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It’s always cool to see a wagon get the professional hot rod treatment—especially when it’s a Nomad. This 1955 Chevy Nomad was already a driver when Metal Brothers was tasked with updating it. What they did, was make it into a serious contender at any show. It’s clean, it’s cool, and it’s LS-powered. We loved it so much, we had to reach out to Metal Brothers and get a little input from them.
“The 1955 Nomad came into the shop, and it was a beautiful classic car,” explained Geoffrey Judge, our contact at Metal Brothers. “Now, you can get into this classic and you can drive it across the country and you never have to think twice about it.” When Metal Brothers received the Nomad, it had already been restored, but the owner wanted something with the dependability of a modern car. “Going with the LS3 was a no-brainer,” Geoffrey told us.
The trim on the tailgate of a Nomad is a true thing of beauty. Chevy did it right on these Tri-Fives, that's for sure.
Along with the LS3 engine, they made a few other key modifications to the car that really bring it up to speed. They also make it a better cruiser with the dependability of a new car. “The body was in good condition, and we color sanded and buffed the red portion of the car and sprayed the roof with PPG Paint,” explained Geoffrey. They also added an Ididit steering column with a tilt wheel, a new stereo with custom speaker-filled kick panels wrapped in leather to match the interior. They also installed a stunning set of Dakota Digital VHX gauges.
The Dakota Digital gauges are a nice touch in any car, and they work really well with the LS powerplant of this Nomad!
They also built a custom console for the car. “Our customer wanted a console with a few cup holders,” he explained, “the lower Vintage Air vents were placed in the center of the leather wrapped console.” The console is a great custom addition to the interior.
The console makes for a great look in conjunction with the Vintage Air system. We also love the kick-panel speakers!
“Swapping out the SBC for the LS3 had its challenges,” Geoffrey explained. “When we were planning the swap, we went with the LS-Conversion Kit from brphotrods.” Along with the LS engine came a 4L70E transmission straight from GM, a radiator from Four Seasons Radiator, Wilwood Big Brakes front and rear, an American Autowire wiring harness, and an Optima yellow-top battery for power. They lowered the car 2 inches, and according to Geoffrey, “This car is a cruiser that will pin you back in your seat when you step on it.”
The engine accessories are run by a ConceptOne pulley system. “We decided to go with the ConceptOne pulleys because of the quality of their kits,” he explained. “They have some of the best customer service that we have ever dealt with.”
This is one of those cars that just looks good from every angle.
“Everyone at our shop could argue about what they liked most about this Nomad, it was a total team effort from our crew,” Geoffrey said. “When it comes down to it, being able to provide our customer a great and dependable hot rod that the entire family loves, is what matters to us.” We think Metal Brothers did a stellar job on this car, and we look forward to seeing what they come out with next time.
