My dad has owned this 56' Nomad since 84'. When he bought it(actually traded his 55' Crown Victoria for it), it was an old 60's racecar(409 -2/4's, 4spd, olds rear). He replaced the 09' with a 350/t350 and a stock rear. The car still has the nosebleed stance, guage holes across the dash and the hole butchered into the floor for the shifter. Anyway, long story short, while replacing the inner rocker on the pass side, he got pnumonia and hasn't touched the car since. That was 14 years ago and it has sat under a tree next to the garage since then. Yesterday, we got it running and drove it out of the pen. Car went downhill bad. Tailgate rotted on the inside and a lot of surface rust but still no bad bodyrot. Brakes are bad, gas tank rotted and it has a hole in the spare tire well now the size of a softball. Now to convince him to let me start fixing it for him(no easy task, he is stubborn)
May take a lot of work and time but well worth while since there not many of those around. I say go for it.
Take heart..................That's a builder. Just get it good and safe (brakes, tires, fuel lines, etc.) and have fun in it for a while. That will get dad fired up. Then tear it down and do what you have to do.
Nice ride I have a gas tank out of a 55 2dr wagon very clean out of texas $100 + shipping If that will help get this going Randy Good luck
Actually, the body doesn't have any real rot. A lot of surface rust now but nothing a little media blasting won't cure. The biggest issue is the tailgate but I do know where one of them is stashed. He has near mint original fenders and a mint hood in the attic along with some other stuff(the missing rocker, etc...) The doors aren't really a big deal. It is a shame to see the car like this though. It was a shiny paint car when he first got it. I would love to see it back as a racecar but he won't go for that.
Also, he has COPD now but his pride and heart won't let that deter him. He refuses to let me work on them because he still thinks he can do it. He has a pecking order in which he is set in. The first of which is to get his 40' Ford on the road, then the Nomad and finally the 50' Coronet convertible(rusty car in backround of first picture). I will win out eventually and they will get done but it will take some time. Where the hell is the overhaulin' crew when you need them? lol...
Thanks Chuck... Cavistyle - Close... 52' Chevy Fleetline (and it could be yours to save ) 1oldtimer - That is actually a rare (I hate that word) 78' Ford "Freewheeling" van(see link to ad below). Beautiful jade emerald green metalic, factory mags, factory deluxe interior, 351W, C6, A/C and gets about 7MPG(f'n PIG!!!). It is now a storage shed. Yeah, I've got a few "memories" in the back of that one http://www.old-ads.com/2007/03/ford_truck_ad.html
nice to see ya bring that out on the 4th of July,cant get much more american than that......56 chevies rule.hope to see pics of it on the street finnished or not enjoyn it with your dad while ya can.........
SAVE THAT CAR! I was born in '56,and despite my serious Mopar leanings,I do seriously dig '56 Chebbies-especially Nomads. Find the "A ride with my father" thread,and that will provide needed inspiration. Your Dad sound like he's as stubborn as mine was,but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Sons get that trait from their fathers,right?
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