Print Ad - `59 Chevy Nomad Wagon

Over the years I've received emails from people saying they have or have seen `59 Nomad wagons; some of the folks don't believe they existed, while others have examples in their possession. Most people are familiar with the most famous two-door Nomads built between 1955 and 1957, but have no idea what happened to the model after that time.

Well I'm here to tell you they did exist. In 1958 the Nomad was continued as a four-door wagon at the top end of the trim level equal to the newly introduced Impala. The 1959 Chevrolet Nomad was Model 1735 with a six-cylinder and 1835 with a V8. In place of the I-M-P-A-L-A letters on the side there stood N-O-M-A-D instead. It was the most expensive model for the year, with a price of $3009 that was higher than even the Impala convertible ($2967). The Nomad was highly optioned like the Impala in the way that a Cadillac Escalade can be considered a highly optioned GMC Denali.

In this add you will see the Nomad in paint code 905-A Highland Green. Crossed flags on the hood mark a 348 powered car (not surprising for a high-end wagon). It's also sporting the "California one-piece" front bumper and chrome trim behind the spears along the tops of the front fenders. As a higher end model, it would also have more brightwork along the lower half of the dashboard, and as a Nomad it would have more chrome around the door pillars.

The Brookwood in the lower part of the ad - a Biscayne trimmed two-door wagon now heavily sought after by classic car enthusiasts - is shown in two-tone color code 973 (Roman Red and Snowcrest White). The Bel Air level Parkwood is Harbor Blue code 912-A with "dog dish" hub caps. The Kingswood wagon with Impala level trim is shown in two-tone color code 963 (Crown Sapphire and Snowcrest White).

Super Salmon `76

It is said that cars this big have their own zip code...

If you can't identify this car, it's a 1976 Chrysler Town and Country station wagon. To us it was known as the "Super Salmon" because of its salmon red paint and determination to keep running no matter how ragged it got around the edges. I know...it's not a Chevy; what's a non-Chevy doing on Chevy59.net? Well I owned the car and I own the blog. That gives me dibs. Besides that it's a classic car, a core subject here at Chevy59.

Despite the rough look of the car, it had a rebuilt 440, newer transmission, and a rebuilt differential. Someone had spent a lot of money to keep this car roadworthy, and it was ours for a mere $800 in 1998. Yes, it got 8mpg around town, but 14mpg in the country. But the AC was cold and all the power windows worked. It even had a two-way tailgate. In the late 1990s I had pictures of this car posted on the Internet at another site, and got lots of emails from Town & Country lovers and owners who were more than happy to share their photos. One lady wrote that she grew up around the Kennedy Space Center in the Seventies, and saw lots of these Town & Country wagons driving around; seemed to be the "car of choice" among wives of NASA employees.

We bought the car because it had character, and my wife was looking for a wagon. We found this one of a car lot in Everett WA. To make it look even bigger and longer than it was already, I lowered it two inches all the way around. This was an easy job. The front torsion bar suspension has a ride height adjustment that can be changed. The front of the car was lowered in a matter of five minutes (if that). The rear took a bit more work; lowering blocks were installed between the differential and the springs. The whole job took roughly an hour of actual work. The ride quality didn't change at all. In fact the car drove like it was smaller; the turning circle was quite tight and the steering was responsive. My whole family used it at one time or another; my Dad hauled garbage, my sisters used it for moving and trash day, and my wife did in fact use it as a grocery getter.

Eventually the electrical system gave out and the AC quit working. The floor pans in the way back and the back seats were rotted out as well. The person who bought it drove the car home and pulled the motor for his 1972 Imperial.

It's probably getting 8mpg to this day.

`59 Chevy Wagon Commercial

From an era when commercials were positive and always a bit goofy comes this gem! The spit-polish American Fifties Family always smiles and always drives Chevys. If you don't you're one of those "weird beatniks who lives above the bookstore."

Check out the kid's front teeth and space-age stylish Mom!