THE CAR AND ITS OWNER
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad owned by John Pedretti
WHAT MAKES IT INTERESTING
When the Nomad debuted in 1955, it was a radical departure from the staid family station wagons of the period. Just a year earlier, General Motors had revealed a similar concept car during its “Motorama” shows in several major cities. “The radius rear tire wells and the slanted roof posts give this two-door wagon a ‘chopped’ and custom look from the factory that draws people to it,” Pedretti says. “They only made a little over 8,530 Nomads in 1955 out of over 1.5 million Chevys produced that year.” Despite a stock appearance on the outside, Pedretti’s ride boasts a supercharged 350-cubic-inch V-8 engine, as well as a modern transmission and rear differential.