1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad

This 1956 Chevrolet Nomad wagon was the recipient of a professional frame-off restoration in the 1990s that involved the body and chassis being taken down to bare metal. Power comes from a rebuilt 350ci C3 Corvette engine with several performance upgrades and is backed by a 700R4 automatic transmission. Additional upgrades include air conditioning, billet wheels, a Camaro front suspension, and power steering and brakes. Finished in Chrysler Viper Red and Chrysler Granite Pearl Metallic over a gray interior, this garage-kept Nomad two-door wagon is now available with an uninstalled set of March Performance serpentine pulleys and a clear title in the seller's name.

Finished in an original style two-tone scheme, the majority of the body is Viper Red with Granite Pearl Metallic. During the restoration, the car was completely disassembled before any paintwork was performed. Most of the panels and parts were painted prior to re-assembly, with an emphasis on panel gap and fitment. At the time of restoration, some of the factory hardware was replaced with polished stainless steel pieces, louvers were pressed into the hood, and a set of blue dot taillights were added. All the chrome trim and bumpers were replated, and wrap-around glass was utilized for both the front windshield and rear quarters.

The Nomad rides on 15-inch Rallye wheels featuring gray centers with polished trim rings and center caps. Hercules radial tires are fitted, measuring 215/65 on the front and 255/60 on the rear. Braking is handled by power disc brakes in the front with drums in the rear. The factory suspension has been upgraded with a front cradle from a Chevrolet Camaro equipped with tubular controls arms and coil-over shocks; the rear suspension uses progressive parallel leaf springs.

The interior was redone at the time of restoration and features gray vinyl bench seats with gray tweed inserts. Custom gray tweed door panels include armrests, door pulls, and window cranks machined from billet aluminum. The headliner is upholstered in matching gray tweed and complemented with gray carpeting on the floors. The dash is finished to match the exterior and includes an AM/FM stereo with a cassette player as well as controls for the aftermarket heat and air conditioning system.

An aftermarket three-spoke banjo-style wheel is mounted to a polished billet tilt steering column. The factory gauges have been upgraded with a one-piece cluster that includes a tachometer, a speedometer, and fuel level, water temperature, oil pressure, and other readouts.

The car is powered by a 350ci V8 engine derived from a C3 Corvette. Prior to installation, it was rebuilt and fitted with aluminum heads, an aluminum intake, and an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor. The engine also features a gear drive starter, a polished alternator, an A/C compressor, and cooling from an aluminum radiator and electric fan setup. A Chevrolet 700R4 automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels via a Ford nine-inch rear with 3.73 gears.

The chassis was sandblasted to bare metal during the restoration and fully boxed before being powder-coated in gloss black. The underside and suspension components are finished in Viper Red to match the exterior surfaces. The engine breathes through a custom-fabricated dual exhaust system with welded joints and turn-down tips.

A video of the car being driven is available for viewing below. An uninstalled set of March Performance serpentine pulleys is included with the sale of the vehicle.