to 18 large already, reserve not met yet. Like you said, for a serious buyer, you would be better off seeing it before the panels were poorly installed. It all depends on what level you want to take it to. This guy hung enough stuff on this one to make it look palatable. You definitely want a good inspection. I’m figuring you have a lot of work ahead if you need to rip out the bad stuff and start over, Caveat Emptor, and good luck. 283 or 327 4 speed would do it for me!
Cheers
GPC
Pare it up in the same garage w/the Indian in today’s feed?
Ya got yer wrk ahead of ya…
Love it. Make it run and stop, put a mattress in the back, sleep and drive yourself into poverty row. Pure poetry in metal. Whoever gets this-good luck.
God bless America
I do not have to drive to poverty row. Its my main address. You want the Postal Code ?
Del, Are we neighbors? :)
And God bless them too, for having enough guts to buy it!!!!!
I get palpitations when I think of the ‘57 Nomad I sold for $750 back in the day. 265, auto, fac air, white over yellow.
About century or so ago when I was in high school a friend had an older brother with two 57 Nomads. One was a daily driver with 327 & three on the tree and a very nice car. The other was one he restored to perfection and had every accessory toy could think of and some not known. I have no clue what happened to these cars, probably went to an auction and ended as garage queens.
OR went to the crusher & you might be driving part of it in your New Toyota!!!!
Well this should be a parts car but they are rare enough that this one will be restored or rodded soon.
No under hood pics….or matching number motor ? Something’s fishy …..wounder if this was the one that’s been for sale on CL east of Cedar Hill/Dallas…?
The motor ,matching numbers or not ,is irrelevant.57 nomads are worth way more restomodded than restored period.Projects like this have not yet dropped in the same ratio as the done cars have .Ergo,the $20k ballpark is market value ,but you could never build one for anywhere near ,what you can buy a done car for.Buy the best you can afford ,