It began in 1988. We know many of you can relate to the story. What started as a simple project turned into an 18 year affair. But owning a Nomad has led to some wonderful memories and led us meet some wonderful people.
I (Bob) actually never got to drive the first ’57 Chevy I owned (at least not legally). I caught the bug for a classic Chevy when I was 13. My parents thought it would be good for me start with a “fixer upper” and actually gave me a ’57 2-door hardtop for my 14th birthday. I spent a year and a bunch of lawn mowing money making a nice car, but then sold it when I was 15 to get what I really wanted – a ’57 Nomad.
I bought my first Nomad while I was 15, fixed it up and drove it for several years. It was the car my wife and I dated in before we got married. But commuting to college required some different transportation, so I sold the Nomad for something more practical.
My father and I kept restoring cars, though. I think we actually enjoyed working on them together more than owning them once we got done. He purchased a 1947 Dodge and a 1967 Cougar along the way, both in need of work but both sold within a year of finishing them.
After getting married and having our first son, my wife and I decided it was time for another project. We considered several options, but my wife cast the only vote that really mattered. Fortunately, she wanted another 1957 Nomad. So in 1988 we bought one that had been sitting in a barn in Allentown, PA since 1972.
Since we knew the Nomad needed everything, we started collecting parts and working toward getting it running. We were a little undecided on exactly what direction to take, but planning to build a nice driver. But then things took a turn. We picked up a motor, transmission, distributor, radiator and several other major pieces from a variety of sources and flea markets over the course of a few years. One night out of curiosity, I checked the “numbers” on all of the different pieces we had collected and every one matched the build date of the car perfectly – engine, transmission, heads, manifold, radiator, generator, distributor. While I knew I was buying 1957 parts, I wasn’t planning a “show car.” But at that point we knew we had to go all original with the car. And so a frame off restoration began.
Over the years, the Nomad project was put on the back burner to build a house, have a second son, and finish two other restorations with my father – a ’64 ½ Mustang convertible and a’55 2-door hardtop.
Unfortunately, my father didn’t get to see the Nomad finished and on the road. He passed away a few years before it was finished. But the tradition in the family continues. My son has picked up the habit, too, helping to finish the Nomad. We’ve also restored a ’65 Mustang Fastback for him to drive as well.
After 18 years, our Nomad is finally on the road. While it’s a gorgeous restoration thanks to a lot of help along the way, it won’t be a garage potato. We enjoy driving it every chance we get. We still own the ’55 2-door hardtop as well (see Classic Chevy World magazine from June 2000), but with the power pack engine in the Nomad it is much more fun for cruising.
Special thanks to Jay Hammond, Jerry Cabunoc, Jim Schnoor and John Chambers for helping provide some of those hard to find Nomad pieces. The vendors and parts guys in the Classic Chevy hobby are the best.
Bob Rufenacht