Projects 1959 Chevy Nomad wagon build

No problem, feel free to posr of PM me with any questions. it has taken me a long time to figure it out and if i can help just let me know

 

Ok,THANKS!

So the Nomad DID get the shiny side trim on the seat ends?

This may sound like a DUMB question,but........Mine has a power rear window.......is there a manual over-ride?

The window has been halfways down for a LONG time,so I'm guessing something is frozen or fried..

 

i have the manual crank on mine. the electric rear window was an option, i believe it was the first year offered.
i would see if you can get the inside cover off and put power direct to the motor or drop the lift assembly. you may have to cur some holes under the cover to get access to the mounting hardware and patch later. the factory holes only line up in one position and the tailgate will only open with window fully down. there is a release on the bottom that the window hits when fully lowered that may help you.

 

Looking Great!!!!!!!!!!!

 

My Nomad had the same rear wind problem. Remove as many of the interior access panel screws as you can and chisel the heads off the rest and pull the panel out. You should then be able to take enough stuff loose to drop the window into the tailgate. As stated, there is a lock out that needs to be depressed by the bottom of the glass to enable the latch. Good luck.

59, any more progress on your wagon. I still watch for updates every few days!

 

1959Nomad & Fan Attic,that's GOOD info....

Just bought this thing last week & haven't done much but look it over.

Hopefully I will have a chance to tackle the gate TODAY.

It's got some fairsized rust holes on the outside/front so I may not even have to take the back cover/panel OFF.

A cleaner tailgate will be on my shopping list for sure....

 

keep in mind they are not too easy to come by, at least around here. I've been looking for some time to find a solid one that is now selling for more than i paid fro the whole car.

 

Nice work on the rear floors and thanks all for the info on opening the tailgate. Mine is still stuck shut. probably try opening it with the window down(or what left of it) next month when I get out that way. I know where atleast 3 tailgates are at a salvage in Oklahoma if you are seriously looking but the freight would probably kill the deal. I dont know what models they are (brookwood, impala, nomad, etc) is the Nomad different other than trim??

 

I believe ALL 59 wagons are same.....El Camino is different...

If you find something decent that's affordable....let me know,because mine is JUNK!

 

if the window is already shot and you are not trying to save the frame, you should be able to get it open by getting the frame out of the way, push the release latch with a piece of wood and then pull the handle.
at this point i plan to use mine, as it is fairly well repaired and put the car back together to prime it all with DPLF-60

 

i think the shell is the same, just the hard ware and trim are unique to the El Camino's, right?

 

As I understand it, the top edge of the tailgate skin IS slightly different & the El Camino gate has NO slot for the window & NO internal mounting brace for the window reg....

 

That makes sense, seems like they tried to keep the metal content down, even if there were more parts. My guess is that is why the Nomad more expensive than an Impala Convertible. Must have sold them by the pound.

 

Taken from Collectible Automobile magazine April 1988.....(hard to believe that was almost 25 years ago)

1959 V8 hardtop sport coupe (bubbletop) 3580 lbs $2717

" V8 hardtop sport sedan (flat top) 3670 lbs $2782

" V8 converible (ragtop) 3650 lbs $2967

" V8 4dr wagon (Nomad) 3975 lbs. $3009

The 59 Nomad was the most HEAVIEST & EXPENSIVE Chevrolet on the menu.....(that means TOP of the LINE!)

Wonder what the base 59 Corvette price was? $3500?

FYI: the 1960 Nomad was 15 lbs lighter & 13 dollars cheaper.

1959 Nomad wagons NEW for ONLY $1.32/lb. (now that's a DEAL!)

 

well i have made some indirect progress since the last update. i was able to get some steel racking cheap and reorganized my shop to add t=some more room to work and to store a car that is in pieces. this will help when i get to priming the whole car, since it will be cold outside.

 

Now that the shop is rearranged, its back to body prep. Rounded up all of the remaining parts that will need to be painted. Maybe i will get enough done this weekend to make for a photo update.

 

Still getting ready to prime the car.
Here are some small parts that were cleaned up, also a attempt to make a new one that did not quite work out. too tight of corners (Carl, this is one of the parts I need)
Plan is to try and do it over the long Thanksgiving weekend, odds are still positive at this point.

 

"Quote:a attempt to make a new one that did not quite work out. too tight of corners".

More heat. If you can find someone with a shrinker it may help with the long radius too.

 

You are right that the heat and shrinker would help.
Part of my build plan is to try things like this, most have worked out fairly well. When i get to the point were that little interior trim piece is what is left to do, i will be on easy street.
Have a friend who sold me parts before that may have one.

 

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I too have a Nomad project and love seeing your progress. Are you going to get it into primer before winter sets in? I got mine out of CA so I dont have near the rust issues you do. (Thankfully) I also have lots of parts and parts cars so if you need something please let me know. Im on a tour of duty overseas at the moment but will be home by the holidays for good. Anything to keep these great cars on the road.
Keep up the good work.

 

hi CJ,
First thank you for serving our country, glad to hear you will be home soon.
yes i am planning to prime the car this coming week. hope is will go well.
i will check with you later on parts, i have most of what i need and am not short on any critical path items.

 

Still planning to prime the whole car the coming week long weekend.
I experimented with getting the gun setup better with a little DP60 primer i still had left. Was able to get a better pattern by using the 1.4m tip (funny the paint manufacture recommends it too) than the one that is supposed to be for primer.
I am a lot more hopeful that it will turn out good now. Hope to be posting pictures of the main car all in blue primer by this time next week. It would be great if it stays somewhat warm all week. It was close to 60 today. If not I have a plan that should allow for sufficient ventilation and keeping the car and the air warm.

 

Looking good. I really like that color when it looks a little grey. Those two rear deck panels have a 59 VW blue/grey color to them. I was thinking of painting my Nomad that color so Im looking forward to seeing the body painted. Keep up the good work.

 

Man this is a big project, we have a 59 parkwood we are starting on soon. Lots of rust.

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

Looking good.

 

Thanks, not sure why the deck panels looked that color, it is very blue but i like it.

From the looks of the pictures, you must mean "lots of rust" by California standards. i was in Oxnard for work a few years ago and stopped by a salvage yard to look for a part on a older OT car and could not believe the condition of the cars there.

Thanks

 

This long weekend, starting on the 21st, has been primer time.
The car is looking a lot better with one color. Not sure if this is the beginning of the end or just the end of the beginning. Just glad to his this point in the build.

 

Yes looking good

 

Wow!!!!!