1956 Nomad gasser build
 

Some of you seem interested in the tri-five generation. My boss bought a 1956 Nomad in 1969 and raced the crap out of it for 3 years and then put it in storage in 1972. He has paid storage fees and drug it around with him ever since, vowing to one day put it together again. He's been telling me I'm going to build it for 5 years, while it sat in my way at the shop. I cleared out the last of the repairs they had for me a couple months ago and started on it !!


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Old school "poor boy" ball joint spacer to raise the front.
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Home made ladder bar.


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327 engine he ran in it. Genuine vintage Enderle mechanical injection system. At the end of the '71 racing season, he pulled the engine to rebuild it and have the body restored. Sent it to a local place that blew the car apart, lost/sold much of the hard to find trim and then went out of business. He had the engine and injection system rebuilt while the body was being molested. It's been sitting around the shop in various places for the 13 years I've been around. He told me yesterday, it hasn't turned over in 50 years..:shocked: I thought he was doing that every so often. Monday, I will pull the plugs, spray some oil in the cylinders and turn it over.



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He had bought a straight axle stub about a year ago, and acquired a 1957 rolling chassis about the same time. We got the chassis on the frame rack and I cut off the front and, after MANY hours of measuring and leveling, finally welded the stub on.


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After I cut the front off, the frame acquired a slight diamond, with the left rail moving ahead about 3/8". I put a porta power between the rails and easily pushed it back before welding.


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Onto the body. There wasn't much left inside to begin with, but I had to remove all the seats and headliner. First, I had to remove the gate, as there was too much weight behind the lift arms to balance well.
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As rusted out as the main cabin floor is, the cargo floor and spare wheel well are in amazingly good condition.


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The rear seat upper back is bolted thru the wheel house and looking at the amount of rust, I just took the easy way out and ground them off flush with the reinforcement plate...:grin:


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Then I went after the headliner and bows. It, too, is in very nice condition and I wanted to save it intact, in case it would be wanted for a survivor car. Little did I know I was embarking on pulling out more than 600 staples !!!


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He had, also, bought a very expensive rotisserie about a year ago. I put that together last spring and it has sat in my way ever since too. The floor at the rockers is VERY rusted out and I was barely able to lift the body off the frame without it caving in. I had to add 400#s of "ballast" to the front floor and cowl with crushed glass media.



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On the roto and ready to balance. I have a homemade roto that lacks the screw jacks for balancing. Wow, are those a treat compared to using a bottle jack under the arm T's...:rolleyes2:


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Before I removed the doors, I welded in 2, 1'' square tubing bars to hold it in shape.


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I cut out what little was left of the floor perimeter while on it's side.


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Rolled it back over and knocked it out.


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First order of repair is the lower inner quarter structure. It is supposed to be welded to the floor, but most of that area is gone. I bent up a piece of 18 gauge to patch it with. I'll need to do the same on the other side when next I go to work.


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More more more. Don't leave out anything.

The cabin floor work will be rather mundane, but after that, it's going to get very interesting. Yesterday, I ordered passenger car, stock appearing mini-tubs. The goal will be to integrate them onto the wagon, which they aren't designed for, and have them go unnoticed as not original...:dunno: I'm glad it's his money. Over 2k in new floor and cargo pans from Real Deal Steel and I'm going to butcher them for tubs...:headbang:

Amazing Story, Mitch it is very neat to see your projects! You are a Metal Fabricator!!
Thanks for sharing!

Gregg

Metal Man
 

Metal Man Mitch lookin good on the 56, keep us posted. You got a way to go but I think you can handle it!!

WOW!!! Neat car with race history.. Haven't seen too many Nomad race cars! Keep it coming :3gears:

This I am diggin'

Great choice for a save Mitch. Subscribed! :biggthumpup:

Subscribed! I currently have a '57 150 2 door in my garage to do some old-school hand lettering. Interesting build on this car too since, less than a year ago, it was a four door.