Joined
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934 Posts
as of 5/13/2014 NEW updates will found at page 6
(also posted in the welcome/Hello section)
first off, Hello.
I inherited my Dads 57 Nomad when he passed away 3-4 years ago. (more like 7-10 now)
My Dad did not have money to fully restore the car after the car was sideswiped on the freeway many years ago (before I was born), mostly due to my parents getting divorced and him being in 2 motorcycle accidents, so it mostly sat around rarely ever moved or even started for 20 some odd years (I am 26 now).
I have had some work done on the car when I brought his(my) Chevy home, mostly engine work (car wouldn't start), changed the oil/oil-filter and spark plugs myself, I had a local Chevy enthusiast clean/repair the carburetor, had someone else fix the Rust-ruined brakes.
unfortunately, I needed to move from CA to WA and leave the car at my Sister's house to once again sit and not be worked on (however I am debating selling my current car to afford having the car shipped to WA so I can get it in working order).
Roof has some surface rust (and bondo).
![]()
![]()
changed steering wheel (from Danchuck),seat upholstery ruined (put thick sheet over it), passenger floorpan has a hole in it from rust (not horrible though).
![]()
the damage from being sideswiped was fixed (reddish primer behind pass door).
![]()
seat has been put back together since this pic, no major rust in back area (not rusted through anywhere).
![]()
doors are ok, the electric windows are finicky (the driver side window was stuck open for months until one day the electric window just worked again)
![]()
the temp and gas gauges have some kind of dried tar substance on them(not sure how to remove the whole instrument panel/gauge cluster yet).
![]()
350 smallblock with 20 or so years of neglect.
![]()
Me taking it for a spin around the block.
![]()
hope you enjoy my story (and pics), and I hope to get alot of help/tips/opinions from everyone here.
UPDATE: Apr 30, 2011
After 2 years in Washington, I am moving back home to California.
I am very exited to get back to CA, see family, friends, and most importantly no longer neglect my car.
I plan on spending alot of my free time and money (depending on my job status) in repairing my car while taking alot of pictures for all of you.
Update: April 29, 2011
photos posted in another thread, but I'm posting them here to keep this page updated:
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61331
these photos were in color, but yellowed from age, I thought they looked cool and Nostalgic in black and white.
the first one they were having some engine trouble driving through a Idaho desert.
![]()
even though you can barely see him, finding this photo again made me miss my Father very much, and I really enjoyed seeing both him and the car in their "prime", this also inspires me to get My (His) Nomad back in this state again.
this second photo was the event that caused the Nomad to be in the state its in currently.
![]()
the story I was told was he was driving along the freeway when he was sideswiped.
It was repaired, not repainted, he removed the chrome then stored the car away to not be driven for many years.
Updated: May 15, 2011
finally settling in after moving back to California, I spent all yesterday working on the Nomad.
I finally installed the tachometer I bought a few years back.
and i took out the shoddy seat and removed the upholstery, in hopes to re use the seat.
![]()
it looks soo empty now..
![]()
![]()
![]()
now it looks a little more attractive.
![]()
![]()
the sliding rails for the seat wouldn't move so I shot some wd-40 on the wheels and into the rails, now it moves nicely.
now I'm hoping that the adjustment motor still works, I don't have a switch for it, but its wired with a rectangular black box with 3 pin holes, I might be able to use the switch from the passenger side window, fingers crossed.
Updated: July 7, 2011
wanted to test my camera by recording what else? my project 57 Nomad
Enjoy
Updated : July 8, 2011
I was going through a photo album looking for pictures of my dad, there were also some good car pictures too.
last time I posted some old photos everyone seemed to like them, so I thought Id post a few more that I found today.
this first photo is dated 4/77, the Nomad in "perfect" condition.
![]()
this next photo is dated 7/77, my Dad standing outside with, yes 2 57's the Nomad and a yellow Wagon with a 427 in it.
![]()
this one was taken 7/76 on a trip my Mom and Dad on a drive through Oregon, going up to into Canada.
![]()
there were plenty of other pictures but these were the ones with my Nomad
updated 8/9/2011:
this weekend a good friend of mine came by and we did what i have been putting off, but wanting to do.... Remove rust on the exterior of the roof!
day 1 (saturday):
it took several hours to remove the rust patches on the front part of the roof (about where the front seat would be).
we then used black rustoleum primer to cover what we sanded.
being tired, we called it a day.
day 2 (monday):
we started on the back part of the roof, very light surface rust took very little time to remove, again used the black rustoleum primer to cover the bare metal.
we were running out of primer so not the whole roof was covered in primer, only the parts with bare metal, the other parts we just left the paint alone.
at this point you are probably thinking Wheres the pics
well here they are:
first we have the driver side before rust removal:
![]()
next passenger side before rust removal:
![]()
and finally, after rust removed + black primer applied to roof:
![]()
this makes me feel soo much better, something less to worry about for now.
Update 8/31/2011:
a while back i went through my Mom's photo album and found some pictures back when my parents were my age (about 26), the pictures i posted earlier were specific to my nomad, these are mostly Chevys that my Dad owned/worked on.
these pictures were taken in the late 70's
this first one is a 57 wagon, all i know is that the engine is a 427
![]()
the hills of Oakland backdrop
![]()
next is a 57 corvette my Dad owned/worked on.
![]()
the corvette and the nomad in the same picture
![]()
and the corvette in one color
![]()
My Moms first car, a 69 Camaro
![]()
and the last car i found images of in the album, this is not a Chevy, in fact this is not even a American car, but i think everyone will still like the pictures anyways.
A 1956 Morris Minor
![]()
![]()
enjoy the pictures :burnout:
Update 9/17/2011:
finally got the backup lights working
needed a new switch, and a little bit or wiring to be done.
Off:
![]()
ON:
![]()
Both on:
![]()
Update 02/09/12
a couple weeks back I got 3x rally wheels from a friend(who i met through this site).
![]()
all 3 are 15x7 (i forget what the backspacing was.), 1 inch thinner than what i have (15x8), I needed them cause the rear tires on my Nomad were rubbing and i want to avoid that.
you can tell the rear tires rub just by looking at this picture:
![]()
i was thinking of going with the hubcap/trim ring combo like in this picture:
http://www.danchuk.com/ItemForm.asp...Category=171bb791-8b8b-40eb-97df-213ca8a362f3
once the weather gets warmer i plan on cleaning the rims and painting them.
i was thinking of just painting them silver, i also thought maybe black rims with the silver cap and trim would look nice, but i dont know if that would just be too much black...
latest update 10/8/12: (also on page 4) links to threads that I and the nomad had been involved with.
i was feeling nostalgic today and well i decided its time for a update (i have been putting this off for a while now).
stopped working on the nomad for a while after my last post, alot has happened.
i had a hard decision to make about the nomad so i asked members for advice:
"i am between a rock and a hard place"
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78249
i felt at this point i had no option but to sell my nomad
but then Rick (maddogs1965) came to my aid and made a offer i couldn't believe was true, and many trifive members came to aid donating gas money for Rick's drive and Jeff (tahoe1955) offered a place to store to my nomad for the wet and cold months.
and finally the day arrived and Rick was on the way:
"FINALLY on my way to pick up Garin's Nomad!"
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79408
(many pics, starting on page 2)
had a great day and met some great members that i will never forget.
![]()
i am here in the middle.................................^
it was sad seeing the nomad go, but not as sad if i had to sell it.
(thanks to everyone who helped :shakehands: )
after some time i was informed by rick about a trifive BBQ the was throwing, and i made sure i was going to be there, and just days before the BBQ rick informed me that he brought my Nomad back from Jeff's so i could see my Nomad again
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80250&page=29
(pics starting at pg 29 some videos i took on pg 33, and many more pictures)
saw some members i knew and met many more members.
and had a great weekend with my Trifive family
![]()
i am second from the right....................................................................................^
now the Nomad is stored either at Rick's or Jeff's, and i am trying to save as much money as i can for parts needed (new tires, engine parts ect...) so i can go back to Rick's and have a Nomad fix-up get toghether.
MAJOR update 04/29/14 (2-3 years later):
well big news.
my nomad is back home.
the nomad is now going to be stored locally at a garage of one of my friends i met at my local classic Chevy club.
i can (and have already have) started tinkering however minimal since it hasn't even been back a week yet.
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120936&page=8
we got the nomad off the trailer, and the muffler decided to part ways with the nomad.
so now i really need to get some mufflers so i don't cause a racket (i dont want other people to complain about noise)
![]()
and now the nomad has settled in
![]()
![]()
there are lots of people i have met because of the Nomad
i want to thank everyone who has been there for me in taking care of the car for me.
weather it was Rick and Jeff for aiding in the transport and storage, or donating a part, or simply cheering me and the nomad on and becoming my friend(s), thank you!
everyone here has become a valued member of my extended bowtie-trifive family :shakehands:
if it wasn't for this website to be able to make connections, things would be turned out very differently.
needless to say i am very happy to have the nomad back and i cant wait to start tinkering again
update 04/29/14 (second update for today)
with the mufflers gone i decided to take off the pipes so i can go to a muffler shop and show them what i am working with.
and well........one is kinda bent...
![]()
![]()
but now i have a pair of open headers
![]()
i dunno if that is fixable... i know i dont have the tools to fix it...
this friday i get a nice paycheck so i might stop by the muffler shop and see what can be done... just going to get the cheapest pair of mufflers, they will be temporary so i will just get everything clamped together for now
(also posted in the welcome/Hello section)
first off, Hello.
I inherited my Dads 57 Nomad when he passed away 3-4 years ago. (more like 7-10 now)
My Dad did not have money to fully restore the car after the car was sideswiped on the freeway many years ago (before I was born), mostly due to my parents getting divorced and him being in 2 motorcycle accidents, so it mostly sat around rarely ever moved or even started for 20 some odd years (I am 26 now).
I have had some work done on the car when I brought his(my) Chevy home, mostly engine work (car wouldn't start), changed the oil/oil-filter and spark plugs myself, I had a local Chevy enthusiast clean/repair the carburetor, had someone else fix the Rust-ruined brakes.
unfortunately, I needed to move from CA to WA and leave the car at my Sister's house to once again sit and not be worked on (however I am debating selling my current car to afford having the car shipped to WA so I can get it in working order).
Roof has some surface rust (and bondo).
changed steering wheel (from Danchuck),seat upholstery ruined (put thick sheet over it), passenger floorpan has a hole in it from rust (not horrible though).
the damage from being sideswiped was fixed (reddish primer behind pass door).
seat has been put back together since this pic, no major rust in back area (not rusted through anywhere).
doors are ok, the electric windows are finicky (the driver side window was stuck open for months until one day the electric window just worked again)
the temp and gas gauges have some kind of dried tar substance on them(not sure how to remove the whole instrument panel/gauge cluster yet).
350 smallblock with 20 or so years of neglect.
Me taking it for a spin around the block.
hope you enjoy my story (and pics), and I hope to get alot of help/tips/opinions from everyone here.
UPDATE: Apr 30, 2011
After 2 years in Washington, I am moving back home to California.
I am very exited to get back to CA, see family, friends, and most importantly no longer neglect my car.
I plan on spending alot of my free time and money (depending on my job status) in repairing my car while taking alot of pictures for all of you.
Update: April 29, 2011
photos posted in another thread, but I'm posting them here to keep this page updated:
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61331
these photos were in color, but yellowed from age, I thought they looked cool and Nostalgic in black and white.
the first one they were having some engine trouble driving through a Idaho desert.
even though you can barely see him, finding this photo again made me miss my Father very much, and I really enjoyed seeing both him and the car in their "prime", this also inspires me to get My (His) Nomad back in this state again.
this second photo was the event that caused the Nomad to be in the state its in currently.
the story I was told was he was driving along the freeway when he was sideswiped.
It was repaired, not repainted, he removed the chrome then stored the car away to not be driven for many years.
Updated: May 15, 2011
finally settling in after moving back to California, I spent all yesterday working on the Nomad.
I finally installed the tachometer I bought a few years back.
and i took out the shoddy seat and removed the upholstery, in hopes to re use the seat.
it looks soo empty now..
now it looks a little more attractive.
the sliding rails for the seat wouldn't move so I shot some wd-40 on the wheels and into the rails, now it moves nicely.
now I'm hoping that the adjustment motor still works, I don't have a switch for it, but its wired with a rectangular black box with 3 pin holes, I might be able to use the switch from the passenger side window, fingers crossed.
Updated: July 7, 2011
wanted to test my camera by recording what else? my project 57 Nomad
Enjoy
Updated : July 8, 2011
I was going through a photo album looking for pictures of my dad, there were also some good car pictures too.
last time I posted some old photos everyone seemed to like them, so I thought Id post a few more that I found today.
this first photo is dated 4/77, the Nomad in "perfect" condition.
this next photo is dated 7/77, my Dad standing outside with, yes 2 57's the Nomad and a yellow Wagon with a 427 in it.
this one was taken 7/76 on a trip my Mom and Dad on a drive through Oregon, going up to into Canada.
there were plenty of other pictures but these were the ones with my Nomad
updated 8/9/2011:
this weekend a good friend of mine came by and we did what i have been putting off, but wanting to do.... Remove rust on the exterior of the roof!
day 1 (saturday):
it took several hours to remove the rust patches on the front part of the roof (about where the front seat would be).
we then used black rustoleum primer to cover what we sanded.
being tired, we called it a day.
day 2 (monday):
we started on the back part of the roof, very light surface rust took very little time to remove, again used the black rustoleum primer to cover the bare metal.
we were running out of primer so not the whole roof was covered in primer, only the parts with bare metal, the other parts we just left the paint alone.
at this point you are probably thinking Wheres the pics
well here they are:
first we have the driver side before rust removal:
next passenger side before rust removal:
and finally, after rust removed + black primer applied to roof:
this makes me feel soo much better, something less to worry about for now.
Update 8/31/2011:
a while back i went through my Mom's photo album and found some pictures back when my parents were my age (about 26), the pictures i posted earlier were specific to my nomad, these are mostly Chevys that my Dad owned/worked on.
these pictures were taken in the late 70's
this first one is a 57 wagon, all i know is that the engine is a 427
the hills of Oakland backdrop
next is a 57 corvette my Dad owned/worked on.
the corvette and the nomad in the same picture
and the corvette in one color
My Moms first car, a 69 Camaro
and the last car i found images of in the album, this is not a Chevy, in fact this is not even a American car, but i think everyone will still like the pictures anyways.
A 1956 Morris Minor
enjoy the pictures :burnout:
Update 9/17/2011:
finally got the backup lights working
needed a new switch, and a little bit or wiring to be done.
Off:
ON:
Both on:
Update 02/09/12
a couple weeks back I got 3x rally wheels from a friend(who i met through this site).
all 3 are 15x7 (i forget what the backspacing was.), 1 inch thinner than what i have (15x8), I needed them cause the rear tires on my Nomad were rubbing and i want to avoid that.
you can tell the rear tires rub just by looking at this picture:
i was thinking of going with the hubcap/trim ring combo like in this picture:
http://www.danchuk.com/ItemForm.asp...Category=171bb791-8b8b-40eb-97df-213ca8a362f3
once the weather gets warmer i plan on cleaning the rims and painting them.
i was thinking of just painting them silver, i also thought maybe black rims with the silver cap and trim would look nice, but i dont know if that would just be too much black...
latest update 10/8/12: (also on page 4) links to threads that I and the nomad had been involved with.
i was feeling nostalgic today and well i decided its time for a update (i have been putting this off for a while now).
stopped working on the nomad for a while after my last post, alot has happened.
i had a hard decision to make about the nomad so i asked members for advice:
"i am between a rock and a hard place"
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78249
i felt at this point i had no option but to sell my nomad
but then Rick (maddogs1965) came to my aid and made a offer i couldn't believe was true, and many trifive members came to aid donating gas money for Rick's drive and Jeff (tahoe1955) offered a place to store to my nomad for the wet and cold months.and finally the day arrived and Rick was on the way:
"FINALLY on my way to pick up Garin's Nomad!"
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79408
(many pics, starting on page 2)
had a great day and met some great members that i will never forget.
i am here in the middle.................................^
it was sad seeing the nomad go, but not as sad if i had to sell it.
(thanks to everyone who helped :shakehands: )
after some time i was informed by rick about a trifive BBQ the was throwing, and i made sure i was going to be there, and just days before the BBQ rick informed me that he brought my Nomad back from Jeff's so i could see my Nomad again
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80250&page=29
(pics starting at pg 29 some videos i took on pg 33, and many more pictures)
saw some members i knew and met many more members.
and had a great weekend with my Trifive family
i am second from the right....................................................................................^
now the Nomad is stored either at Rick's or Jeff's, and i am trying to save as much money as i can for parts needed (new tires, engine parts ect...) so i can go back to Rick's and have a Nomad fix-up get toghether.
MAJOR update 04/29/14 (2-3 years later):
well big news.
my nomad is back home.
the nomad is now going to be stored locally at a garage of one of my friends i met at my local classic Chevy club.
i can (and have already have) started tinkering however minimal since it hasn't even been back a week yet.
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120936&page=8
we got the nomad off the trailer, and the muffler decided to part ways with the nomad.
so now i really need to get some mufflers so i don't cause a racket (i dont want other people to complain about noise)
and now the nomad has settled in
there are lots of people i have met because of the Nomad
i want to thank everyone who has been there for me in taking care of the car for me.
weather it was Rick and Jeff for aiding in the transport and storage, or donating a part, or simply cheering me and the nomad on and becoming my friend(s), thank you!
everyone here has become a valued member of my extended bowtie-trifive family :shakehands:
if it wasn't for this website to be able to make connections, things would be turned out very differently.
needless to say i am very happy to have the nomad back
and i cant wait to start tinkering againupdate 04/29/14 (second update for today)
with the mufflers gone i decided to take off the pipes so i can go to a muffler shop and show them what i am working with.
and well........one is kinda bent...
but now i have a pair of open headers
i dunno if that is fixable... i know i dont have the tools to fix it...
this friday i get a nice paycheck so i might stop by the muffler shop and see what can be done... just going to get the cheapest pair of mufflers, they will be temporary so i will just get everything clamped together for now
