America's First Classic Comes of Age

The first American classic came of age in late 1954 with unveiling of the 1955 Chevy Bel Air. With the newly-styled, newly-powered Bel Air, Chevrolet’s image was transformed practically overnight. The new “Motoramic” models gained a reputation as “The Hot Ones.” It ushered the short era of Chevy “Tri-Fives,” the ’55, ’56 and ’57 Bel Airs.

The almost all-new body featured a sharp beltline dip and a Ferrari-inspired grille. Styling was considered crisp and clean by the automotive press, a far cry from Ford’s and Chrysler’s offerings that year. Other head-turning features not included on lesser models included interior carpet, chrome headliner bands on hardtops, chrome spears on front fenders, chrome window moldings and full wheel coverings. Bel Airs were further distinguished by the name appearing in gold script on the fenders.

Advertising copy invited customers to try the new color-coordinated interior on “for sighs.” The model offered a dozen body styles, including a convertible and Sport Coupe. The four-door sedan led sales with more than 345,000. A new Bel Air Beauville four-door station wagon ended the season with three times the sales of a comparable ’54 wagon.

Chevy’s first V8 engine appeared in the Bel Air in answer to Ford’s V8 the previous year. The new 265 CID powerplant featured a modern overhead valve high-compression, short stroke design that proved so strong it remained in production in one form or another for decades. Simple and economical to build, the Turbo-Fire was a model of efficiency.

The base version of the engine had a two-barrel carburetor and was rated at 162-horsepower. The “Power Pack” option gave customers a four-barrel carb and other upgrades worth 180-horsepower. Later in the model year the “Super Power Pack” added high compression and another 15-horsepower. Instead of common rocker shafts, the short stroke V8 used independent rocker arms, meaning less reciprocating weight and greater rev potential.

A long list of options included Touch-Down overdrive, Air Temp air conditioning, power steering and brakes, electric windows, Continental kit and a power seat. A convertible paced the Indy 500 that year, driven by general manager Thomas H. Keating, and a gold-trimmed hardtop rolled off the assembly line as the 50-millionth car built by General Motors.

Enter Nomad

The ’55 Bel Air Nomad practically created a new class for itself. While the four-door Beauville sold well, the two-door Nomad is the only wagon to achieve classic status. Even the Pontiac Safari, who shared the Nomad’s body, hasn’t claimed the high regard afforded the Chevy.

The Nomad began as one of Harley Earl’s Corvette-based dream cars at the 1954 GM Motorama. It blended the airiness and sophistication of a hardtop with the practicality of a wagon. The production model debuted in February 1955 and was considered a halo model during the “Tri-Five” years.

“Rakish” is the word most often used to describe the Nomad body today, with its hardtop door-glass framing and sloping hind quarters that paralleled the angle of the wider-than-usual B-pillars. Other styling touches included fluted roof, wraparound rear side glass, and rear-wheel cutouts.

All that extra glass, though, made the car a greenhouse on sunny days, and air circulation left something to be desired. And, with its unusual slope, the tailgate leaked rain.

While considered to be a milestone vehicle design, General Motors discontinued the original Nomad at the end of the 1957 model year due to low sales and the introduction of a new body for 1958.