The 1955-57 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad is considered iconic in many circles. It was packaged as a 2-door Sport Wagon with its own unique body panels from the windshield back. But Pontiac had one of these wagons, too, the Star Chief Safari, which often gets lost in the shuffle with the Nomad. Located in Fontana, California, the seller has a pair of these Pontiac wagons, thought to be 1955 and 1956 models. They both need cosmetic attention and will be sold here on Facebook Marketplace as a package deal. The price for both is $32,500.
Chevy’s Nomad was by no means a sales bonanza at just 22,000 units sold in three years. That was not enough to continue the Sport Wagon concept past 1957. The Pontiac Safari experienced even more sales woes, selling around 9,000 copies in three years. Both nameplates would see a future, but used with ordinary 4-door wagons going forward. The Nomad and Safari weren’t carbon copies, as the former rode on a 115-inch wheelbase while the latter sat on 122 inches. Both cars had a V8 engine, 265 cubic inches for the Nomad, while the Pontiac sported 287 in 1955.
We don’t know from the seller’s listing if these are non-running rust buckets or functional projects. If their numbers match, that’s an unknown as well. The seller doesn’t even mention the year, but given the front bumper and grille on one, it’s a ‘55. And the exterior trim on the other suggests it’s a ’56 per a Barn Finds reader.
What do we know for sure? The seller says the price is negotiable, and if neither of them runs, I would think there would be a lot of downward pressure. The same is true if the floorboards are rusted out. Ambitious buyers might opt to restore both of them, while someone less brave may assess which is the better of the two and use the second to help make the other viable again.
The red Safari is a ’56. It has hooded tail lights, horizontal lines on the lower quarter trim behind the rear wheels and the side trim is completely different.
One of shortest descriptions I’ve ever seen. Is it so hard to disclose whether either one of these are at least in running or roller condition? Its on the wrong coast anyway, oh well.
i can’t get on f/b. from what i see on finds if they are decent, you could make 1 good 1 from the 2. much rarer than a chevy for sure
I am pretty sure that the red one is a non runner because it appears that there is no engine in the power bay. The nose up stance is the indicator for my theory. But the photos are not hugely informative. The advertisement is about average for FB.
I think at this point the seller is fishing more than serious about selling. The market for collector cars generally seems to be getting softer with time, and anybody doing something to bring these back to really nice would be underwater in a heartbeat. Now, having said that, someone with skills and resources could make themselves a nice cruiser if they are not too far gone underneath. I do know they won’t be crushed in some yard.
Being as I am in facebook lockup for some reason. I have even less info than most of you guys. Although I think these wagons are cool, seems like a lot of $s for two rusty old wagons that do not run.
Most younger generations are looking for 80s and 90s Cutlasses these days. This year Safari is way outside their box.
I want em both..
No place to put em
Prefer inside…still 57. 58
More crome n bigger engines.
Guess I could swap the 60 bonnie vert
N the 62 grand prix & or the 62 Bonnie
Just wishing I spose…..
What can I say..I love 2 Dr wagons..! GLWTS
A bit of metal work on the quarters, front clip swap and a guy has a Nomad clone.
Looks like nice builders – rarer than the Nomads – prefer the 1955/56 to the later 1957 Poncho Safari’s….price should be discussed on-site,