Photo: goem0992.smlr0t/eBay
Produced from 1955 to 1957, the Chevrolet Tri-Five was among the most popular vehicles of its era. Offered in three trim packages and several body styles, the nameplate moved a whopping five million units over three model years. But not all versions were hot sellers.
While the four-door and two-door sedan/coupe models returned six-digit sales figures each year, Chevrolet had trouble moving the bare-bones Utility Sedan and Delivery Sedan versions of the entry-level 150. The two-door wagons weren't exactly popular either, regardless of the trim level. The range-topping Bel Air Nomad was by far the lowest-selling vehicle of the bunch.
A luxurious two-door grocery-getter that the market wasn't ready for, the Nomad found only 8,530 customers in 1955. Sales then dropped to 8,103 examples in 1956 and 6,264 in 1957. That's 22,897 units, which accounts for only 0.46% of the total production. Not surprisingly, the Nomad is a rare and desirable classic nearly 70 years later.
Fully restored and highly original Nomads can easily fetch $100,000 at public auctions. And finding one with these characteristics isn't easy. Many Nomads have been transformed into restomods, while some are still rotting away in barns and junkyards. The dark red example you see here is one of those wagons that had a rough life.
Auctioned off from Las Cruces, New Mexico, this Nomad is one of only 8,103 examples produced in 1956. But while it looks like a genuine Nomad on the outside (notice the chrome trim and the roof), the VIN suggests we're looking at a lesser grocery-getter. Specifically, the wagon sports VIN "VB56S109434," in which the "B" (second letter) stands for 210 trim. Bel Air models sport the letter "C."
In short, the VIN suggests we are looking at a Chevrolet 210 Handyman, while the vehicle looks like a Nomad. Did someone really bother to turn a 210 into a Nomad? Is this wagon a true-blue Nomad with the wrong VIN plate? It's quite a mystery, and the ad doesn't provide an answer.
But this isn't the only enigma surrounding this vintage wagon. Even though the V8 under the hood is correct according to the VIN, there's no info on whether it's numbers-matching. Chevrolet was offering a 265-cubic-inch (4.3-liter) V8 in addition to the base 235-cubic-inch (3.9-liter) inline-six in 1956. The unit produced 162 to 225 horsepower.
Then there's the gearbox. The listing quotes a manual, but the column suggests the wagon left the assembly line with a two-speed Powerglide. On the flip side, the manual shifter that's almost stuck to the bench seats indicates some sort of swap.
Despite all these inaccuracies, the auction has nine bids, and pricing sits at $20,000 with more than four days to go. The reserve is still in place, so the seller is aiming for a higher sticker. What do you think? Is this Nomad authentic? If so, how much is it worth?
A luxurious two-door grocery-getter that the market wasn't ready for, the Nomad found only 8,530 customers in 1955. Sales then dropped to 8,103 examples in 1956 and 6,264 in 1957. That's 22,897 units, which accounts for only 0.46% of the total production. Not surprisingly, the Nomad is a rare and desirable classic nearly 70 years later.
Fully restored and highly original Nomads can easily fetch $100,000 at public auctions. And finding one with these characteristics isn't easy. Many Nomads have been transformed into restomods, while some are still rotting away in barns and junkyards. The dark red example you see here is one of those wagons that had a rough life.
Auctioned off from Las Cruces, New Mexico, this Nomad is one of only 8,103 examples produced in 1956. But while it looks like a genuine Nomad on the outside (notice the chrome trim and the roof), the VIN suggests we're looking at a lesser grocery-getter. Specifically, the wagon sports VIN "VB56S109434," in which the "B" (second letter) stands for 210 trim. Bel Air models sport the letter "C."
In short, the VIN suggests we are looking at a Chevrolet 210 Handyman, while the vehicle looks like a Nomad. Did someone really bother to turn a 210 into a Nomad? Is this wagon a true-blue Nomad with the wrong VIN plate? It's quite a mystery, and the ad doesn't provide an answer.
But this isn't the only enigma surrounding this vintage wagon. Even though the V8 under the hood is correct according to the VIN, there's no info on whether it's numbers-matching. Chevrolet was offering a 265-cubic-inch (4.3-liter) V8 in addition to the base 235-cubic-inch (3.9-liter) inline-six in 1956. The unit produced 162 to 225 horsepower.
Then there's the gearbox. The listing quotes a manual, but the column suggests the wagon left the assembly line with a two-speed Powerglide. On the flip side, the manual shifter that's almost stuck to the bench seats indicates some sort of swap.
Despite all these inaccuracies, the auction has nine bids, and pricing sits at $20,000 with more than four days to go. The reserve is still in place, so the seller is aiming for a higher sticker. What do you think? Is this Nomad authentic? If so, how much is it worth?
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