LT1-Powered 1955 Chevy Nomad Is One Seriously Stunning Hauler: Track Time Tuesday
This smooth street pounding 1955 Chevy Nomad is thoroughly modern yet done up in an old school fashion.
These days, we don’t see quite as much vintage iron as we used to, which is a shame. It wasn’t that long ago when hot rods and street rods ruled the earth, but as we’ve aged and a new generation is beginning to surface in the automotive enthusiast hobby, more modern vehicles have become the preferred rides of choice. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, of course, but this amazing 1955 Chevy Nomad that’s set to be auctioned at Mecum’s upcoming Kissimmee sale is proof that we shouldn’t forget about the classics, either.
This super smooth, modernized 1955 Chevy Nomad is the product of Paul Atkins, who has been building some of the finest custom car interiors for many years now. When he isn’t crafting threads for customers – who must put their name on a wait list for that privilege – Atkins is enjoying old cars himself, and that’s precisely what this latest creation is – a machine he calls “Lomad” thanks to its ground-hugging stance.
On the outside, Atkins didn’t try to reinvent the wheel, which is a good thing given the fact that Nomads are arguably some of the coolest looking vehicles ever conceived. He smoothed out some surfaces and ensured the chrome shines like new, then coated the whole thing in Purple Pearl paint. The highly attractive hauler rolls on a set of polished Schott accelerator wheels, which are wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.
The insides are a different story, as one might imagine, as the Nomad’s interior has been customized to the hilt with four bucket seats covered in light almond tan with purple center stitching, a custom center console, a restyled dash with Dakota Digital gauges, a custom load floor with polished strips, a Vintage Air HVAC system, and an updated stereo system.
While it’s gorgeous inside and out, Lomad is also thoroughly modern underneath thanks to the addition of a 1990 Corvette chassis that’s been stretched 18 inches and fitted with JRI shocks and springs. Power comes from GM’s 6.2-liter LT1 V8 that features Holley upgrades, which is mated to an 8L90E automatic transmission. The result is a stunning street cruiser that looks fantastic, has plenty of power to merge in traffic, and is dead reliable. And truthfully, what more could you possibly want from a proper street rod?
Photos: Mecum Auctions
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