Roof height/length differences in 56 Chevies

[whale392]

I am wanting to convert the 1956 Nomad wagon back into a 4 door 6 passenger wagon, but was told the roof height and length was different between the Nomad and the 4 door units. I am starting with the 1/25th scale Revell 56 Nomad kit and a second roof section from a Revell 1956 Del Ray kit. Any hard, fast data on this subject? Are they different heights/lengths?

Edited March 31, 2011 by whale392

[Craig Irwin]

Yes, they are differant, but without the cars in my garage to measuer I can't say just how much. Also, the tailgate leans forward more on the Nomad. A resin sedan delivery from Modelhaus would be an easyer starting point.

[whale392]

I was able to find a side-profile chart listing the body styles, but no measurements. So, I am still in the same boat on the whole measurement thing.

Craig, thanks for the reply. The only reason I am starting with the Nomad is that I have it in my stash (and it is of the same cast line as the recent Revell 56 Chevy Del Ray and 57 Black Widow kits, so I know the quality is top-notch and I can retrofit items from those kits back and forth without too much trouble. I was even contemplating mixing AMT and Revell to get what I want, but I decided against that. Also, while the resin would be a much better starting point, I am somewhat broke. So my stash once again comes to the rescue.

[MrObsessive]

Paging Art Anderson!

If I'm not mistaken------I believe the '55-'57 Nomad used the 2 door hardtop windshield which were lower than their 2/4 door sedan brethren. As others have stated the roof is definitely longer on the regular 2/4 door wagons.

I don't have a real one either to measure from...............I'm just going from memory and what I've seen of the cars in 1:1.

HTH!

[whale392]

That would be cool, Paul. Thank you!

Bill, thanks for adding that bit of info.

As you might know, our Model Club just held their inaugural contest March 27th. One of our class sponsors actually sponsored 4 classes (a good bit of a sponsorship I might add). He is a friend of mine and has a 56 6 Passenger wagon on 20" and 23" wheels, but the rest of the car is primer/rust (not bad on the rust). I would like to build a scale rendition of his car and present it to him as a 'Thank You' for sponsoring the show. He isn't in town at the moment, or I would go take measurements from his car. That would help, but then I would have to find a Nomad and measure it for a direct comparison.

[Jim Gibbons]

There was a good thread on converting a 55 Belair convertible using Nomad parts, etc. into a 4Dr wagon:

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=42106

Hope this helps!

[Art Anderson]

Paging Art Anderson!

If I'm not mistaken------I believe the '55-'57 Nomad used the 2 door hardtop windshield which were lower than their 2/4 door sedan brethren. As others have stated the roof is definitely longer on the regular 2/4 door wagons.

I don't have a real one either to measure from...............I'm just going from memory and what I've seen of the cars in 1:1.

HTH!

1955-57 Chevy and Pontiac had two distinctly different station wagon bodies--the standard 2/4dr wagons, and the Nomad/Safari. Regular wagons used the same windshield frame and glass as 2dr and 4dr sedans, while the Nomad and Safari were built around the convertible/hardtop windshield frame and glass, which is approximately 2" lower than the sedans (think .080" or 2mm lower on a model).

The Nomad roof is shorter, and the tailgate is sloped forward quite a bit more than it's regular station wagon brethren as well.

Art

(PS Bill! You gonna be at NNL East this year? If so, let's hook up!)

[Eshaver]

Whewwwwwwwww, DAT be T. I . G. H. T. , I likes it ........... Ed Shaver

[monza77]

I went through this awhile back when I wanted to build a true (Revell) 55 Chev 2dr sedan. I googled questions about interchange of parts like roofs, doors and windshields, between the trichevies. If I remember 55 and 56 share more body parts. 57 chevys have a lower cowl so things like windshields are different from 55 and 56.I believe regular wagons use sedan doors and windshields so the Revell 56 sedan doors and roof height would give you a proper reference. It might be easier to use the 56 Delray as the basis and add the Nomad roof.Of course , you have to fill in the grooves and make door frames etc. All in all, a lot of work either way.I'm not 100% sure on the wagon thing as I was more interested in a 55 sedan using thee 56 sedan. The first thing I always look for when doing a conversion for is interchange of parts within a line. Its nice with The Reveille trichevies they are tooled similarly. One other thing I recall is 55 and 56 frames interchange but 57 frames are different in the front frame horn area. Anyway, just google a specific question like "does a 56 2dr sedan windshield (or door) interchange with a 56 4r wagon and you usually will be routed to a Trichevy forum where they always have someone discussing. If I can use existing kit parts I'm further ahead.Hope this helps.

[monza77]

Sorry for the errors in spelling and punctuation but I hope you get the idea. I can't type so I don't post much and it takes me so long that I want to get rid of the post. Thanks

[whale392]

Thanks for the replies guys. After a LOT of searching, I got the specific measurements I needed. Yup, this will be a lot of work to convert the 56 Nomad to a 4 door wagon, but I am sure it will be worth it to see Jasons' face when it shows up on the dash of his real car!

[MrObsessive]

(PS Bill! You gonna be at NNL East this year? If so, let's hook up!)

Hi Art!

No, I won't be able to go this time around..................had something else planned that day that takes precedence.

[Casey]

I went through this awhile back when I wanted to build a true (Revell) 55 Chev 2dr sedan. I googled questions about interchange of parts like roofs, doors and windshields, between the trichevies. If I remember 55 and 56 share more body parts. 57 chevys have a lower cowl so things like windshields are different from 55 and 56.I believe regular wagons use sedan doors and windshields so the Revell 56 sedan doors and roof height would give you a proper reference. It might be easier to use the 56 Delray as the basis and add the Nomad roof.

If the Revell '56 Del Ray is considered a Sedan (and I think it is, since it's no Hardtop nor Convertible), is the roof height correct? Has anyone measured and verified this? Being the only Tri Five sedan kit Revell has released, and based on Dennis' comments regarding the differences between '55-'56s and '57s, the '56 Del Ray sounds like it would be the best kit-based donor for the windshield surround and windshield for a '55-'56 wagon (Nomads not considered wagon for the sake of this discussion, just to be clear). Not sure how accurate AMT's '55 Bel Air Sedan is, though...I would guess most people would prefer to use a newer Revell based kit if possible.

[Muncie]

OK,

first car - 1956 210 Handyman -

Revell's 1956 Del Ray is where you want to start for the body. The Del Ray is simply a regualr 210 series two-door sedan with a "family duty" intereior if I remember the GM brochures correctly and Del Ray is a really cool name. The sedans and the regular wagons share the same windshield and doors - identical! As noted in the earlier posts, the Nomads/hardtops/convertibles have a two inch shorter windshield as well as the hardtop window openings.

Model Haus gets it right (again) - the roof height on their 55-57 wagons and sedan deliveries is correct. I've seen another 1956 2-door wagon resin body that was mastered off the Nomad and that roof is little low - but nice if you're looking for a chopped top.

In all cases, the two door door is longer than the front door on a four door. On the wagons, the rear curved quarter glass on a four door wagon is longer then the rear curved quarter glass on a two door - note the position of the glass divider/end of the rear door. The roof on the regluar wagon is longer than a Nomad, and the tailgate is a different shape - not just the trim. As mentioned above, a lot of work to do a conversion.

A Nomad kit is also required... The wagon and Nomad chassis are the same - The sedan/hardtops have a differernt fuel tank shape and location than the wagons. Wagons and Nomads use the same rear bumpers with the license plate on the bumper.

hope this helps

Edited November 2, 2013 by Muncie

[Casey]

hope this helps

It does, thank you.