Pro Touring 55 Nomad

[winfield69]

I thought I’d introduce my other pro touring project, a 55 Chevy Nomad (since things are a little slow today working off the coast of Brazil). This project is a little different for this forum, but my prerequisite PT first gen Camaro project can be found here: https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58330 (https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58330).

I purchased the car about 7 years ago and started it about 5 ½ years ago. A disaster in the body shop and a lot of work in Africa sidelined the project until last fall when the body finally got into another shop.

The heart of the project is a Newman Car Creations (http://www.newmancarcreations.com/) C4 chassis. This chassis is based on an original Tri Five frame instead of one of his new fully fabricated frames. The craftsmanship on the frame is impeccable. I visited his shop before purchasing the frame and his work is amazing. I assembled the frame about five years ago in parallel with the body in the shop.

The engine/transmission is an LS1/T56 combo out of a 2002 Camaro. That would have been really cool in a 55 Nomad five years ago, but it is a little dated now. I’m looking for suggestions on how to make it a little more interesting without buying a new motor.

These are the only photos of the chassis I could come up with out here. You gotta love the 70's era wagon wheels that came with the car and are still on the chassis.

[winfield69]

The body on this car is a disaster. It was originally an SC car that I purchased from a guy in Arizona. When I flew there to pay for it, I found out the real story from the body shop. The owner bought it to restore, but the body shop said it was too far gone to save so he was selling it to cut his losses. My uncle checked out the car before I bought it (on ebay) so I really have no one to blame but myself. At least I got it shipped as far as San Antonio for free by my uncle. I then hauled it back to Houston.

It sat for almost two years. My brother knew Val the body man with a small shop who seemed really interested in the project. It was our way of helping an ex-con get back on his feet and keeping him out of trouble. Unfortunately, the guy almost destroyed the car. It was not that he could not do the work, he just could not manage his time, got behind and got really sloppy. He had the worst case of ADHD that I have ever seen and could not stay focused.

He did turn me onto a guy who had a couple of Nomad parts cars that I bought. We grafted the top and firewall of the original SC car to the bottom of one of the parts cars and ended up with a reasonably solid starting platform. I personally supervised the splicing to make sure everything lined up properly. I pulled the car out of the shop to get it acid dipped about the same time Val got busted for possession after getting pulled over doing 110 on I-10 between San Antonio and Houston. The car never went back.

But that was not the last we heard from Val the body man. My brother pulled him over a couple weeks ago for speeding…with a suspended license…while out on bond for aggravated assault. Back to jail. I guess some people never learn.

Some pics of the car as I bought it and after the dipping process.

[winfield69]

The car has been at Classic Collision and Restoration in Bryan, TX since November. Progress is slow, but it is coming along. It is starting to look like a Nomad again. Here are some shots of the work from a couple months ago. I don’t mind the slow pace of the work. As long it is up there, I don’t have to find a place to store it at home, and I have a couple of things to get out of my storage facility before I can take the Nomad back.

[jackfrost]

cool project.

i think a MagnaCharger would update the LS1 a little. :idea:

:razz:

[Ratty 46]

Looks like you have a winner of a project going. Keep us posted. I've ALWAYS dug the nomad body style & with updated underpinnings & power - what more can you ask for.

Ratty 46

[1971CHEVELLE]

Awesome project

[winfield69]

A couple of new pics from about a month ago. It is starting to look like a Nomad again. I have not gotten any updates (or bills) from the body shop recently. I guess I need to harass them again.

[Motown 454]

You have a sweet project there. I love Nomads.
I agree with Jackfrost Magnacharger!

[55ChevDelray]

I really like those Newman frames.

[BA.]

I love the Nomads......glad to see another one being saved.

Good luck!

[compos mentis]

Updates?