'57 El Nomado

[customline]

I bought this kit, I dunno, like 15 years ago and almost immediately envisioned turning it into a phantom El Camino. I realized then that I didn't possess the skills at a high enough level to accomplish it.  I still don't, but I'm not getting any younger so here goes ?.

This is the inspiration:

I like the extra room idea. El Caminos seem a bit cramped with so little space behind the seat. It seems the builder of the above "El Nomado" had found a way to make that extra space.

The Monogram '57 NOMAD, as you probably know, is not a great kit. I like the fuelly set-up but I may elect to drop in a 409 because I have a few sitting around. The body has some issues but no deal breakers. The roof, though, is too flat and in fact a bit concave over the front seat area. That was the first  ? I needed to deal with.  I added two layers of .010 to give me a guide for subsequent bondo work. 

Note to self: get contour guage.  I won't bore you with all the details unless you want them but have a look at what I have so far and feel free to comment, chastise, commiserate, or chuckle. I can take it!

OK, this is going to push me a little: the kit interior is of absolutely no help to address the bed- it's all scratch work.  More on that later.

It may not be useful to know but the '57 is my least favorite tri-five. In fact, it is probably my least favorite Chevrolet. It's nothing personal. They are just way too ubiquitous and unreservedly revered. I know, take your shots, but the '56 is a much better looking car in my mind. I even like the '59 more ?Anyway, the hood on the '57 makes me wonder what they were thinking. You can see below what I'm thinking:

[NOBLNG]

Cool project Jim!??? I will definitely follow along.? And the ‘57 is my least favourite tri-five Chevy too.

[customline]

38 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

Cool project Jim!??? I will definitely follow along.? And the ‘57 is my least favourite tri-five Chevy too.

Whattaya think about the space-cab? How about shaving the ugly-a$$ hood? ? glad you like it!

Edited August 14, 2024 by customline

[customline]

Just a bit more....

I have an endless supply of those ^^^....one benefit of advanced age ?

[Bainford]

Cool project, Jim. Digging the concept. I see what you mean about the roof, and I like your approach to correct it. I agree regarding the '57. Im not a fan either, never have been, while at the same time I think the '55 is about the nicest looking Chevy ever built. 
 

I built the '57 Nomad when I was a kid. Tough to get together cleanly (mine wasn't) but eventually got it together reasonably well. Upon completion, I took it to the kitchen to show it to my mother, who immediately smashed it accidentally (long story). She felt so bad she replaced it with an AMT  '55 Nomad, a kit I liked much better and has since become one of my favourite kits. 

Edited August 14, 2024 by Bainford

[customline]

Thanks, Trevor. '55s are great hot rod material. For '57, I think of Ford, more as a cruiser than a hot rod.....but also as a rust bucket. ?

[stavanzer]

I agree, the '57's are over-exposed. I prefer the cleaner 1955 cars. The Ferrari inspired Grille, the trim, neat lines. My favorite Chevies.

But, I'll disagree on the '56 car. Bland, forgettable grill, muddy lines, none of the finesse of the '55. There is just nothing I like about them.

But, I like where you are headed on your Nomad. Better to start with the sturdy Monogram kit, rather than the fiddly, fragile Revell. I've always liked the '57 hood with the 'bullets' filled in. The smooth hood just cleans up the front end.

[customline]

23 minutes ago, stavanzer said:

I agree, the '57's are over-exposed. I prefer the cleaner 1955 cars. The Ferrari inspired Grille, the trim, neat lines. My favorite Chevies.

But, I'll disagree on the '56 car. Bland, forgettable grill, muddy lines, none of the finesse of the '55. There is just nothing I like about them.

But, I like where you are headed on your Nomad. Better to start with the sturdy Monogram kit, rather than the fiddly, fragile Revell. I've always liked the '57 hood with the 'bullets' filled in. The smooth hood just cleans up the front end.

On the '57 hood, Alan...agreed.  This one is going smooth.

To me, though, the '55 is "boxier" by virtue of the broad-faced hood and egg-crate grille which suggest a simple utilitarian function and reminds me of Nash-Ramblers. The '56 parking lights seem to extend the sleeker grille-work to full width. I also prefer the Bel Air side trim of the '56 and the four door hardtop is pretty darn cool..  I always got a kick out of the gas filler, too ....but I prefer the '55 in dragstrip dress over the '56 for sure. Shaved of side trim with radiused rears and a chrome tube axle you can't beat a 210 coupe for a gasser, IMHO.

[Zippi]

That's a Great start on a pretty kewl project.  This is going to look so kewl.  

[LennyB]

I like the concept Jim.  And I have never been a fan of the 57.  Like the 55 and 56 much better.   Somewhere in my stash I have a kitbash of the monogram 56 hardtop and the 57 nomad. Wanted to build a 56 nomad.    Never got too far with is as the two kits leave a lot to be desired and I prefer to stick with 1/25th.

So far I like your game plan and thanks for raising the roof, can alway use the extra headroom. Plus the extra space behind the front seats.   One of the reasons I sold my Ranchero is the cab was a bit cramped.  
 

Hood is a big ?.  57’s could used to loose some chrome weight?

[customline]

1 hour ago, Zippi said:

That's a Great start on a pretty kewl project.  This is going to look so kewl.  

Thanks, Bob, I hope you're right!  ?

[slusher]

very nice project Jim, very interesting and I'll be following along.

[customline]

1 hour ago, LennyB said:

I like the concept Jim.  And I have never been a fan of the 57.  Like the 55 and 56 much better.   Somewhere in my stash I have a kitbash of the monogram 56 hardtop and the 57 nomad. Wanted to build a 56 nomad.    Never got too far with is as the two kits leave a lot to be desired and I prefer to stick with 1/25th.

So far I like your game plan and thanks for raising the roof, can alway use the extra headroom. Plus the extra space behind the front seats.   One of the reasons I sold my Ranchero is the cab was a bit cramped.  
 

Hood is a big ?.  57’s could used to loose some chrome weight?

Falfa drove a '55, not a '57! That tells you something. 

I had the same thought on a '56 Nomad, but plans always seem to wander off course. These Monogram kits are kinda crappy- I don't know what I'm going to do with that ?? firewall. I'm looking for ideas on that...maybe a smooth chrome panel. It's not a fully formed plan ?

  I don't think I could even sit in a Ranchero, Len.  I drive with my seat reclined more than some people would consider safe (like Wifey, for example ?) so when I ran across my "inspiration"  photo, I knew I wasn't alone. An extended cab Elco! What a great idea!  I just hope I can get it past paint; I keep stumbling there. The bed is going to be quite a problem if I get any orange peel.  I've got to find better wheels too. Lots of work ahead on this one.

[TarheelRick]

Going to be an interesting build, looking forward to updates. I am having a similar issue with the roof of my '53 Ford Crew Cab, I have added a layer of styrene, but it still seems to be sagging a bit. I have a leftover roof from the Alternomad kit, if I can find it I will use that.

'56 Chevy and '65 Chevelle are the ultimate Chevrolets. The '57 is overrated and as mentioned above the '55 is a bit boxy, however it does make a beautiful short track racer or drag car. A nice set of wheels/tires, clean two-tone paint, just a bit of tail-high rake and the '56 Chevy is one beautiful street machine. My first car was a '56 150 black and white with 6 cylinder and three on the tree. I blew the 6 and tried to talk my father into buying a 'built' 265 to replace it, instead, got a Sears-Roebuck rebuilt 6. Owned two '65 Chevelles. The first was a plain Malibu 283 3-speed, backed it into a dirt bank on a wet road. Traded it for a 65 Super Sport 283 4-speed same color as the other. It met its demise on a wet road when I caught a hard 2nd gear while driving through water running across the road. Three fence posts and 100 miles of barbed wire did not coalesce very well with the body of my Chevelle.

[espo]

Great build idea, especially for a kit that some goofy body proportions anyway. Like your approach to the roof. Your well into that now but wonder if the El Camino roof section from an old AMT '55 Nomad might have been an option for this.

[NOBLNG]

2 hours ago, espo said:

Great build idea, especially for a kit that some goofy body proportions anyway. Like your approach to the roof. Your well into that now but wonder if the El Camino roof section from an old AMT '55 Nomad might have been an option for this.

That would likely work, but it needs a lot of work to blend into the kit it was designed for, and it still looks like a cramped cab space. I considered extending it and adding a rear quarter window, but that would seriously shorten the box and make it look odd. I like Jims approach, and with the fins on a ‘57 it shouldn’t make the box look short. It’s just a matter of blending it in nicely.

[customline]

5 hours ago, espo said:

Great build idea, especially for a kit that some goofy body proportions anyway. Like your approach to the roof. Your well into that now but wonder if the El Camino roof section from an old AMT '55 Nomad might have been an option for this.

 

3 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

That would likely work, but it needs a lot of work to blend into the kit it was designed for, and it still looks like a cramped cab space. I considered extending it and adding a rear quarter window, but that would seriously shorten the box and make it look odd. I like Jims approach, and with the fins on a ‘57 it shouldn’t make the box look short. It’s just a matter of blending it in nicely.

Thanks, Dave, I was aware of Greg's '55 and seeing his build sorta got me motivated to pick up my razor saw. It surprised me to find out about the roof provided in his kit.  I wouldn't have used it because I wanted to preserve the Nomad look as much as possible ( and I don't have one anyway) Seeing his build now, I think it would have kept much of the look by virtue of the angle of the B pillar. It seems to work quite well. When I looked for examples of phantom "El Nomads" I ran across the one at the top of this page. BiNGO!  It was exactly what I had in mind.  In the photo, it looks like the builder used a second tailgate to create the wall below the backlight, chrome trim and all!  Well, I'm not doing that ?. It would eat up too much valuable real estate. After the rear fender wells are added, there ain't much floor space. If I used the rear portion of my interior to make a bed, you might have trouble putting a small cooler and a tackle box back there. 

Greg, you are spot on about the loss of bed area but I have tried to minimize it. The limiting factor is the kit glass; it dictates where the rear roof section goes. The wall below the backlight became a big player also. Where these things ended up is product of some compromises but esthetics is always in play. I think I have all that well in hand now.  Some may not agree but I'm happy with it.

Thanks for checking in, guys.  

[customline]

9 hours ago, TarheelRick said:

Going to be an interesting build, looking forward to updates. I am having a similar issue with the roof of my '53 Ford Crew Cab, I have added a layer of styrene, but it still seems to be sagging a bit. I have a leftover roof from the Alternomad kit, if I can find it I will use that.

'56 Chevy and '65 Chevelle are the ultimate Chevrolets. The '57 is overrated and as mentioned above the '55 is a bit boxy, however it does make a beautiful short track racer or drag car. A nice set of wheels/tires, clean two-tone paint, just a bit of tail-high rake and the '56 Chevy is one beautiful street machine. My first car was a '56 150 black and white with 6 cylinder and three on the tree. I blew the 6 and tried to talk my father into buying a 'built' 265 to replace it, instead, got a Sears-Roebuck rebuilt 6. Owned two '65 Chevelles. The first was a plain Malibu 283 3-speed, backed it into a dirt bank on a wet road. Traded it for a 65 Super Sport 283 4-speed same color as the other. It met its demise on a wet road when I caught a hard 2nd gear while driving through water running across the road. Three fence posts and 100 miles of barbed wire did not coalesce very well with the body of my Chevelle.

Rick, it sounds like your dad was a lot like mine. One day I dragged home a '56 four door Bel Air hardtop. It had a 265 with a Holley quad that some kid installed on it.  I paid $90.00 for it so you can imagine. It didn't grace his driveway for more than a week. Gotta love the roofline on it. The floors were pretty much gone, though. He was doing me a favor.

[LennyB]

I like the way the back window opens on this one.

 

 

Yes, I know, that's too much work.

[customline]

33 minutes ago, LennyB said:

I like the way the back window opens on this one.

 

 

Yes, I know, that's too much work.

Please refer the the very first paragraph of this thread ?.  But....BUT....WHAT A FABULOUS IDEA!!!  I didn't see that one when I was researching.  Wow, Len, I love it! And a '56 to boot! It's not a Nomad but it has the tailgate trim. Very cool. When I was a high-schooler, an upper classman drove a '56 Ford that was converted into a Ranchero. Oh man.....I just got a great idea ?...oh no....another great idea ?

Edited August 15, 2024 by customline

[customline]

I just thought I'd stick this up to see if anyone feels like I do about it. The gentlemen in the photo seem to be discussing the esthetics of this interesting modification.  The body language of the man on the right may just be due to some hot dogs he had earlier.  Feel free ?.

Anyway, I needed to mock up the engine room to see how much leeway I have so I can do something with this absurd firewall. To save work and avoid some frustration,  I figured I would use the kit hinge but I would like to make it look more like an actual firewall. So I had to assemble the engine ?

Nice, huh?  I guess a half a starter is better than....no....no it's not. I also noticed the thing that represents the flywheel cover was also in need of....correction. I've got to be honest, though. I stole the original kit engine some time ago and replaced it a while back with an ebay find. Note to self: check the other kit.  

I glued a piece of sheet in the low area and removed the half starter. A piece of sprue solved the problem.

Since this build is all about me pushing my scratchbuilding limits and not creating an accurate '57 Chevy, I'm going with the kit hinge and a patch-up job on the firewall and some other design flaws in the area.

The next photo shows my attempt to add some backlight and bed trim using .040 half-round with varying results. This my prove to be a waste of time but I won't know until after it's painted and I start foiling. ?

Then I installed the door solenoids ?

The kit includes what they call a spoiler and its intended to be mounted on the top of the tailgate. I'm considering adding it to the rear edge of the roof as an overhang like the four door hardtops of '59 and '60. Please try to talk me out of it. ? 

As always, your comments are welcome and may actually change the course of this endeavor.  Otherwise, thanks for looking! ?

Edited August 17, 2024 by customline

[Russell C]

On 8/14/2024 at 12:44 PM, NOBLNG said:

... considered extending it and adding a rear quarter window, but that would seriously shorten the box and make it look odd. .....

Jury might still be out on that approach. Was wondering about the idea myself over the years from seeing the pickup conversions where the cab roof just looked stubby. With the straight side-on view, couldn't resist doing a quick photo alteration to see if the quarter window could work.

[Bainford]

Jim, that's looking really good, including your added roof & bed trim. I'm going to take you up on your offer and attempt to dissuade you from fitting the spoiler thingie. Initially I really like it as a styling feature especially on a vintage Chevy, but the side profile you have going there now with the clean line over the roof is exceptional. The spoiler thingie (visor?) would work if the bed was longer. Your vision is much better, I must say, than the 1:1 you posted above. What he's done there is not working at all. Shame too, cause it's a fine looking car otherwise. 

Edited August 17, 2024 by Bainford

[Starwulf]

My opinion on the roof spoiler: I'd be best to mold it in so it's similar to the 60's Chevy truck cabs. Much like this example

 

Edited August 17, 2024 by Starwulf
correction

[customline]

Mmmmm.....naaaah.....I was thinking like this and I could eliminate the two vertical elements for a full, one piece wraparound backlight. Thanks for your input, Eric, that's a cool pick-up!