My love of Nomads started when I was 7 yrs old in the fall of 1956. After fathering five stair-step children, my dad decided the 1954, 4dr. Chevy Bel Air, just wasn’t going to get the job done hauling the entire family around. So with mom’s approval, he went to the local Chevy dealer with the intent of purchasing a new 1957 Chevy wagon. As he was walking to the showroom through the used car section, a very sporty, glittering gold wagon caught his eye. It was a Grecian Gold and Calypso Cream 1956 Nomad! Always a car enthusiast, dad was immediately hooked and made the deal to bring that glittering Nomad home. I still remember riding in the linoleumed cargo area (so much for safety in the 50’s). I often helped dad wash that car, and thought it was the most beautiful car in existence!

Far too soon, dad decided the well worn and driven Nomad was to be replaced, and in the fall of 1960 he made a visit the the Chevy dealer and purchased one of the last remaining ‘60 Chevy wagons. I never forget the ‘56 Nomad and vowed one day I would own one. Growing up in Southern California I would often see Nomads cruising the streets, and after high school I was even more determined to fulfill my dream of owning a Nomad. Unfortunately, with the Vietnam War raging in 1967, the draft quickly squelched the dream of ever owning a Nomad any time soon.

As we all know, life happens and soon I was married with 2 sons, and living in Iowa. I would faithfully search the ads for Nomads and would occasionally see one for sale, but of course they were always out of state and far more than I could afford. As luck would have it, I found a 57 for sale in nearby Oakland, IA. Of course it was just enough out of my price range that I was ready to keep searching when my father-in-law graciously offered to lend me the balance. I owned a 1957 Nomad!

After several years and a pending move to California, I reluctantly sold the 57 to a gentleman in Omaha, NE. Moving to California and the cost of homes quickly sapped any money for a classic car of any type, but after 30 years, I once again owned a Nomad. Although not a ‘56, I purchased a ‘55 from an ex drag racer and it was FAST, but barely streetable. Fortunately I was able to sell the engine for a substantial amount, and began the thrash.

After 5 years the Nomad looked fantastic and was a very nice cruiser. It still needed work on the interior, but was functional. I enjoyed the ‘55 and drove it quite often, but the dream of owning a ‘56 Nomad was still a burning flame. When fellow club member, Gordon Dudley, bought a ‘56, that flame burst into roaring fire! I sold the ‘55 in Dec. of 2018 and it went to the Phoenix, AZ area. The search for a ‘56 was on! One thing I learned, was that while there were quite a few ‘55’s and ‘57’s for sale, there were very few ‘56 Nomads for sale. I finally found a ‘56 in the Phoenix area in June 2020. Coincidentally, the owner of the ‘56 lived only a two miles from me in Iowa and had moved to Arizona after retiring. After reminiscing about living in the same town in Iowa, I made an offer that was accepted. I was planning on driving it back to California, but 100* temperatures and 400 miles in an unfamiliar car was sketchy, so Gordy said he would go with me and trailer it home. Thanks again Gordy! After 60 years I was once again in a 1956 Nomad.

Of course, the attachment I have to ‘56 Nomads is commingled with with the fond memories of my parents, and the family trips we all enjoyed in that Grecian Gold and Calypso Cream Nomad. Both my parents and two of my siblings are gone, but every time I climb in my ‘56 nomad the memories of a young boy rush back, and I remember them and feel very fortunate that the dream of a 7yr old boy came to fruition.

Photos provided by Jim & Carol.