The Chevrolet Nomad was one of the best-known American station wagon names. It appeared on three quite different model lines between the 1950s and the 1970s, and Chevrolet later used it as a trim package and on several concept cars.
Chevrolet Nomad at a glance
| Name used | 1950s to the 1970s |
|---|---|
| First appearance | 1954 concept car |
| First model line | 1955–1957 Tri-Five halo wagon |
| Second | 1958–1961 Bel Air and Impala wagon |
| Third | 1968–1972 base Chevelle wagon |
| Later use | trim package and concept cars |
| Body style | Two-door station wagon in the classic years |
History of the Chevrolet Nomad
The Nomad name first appeared on a 1954 concept car. The production model that followed, built from 1955 to 1957, was the halo model of the Chevrolet station wagon range during the Tri-Five years, a two-door wagon with a sloping roofline that has since become one of the most collected American cars of the period.
For 1958 to 1961 the name was applied differently: the Nomad became the station wagon counterpart of the Bel Air and then the Impala, moving upmarket with the rest of the full-size range. From 1968 to 1972 it returned as the base-trim station wagon of the Chevrolet Chevelle line, a much more ordinary car that used a famous name to sell a cheap family estate.
After that the Nomad survived only as a trim package and as a name on concept vehicles, none of which reached production. The three distinct model lines make the Nomad a good example of how American manufacturers moved a well-known nameplate up and down their ranges as the market changed.
Design and features
- Tri-Five halo wagon: the 1955–1957 two-door estate that made the name.
- Three model lines: a halo wagon, a full-size Bel Air and Impala wagon and a base Chevelle wagon.
- Concept car origin: the name came from a 1954 show car.
- Later reuse: a trim package and several concepts, but no further production model.
Chevrolet Nomad versions
- 1955–1957 Nomad: the two-door Tri-Five halo wagon.
- 1958–1961 Nomad: the Bel Air and Impala station wagon.
- 1968–1972 Nomad: the base Chevelle wagon.
- Concept cars: later show vehicles carrying the name.
The classic Nomad belonged to the Chevrolet Bel Air family, and its last production form was a Chevrolet Chevelle wagon. More cars are in the Chevrolet collection.
Video: 1956 Chevrolet Nomad Restomod
Video by Jay Leno’s Garage on YouTube.
Sources
- Chevrolet Nomad, English Wikipedia: model lines, years, concept cars
