“From the firewall back, the body was built in the Cleveland plant, then shipped to the 11 other plants across the United States that built BelAirs. In all three years, it was the most expensive Chevrolet you could buy,” he said. “Then later, they became really popular with the hot rodders, so it’s really hard to find original cars. We think there’s between 8,000 and 11,000 left, but very few are still stock.”
For their 23rd annual convention, the CNA gathered in Dayton in July, and about 80 Nomads were parked at the Marriott Hotel on South Patterson Boulevard.
“We’ve been coming for many years,” said Skeeter Long from Queen Creek, Ariz. “We got our first Nomad in 1972, and I said, ‘Why a wagon? We don’t have kids.’ But I fell in love with it and I bought my first one a few years later, and now we have three — a ’55, ’56 and a ’57” she added.
“These cars aren’t trailer queens either, we drive them,” Long said. “We have cars from 30 states here and about 300 members and I only see a few trailers in the lot.”
For Jim Dechnik of Kalamazoo, Mich., both the cars and the club are fun.
“I just love the style of the body, and these people are just great. I got my car in 2005 and came to the convention that year, and my wife and I were treated great. Now it’s like a family, and we come every year. It’s one thing we plan our vacations around.”
Dechnik, who has 12 cars, (10 Chevys and 2 Fords), drove his Nomad for a few years and then decided to freshen it up.
“You know, you start, and then it’s like dominoes — one thing leads to another and I just finished the car last month. After two years, it’s like brand-new.”
“The body has lots of new panels and pieces in it, and I had a shop do that. All the rest of the mechanical work I did,” he said. “I dropped in a 2010 Corvette LS3 engine mated to an electronic overdrive automatic transmission. I put Wilwood disc brakes all around with 18-inch rear wheels and 17s in the front. The interior is ultra-leather, and the car has power steering, air conditioning and electronic gauges.
“I’m still sorting it out, finding things here and there, but I’ve been able to put 500 miles on it since it’s been done,” Dechnik said.
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