Readers over a certain age may remember a TV sitcom called Home Improvement. In one episode, Tim Allen’s accident-prone character managed to drop a large steel beam from a crane onto his wife’s beloved 1955 Chevrolet Nomad. As a classic car enthusiast, I admit I whimpered when I saw this happen but later breathed a sigh of relief on discovering that the vehicle used wasn’t a genuine Nomad. Thankfully, our feature wagon hasn’t suffered that fate and is a solid classic needing some basic TLC. Its appeal is heightened by the rebuilt V8 under the hood, and it seems that returning the vehicle to active duty should be pretty straightforward. It is listed for sale here on eBay in Viola, Illinois. Bidding has hit $35,200, although that figure is short of the reserve.
The seller indicates this Nomad received a repaint in Shoreline Beige over Gypsy Red during the 1980s. The paint remains consistent across the vehicle but might benefit from a repeat dose in the future. The matter isn’t urgent, and the buyer may choose to eventually tackle that task as time and circumstances allow. The panels are straight, but the best news comes when we confront the topic of rust. The Nomad’s exterior looks clean, while the underside shots show little beyond a consistent undercoat and the occasional dusting of surface corrosion. The seller indicates that the wagon has no history of rust repairs, and the only issue the buyer may address is a hole cut in the floor where a previous owner intended to install a shifter. The chrome and glass present well and, like the panels and paint, have no pressing needs. Somebody swapped the original wheels and hubcaps for a set of Rally wheels. If those aren’t to the buyer’s taste, locating factory replacements should not be difficult or expensive.
Lifting the Nomad’s hood reveals a 265ci V8 bolted to an overdrive manual transmission. The sweet little V8 would have produced 162hp in 1955, allowing this classic to storm the ¼ mile in a respectable 17.5 seconds. The wagon’s engine looks squeaky clean following a recent rebuild and should be producing peak power. The seller has replaced the fuel tank, fuel lines, master cylinder, brake lines, and other mechanical components. They say it drives nicely on their property, but it seems it hasn’t seen the open road. With the work listed, returning it to a roadworthy state to make the most of the warmer weather might be a breeze. It is a goal worth working towards when the vehicle is as desirable as a ’55 Nomad.
If any aspect of this Nomad disappoints me, it is its interior. It isn’t a complete horror story, but I was hoping for better. Starting with a positive, the rear cargo area presents well for a family wagon of this vintage. As we move forward, things take a turn for the worse. There is no carpet, so the buyer will need to source a new set. The headliner has seen better days and may prove beyond cleaning. The seats wear what appear to be relatively new covers, but their fit leaves a lot to be desired. Reinstalling them may prove successful and is an option worth considering before spending money on another set. The dash looks nice, and the factory AM radio remains in situ.
As project vehicles go, this 1955 Chevrolet Nomad looks like a gem. Its needs appear minor, and a competent new owner could tackle most of them in a home workshop. With the mechanical work already completed by the seller, returning it to its rightful place on our roads should not prove difficult. That opens the possibility of tackling those tasks immediately to maximize the summer enjoyment but keeping the remaining work as a winter project to productively kill time until the weather improves. Given its overall condition, I expect to see the bidding top $40,000 before it passes the reserve. That means it’s not cheap, but with Chevrolet’s Tri-Five models growing in popularity, it could represent a sound investment. Are you tempted to pursue this Nomad further? If you are, you may need to act quickly before Tim Allen manages to drop a beam on it!
Nice. If it gets any higher off the road it’s going to tip over by itself.
It’s probably just me but I could never understand why you would have a five or six seat station wagon with only two doors, anyone know why they were built this way??
They made regular 2 door wagons as well , as did other manufacturers . My father bought them because they were cheaper than a 4 door and he mostly used them as a truck. The Nomad was seen as a sporty version of a wagon
One reason buyers have is safety: kids in the back can’t open rear doors.
From the stance maybe had that street freak N-50s and Cragers at one time,I like it.
This is one sweet ride, but I suspect the bidding will go up, as it should.
Saw that episode. As the beam came down, it actually crushed a regular ’55 station wagon, not a Nomad. Obvious to a car person.
My ex always said that she lived in the “Home Improvement” house after she complained that her canister type vacuum cleaner did not have enough suction. So I took it apart and opened up all the passages, port matched and sealed all the “connections”. I told her to try it out as it was the best I could do with it. I later saw her taking it out to the trash. It seemed that I had increased the suction to the point that it could no longer be used. The head would glue it’s self to the carpet when the switch was turned on and could not be “slid along the carpet” to suck the dirt from another area.
And yes I initially cringed when the “I” beam hit the “Nomad” but quickly realized that it was a stand-in. Very funny bit as I thing the “stand-in” was messaged for the effect as it wrapped it’s self around the beam like a hot dog in a bun! Very funny bit!
My favorite Chevy of all the Tri-Five models. I remember sitting in a barber’s chair as an 8 y.o., and appreciating the look of the rear wheel openings.