1956 Chevrolet Nomad

This 1956 Chevrolet Nomad wagon was the recipient of a professional frame-off restoration in the 1990s, finished Chrysler Viper Red, and Chrysler Granite Pearl Metallic over a gray interior. Both the body and chassis were taken down to bare metal and worked for a show quality finish. Power comes from a rebuilt 350ci C3 Corvette engine with several performance upgrades, backed by a 4-speed automatic transmission. Additional upgrades include air conditioning, billet wheels, Camaro front suspension, power steering, and brakes. Acquired by the seller approximately 8.5 years ago, it has always been stored in a heated garage near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and now offered for sale on a clean Canadian registration 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, both factory Chrysler colors. During the restoration, the car was completely disassembled, included all body panels being removed and bodyworked before any paintwork was performed. Most of the panels and parts were painted prior to re-assembly, with extra attention being paid to panel gap and fitment. The factory clamshell-style tailgate and glass are in good condition and adjusted flush 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 or polished and show no signs of pitting or wear. Wrap-around glass is utilized for both the front windshield and rear quarters; all glass is equipped with a light tint and free of any chips, cracks, or delamination.

The Nomad rides on 15" billet aluminum 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, while the rear suspension uses progressive parallel leaf springs for improved performance over the original equipment.

The interior was redone at the time of restoration and shows no wear. The interior 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 with an embossed design on the lower half. The headliner is upholstered to match in gray tweed, carrying the same embossing pattern, complemented with gray carpeting on the floors throughout. The dash is finished to match the exterior and includes an AM/FM cassette stereo as well as controls for the aftermarket heat and air conditioning system.

An aftermarket three-spoke banjo-style wheel with leather rim is mounted to a polished billet tilt steering column. The factory gauges have been upgraded with a one-piece cluster that includes a tachometer, speedometer, fuel level, water temperature, oil pressure, and others. The odometer shows just over 3200 miles, which is believed to be the mileage since restoration. The seller has added approximately 1100 miles in near 9 years of ownership.

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, aluminum intake, and an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor. The engine also features a gear drive starter, polished alternator, A/C compressor, all cooled by an aluminum radiator and electric fan setup. A set of March Industries serpentine pulleys is included in the sale as well. A newly installed Chevrolet 700R4 automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels via a Ford 9" 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, matching the exterior surfaces. A custom dual exhaust was fabricated with all joints welded and with turn-down style tips exiting just after the rear tires.