'57 Chevy Nomad Custom Resto Mod Build

[BlackSheep214]

I got this kit on eBay earlier this year and it lacked decals. Plus this kit is an old re-pop of having hinges to open doors on the kit. I remember having one of these kits in my youth years and hated them. Never could get them to open / close straight.

Instead of trashing it, I decided to create a Custom Restomod Nomad "El Camino". So here are a couple pics of how I'm planning to turn this into an El Camino. You can see the lines I'm looking to cut....

The rear portion roof line marked will be used to merge somehow to the dotted line up front. The rear front seat door post will remain to hold in place. 

I haven't figure out the bed portion yet. My thinking is repurpose the rear interior section and sand smooth, floor included. All doors will be glued shut. The other challenge is the back portion to create the cab and cut the rear window to size.

[BlackSheep214]

Surgery about a week or so ago is a success!! 

Test fitting my idea what I'm trying to achieve. With a little bit of work to attach it, I think it's gonna work out just fine. There will be some body shaping on the attachment to make it work.

This will be a long term project because I'm not planning on rushing through this one. I still have a lot of thinking and plotting on how to make this a solid build. If you have any advice, ideas, & suggestions, by all means I'd like to hear them.

[BlackSheep214]

Some progress made tonight for the bed portion of the build.

Looking at various parts within this Nomad kit, I spied something that would be perfect to extend the bed of the Nomad "El Camino". This is actually the back piece to the rear seats. This is lightly glued in place to test fit. Yeah.... that's gonna work just fine.

But.... I need something that's gonna give me support to hold it place. So... I sawed off a front section of the "folded rear seat option part and sanded a curve with my Dremel to conform with the tranny hump. Here are the results of the "chop job".  :giggles: 
The folded seat optional part sawed off...

The test fit and glued on with satisfaction...

Top portion glued in place. Oh yeah... that's definitely gonna work.  :lashed: 

The test fit of what it looks like with the Nomad body on....

[FLHCAHZ]

WOW.  Really nice work.  I am looking forward to your progress  

[Zippi]

All the mods look great Thomas.  That bed come out nice looking.  This is going to look pretty kewl.  

[David G.]

Most interesting! You have some elegant solutions to the issues at hand. It'll be great to see where you go with this.

I did something similar with my Chevy Proton, splicing a '56 Nomad and '58 Impala together for the body. Here's a link to the build threat if you're interested.

This one is definitely going on my watchlist.

David G.

 

 

[BlackSheep214]

Thank you for the kind words. 

David G.... very nice work on your Chevy Proton! Those are mad skillz! Well done! 

[espo]

Great idea. Some thoughts on the rear window and the bulkhead below it. The rear window could be made into a wrap around rear window only a little more wrap around than say a mid '50's Chevrolet pickup. The bulkhead underneath would be hand formed. Another idea might be to raid an old AMT '55 Nomad kit since it has the roof, rear window and bulkhead as a build option and those parts might be made to fit here. 

[TransAmMike]

I won ebay auction for this model a few years back and the box was crushed damaging the rear of the body. I still have it unbuild and this is definately something to think about. I'll be watching for sure Thomas.

[BlackSheep214]

On 11/17/2021 at 12:13 PM, espo said:

Great idea. Some thoughts on the rear window and the bulkhead below it. The rear window could be made into a wrap around rear window only a little more wrap around than say a mid '50's Chevrolet pickup. The bulkhead underneath would be hand formed. Another idea might be to raid an old AMT '55 Nomad kit since it has the roof, rear window and bulkhead as a build option and those parts might be made to fit here. 

Funny you mentioned that. I haven’t really figured out the bulkhead part yet but I had thought about retaining the rear window framework on this Nomad kit. I could go two ways on this: keep the original rear window framework and go with it as an opening rear window option or simply go with a solid rear window. I haven’t decided yet. 

Raiding an old 55 Nomad kit is something I will consider. Thanks for the heads up. Much appreciated.

Of course, I don't have a '55 Chevy Nomad kit to spare.....

Edited November 20, 2021 by BlackSheep214

[Katsusauce]

I can tell this is gonna be a cool build already....I'll definitely be keeping my eyes on this builds progress ?