The 1955 Nomad wasn't a budget wagon at all — at $2,571 it was one of the priciest Chevrolets you could buy that year, beaten only by the Corvette.
Lead trim: Nomad 265 V8
Chevrolet Nomad Tri-FiveNOMAD-1955 · 1955–1957
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Chevrolet Nomad Tri-Five yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe 1955 Nomad wasn't a budget wagon at all — at $2,571 it was one of the priciest Chevrolets you could buy that year, beaten only by the Corvette.
The Chevrolet Nomad began as a 1954 General Motors Motorama "dream car" from head stylist Harley Earl: a Corvette front fascia on a two-door wagon body, with a forward-slanting B-pillar and nearly wraparound rear windows. After a positive response GM approved it for 1955 production, adapted to the standard A-body Chevrolet chassis (which also let GM build it as the Pontiac Safari). The first production Nomad was a two-door "sport wagon" trimmed in line with the Bel Air sedan, priced at $2571 in 1955 and among the most expensive 1955 Chevrolets (excluding the Corvette), with a 265 cubic-inch V8 as standard. It shared its front doors with the Bel Air hardtop and convertible (frameless door glass), was the only two-door Chevrolet wagon with interior carpeting and cloth seats, and had a two-piece split tailgate and flat-folding rear seat; its fully radiused rear wheel openings, a Corvette design feature, were dropped for 1956, when it also received a standard two-tone exterior and interior. Ford introduced the Parklane as a direct competitor for 1956 and outsold the Nomad by nearly two to one, discontinuing it after a single model year. The 1957 Nomad adopted the redesigned front fascia and dashboard of the other 1957 Chevrolets, with large tailfins adding several inches of length, and after continued low sales Chevrolet discontinued the distinct model line after 1957. Wheelbase 115 in, length 201 in. The page lists a 265 and a 283 cu in V8 for the generation and says only that the 265 was standard in 1955; no power figures are given.
Collectors Spotted in the Chevrolet Nomad Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Chevrolet Nomad yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nomad 265 V8 | 1955–1957 | 4.3 L V8 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Nomad 283 V8 | 1955–1957 | 4.6 L V8 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Every other Chevelle wagon came standard with a V8 — this Nomad was the lone exception, the only version Chevrolet would sell with a six-cylinder engine.
This flagship-wagon Nomad was the last of its name — in 1962 Chevrolet dropped the badge entirely and folded it into the Impala wagon lineup.
The 1955 Nomad wasn't a budget wagon at all — at $2,571 it was one of the priciest Chevrolets you could buy that year, beaten only by the Corvette.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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A wagon beat the SUVs at their own game: this Outback generation won Motor Trend's Sport/Utility of the Year award for 2010.