This 1957 Chevrolet Nomad wagon has an interesting story. While it may look pretty rough right now, it actually may be a decent project. You can find it for sale here on eBay with a current bid of $6,300. Located in Irvington, Alabama, the car is ready for a dedicated new owner to resurrect it from its current state. Are you brave enough to take on this project?
According to the ad, this car was painted in the mid-1970s. The story says the owner was unhappy with the way the paint job turned out and the car was relegated to a storage shed. That would explain the current state of the car and the reason all the exterior trim is stripped off. As for the interior, it looks fairly complete but almost as much of a project as the exterior. The manual shifter is really cool and the steering wheel has a great look.
As mentioned before, there are a ton of trim pieces and extra parts being sold with this car. In fact, those extra parts may be worth as much as the car itself. Original 1957 Chevrolet trim is becoming rarer each day. While there are plenty of companies that make reproduction parts, there’s something about having original ones. There are also people that build period-correct cars and like to use only original parts. Along with the trim, there’s also an extra hood, fender(s), headlight and taillight bezels, glass, and other various parts.
The engine is a V8 that the ad says is 307 cubic inches. Based on the exterior look, it probably isn’t salvageable but you never know.
So after reading about this project, what do you think? If the new owner is going to restore it, I wish them luck. It will take a lot of time and dedication to see it through. Hopefully, this car will get a second lease on life. Would you attempt to restore it? How about parting it out with the hope of making a profit?
Unless you have EVERY single piece of trim for that car ….its best NOT to get it lots of stuff is unique to nomads and getting the proper parts can be a real pain and VERY pricey
The tailgate. That’s the part that will break the bank.
Steering wheel looks to be off a ’59 or ’60. If the body’s good and the price right this could be worth it. Not many of these around any more. Gotta be a tailgate around here some place. Original parts are great but I don’t think that would make any difference on this build. Still cool.
I see the tailgate in one of the pics. Lots of parts but the glass might be a deal breaker. Didn’t see any description of the tranny I assume its a 3 speed. Like Bobhess said these are getting tough to get in any shape. Plenty of work. Would be nice to see some underbelly pics. Good luck to the new owner, could be a beauty again!!
Cheers
GPC
Even if the tailgate is missing they are available through the aftermarket for around $1,000.
Steve R
Great deal and if I had a garage I would grab it. After rotisserie sandblasting the body will be perfect for whatever patch panels you need. And these era cars have all the aftermarket patch panels readily available for cheap.
This care only needs a good sandblasting and will likely be easy to reassemble after all the parts are sandblasted & primed. Heck, these cars look fantastic in just black primer. The engine in the bay will likely be a runner with not much work. Transmission will likely be a runner too once it’s operational & fluid is checked. It’s rare to really find a bum transmission in these things. Cast iron powerglides are cheap too.
Remember…
black primer is cheap.
Bob
If it were sandblasted do you think anything would be left?? I love these cars and I got a rebuilt 396 out of a wrecked 67 impala with an M-21 that I would love to put in this thing!!! I’ll keep reading the posts and see what you all have to say!!!
Sandblasting, even if it’s a heavy duty high pressure sandblaster, will not harm the 18 gage steel body panels at all. Yes, the rust will be annihilated but the steel is 18 gage. One really only needs to worry about 20 & 22 gage steel that is rusted but even that is sandblasted or media blasted when conducting restoration & metal work/mig welding et cetera.
Bob
It’ll be a labor of love for anyone buying
this car. Myself, I can see it painted
Cream over Copper with original rims and
hubcaps or wire rims with Vogue tires.
Might swap the 307 for a 350 backed by
an M-22 4-speed tranny. What a luxorod
that would be! Sadly though, I can’t afford to do it on my retirement pay
though, but there’s someone out there
with enough cash to do this car justice.
Sure wish it was me!
I’ll bet those 1/4 windows would be like hunting Bigfoot.
Are all of you out of their minds to even consider a bunch of rust for that price??? I am not a millionaire to even think about this or any other junkheap to take on. Just an ordinairy car-guy. Preserve what’s logical and part out or scrap sh’t with little or no value.
Sand blast that and you will blow the crap out of it. The blasting will generate so much energy it will buckle. Low pressure soda blast is the way to go. Walnut, dry ice or any other softmedia would also be fine. But no grit, sand, garnet or similar material.
Thank you John. Good to see someone here that knows what they are talking about.
All restoration experts sandblast 50s era cars & frames unless they are weird.
Bob
John is 100% correct, had this conversation at the Rhinebeck car show- blastin with sand or black beauty generates a lot of heat and warp the panels. saw a guy fix a 55 chev that was blasted with a commercial blaster, dang near ruined the roof. Countless hours fixing the damage. As far as the curved glass goes, my thrill is in the hunt, would be part of the fun of owning the car. Good luck to the new owner. I’d go with a 327 4 speed and drive the bejezus out of this beauty. One of the most beautiful cars ever .
I was at the Rhinebeck car show today!! It was kind of a wash out!!!
I’m a Mechanical Engineering Technician, and I know many professional body men that build race cars & resto-mods. I don’t listen to the trailer queen crowd at car shows because invariably they don’t actually do the work they brag about — and they farm it out.
When it comes to sandblasting for restoration work I consulted with all of my car friends in the biz and they recommended sandblasting for my 1966 Acadian Canso restoration. I sandblasted the whole car and had no problems at all. Anyone that claims that the 57 chev will get warped panels if it is sandblasted does not know his rear end from his elbow.
Gaspumpchas seems to think that because he had a chat with a trailer queen owner at a car show he knows best. Ask Gaspumpchas how many restorations he has done himself?
Ask him if he has ever sandblasted or media blasted any car in his entire lifetime and he will tell us how he comes by his information.
No 18 gage sheet metal or panels will be distorted if one uses high pressure sandblasting to prep metal before welding or priming.
I have actually restored a muscle car from the 60s but in this case we are talking about sheet metal that is even thicker gage than the 60s chevs are.
I’ll stick with my church and you can go to yours.
Bob
About a Million years ago when I was in high school a friend had a brother who was into 57 Nomads. One was restored to PERFECTION I only saw it once at a show. The other was a daily driver, very nice. It had a 327 under the hood and three on the tree and nice original.
I went to Rhinebeck Saturday. Even though it was muddy in spots, I still enjoyed the day.
Any Nomad is worth restoring, actually it’s amazing there are any project cars left at all. Will only be doable in the hands of a patient, skilled DIY guy or someone with a thick wallet, however I hope it’s saved…
1) Question: “Are you brave enough to take on this project?” Better yet…Are your pockets deep enough? 2) Regarding the missing rear quarter windows, why not add sheet metal instead and make a one-off 1957 Chevrolet NOMAD Sedan Delivery?
Are those wooden risers for the seats safety/crash tested?
Yea TimM we packed up and left by 2- zero customers today. Did well yesterday, they don’t call it rainbeck for nothing!
Cheers
GPC
IN response to your comments, Robert white, I do know my posterior from my elbow, especially when nature calls. It seems that someone has urinated in your cornflakes. Anyone can load up the sandblaster and go at it. What I was talking about was someone with a blaster and a 50 hp compressor, who doesn’t know what he’s doing- panels would be warped as you yourself said. Your restored a 60’s vintage car, that’s great. My record speaks for itself, I have been working on cars for over 50 years. I have rebuilt hundreds of engines. I have done partial and full resorations, more that I could count. You claim to be an engineering technician? Wannabe engineer? that’s great. I like all cars, trailer queens, everyday drivers, the whole nine yards. And I get along with just about anyone. To each his own. Who the heck are you to insult me? I don’t know you from a hole in the ground? Certainly, your know it all attitude is not in the spirit of Barnfinds.com, which is a fabulous site that has become a great bunch of friends passing good information and posting great opinions. Why don’t you crawl back under that rock you came from?
Cheers
GPC
How many cars have you personally sandblasted, GPC? That was the question. And I guess after being on BF for approximately five years you have decided to unilaterally place me in the out-group whilst you include yourself in the in-group clique, eh.
Hundreds of engines, eh?
Bob
My understanding is that soda and shells are too soft to remove heavy rust (it also creates a ton of dust). Wet blasting is what I’ve used on a couple of projects including a set of wood wagon wheels that were covered in white primer.While it raised the wood grain a bit, hand sanding returned it to a smooth surface. The water prevents heating the panel thus eliminating distortion. A rust inhibiting additive works really well at stopping rust come back. I’ll probably never go back to dry sandblast except in certain circumstances. It’s usually operator error that causes panel distortion during the dry sandblast process.
Demonstration of wetblasting a car
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywbLmPbqrkM
Very cool, and I was unaware of this method for stripping paint & rust. I have yet to watch the video due to low speed interface but I will make a note of the link and visit the site when I have some High Speed access.
cheers, Bob.
You put yourself in the outgroup yourself. Since you are acting like an arrogant p*ick its up to you go where you want. I don’t know about the rest of the guys here on BF, but I don’t find BF to be Clique-ish. I am done with this. You need to improve your people skills. Think maybe the sandblaster got you. I don’t need to explain anything.
GPC