1954 Corvette Nomad Concept
While much has been written on the Corvette’s continual development, far less attention has been given to the influence that such development has had on various other GM product lines throughout the years. In many cases, GM has taken Corvette concepts that were not selected for production, and scaled such designs into separate product lines of their own.
One example of a vehicle that few realize actually began life as a Corvette concept, is the Chevy Nomad. The Nomad today has an immense following among vintage collectors. However, the prestigious wagon’s earliest days are deeply rooted in Corvette lore.
On the heels of the Corvette’s release in 1953, Chevrolet looked to up the ante, and create depth within their new line of American sports cars. As a result, 3 individual concepts carrying the Corvette name were prepared for the 1954 Motorama show in New York City, one of which being the Nomad. The Nomad was displayed alongside the Corvette Hardtop and the Corvette Corvair.
General Motors produced 5 of the 1954 Chevy Nomads for the auto show circuit, only 3 are known to exist. The Chevrolet Design Studio would created a forward thinking and forward looking design for the 1954 Nomad, including round headlamps mounted on gently curving fenders, a trademark Corvette grille and a forward sloping B-pillar.
The 1954 Nomad featured a front-end that was virtually identical to that of the 1953 Corvette before it, complete with rounded headlights and gently sloping front fenders. Atop the Nomad’s Corvette-like body set a sleek roof, which was white in color and featured forward-slanting B-pillars.
Harley Earl and this design team, began construction of the Corvette Nomad on October 6, 1953, which used a modified Corvette frame, and displayed the car the following month at the 1954 Motorama show. Then after the Motorama show and following promotional tour, having accumulated just 111 miles on the touring circuit – it was was scrapped in July 8, 1955.
Basing his decision upon the public’s enthusiastic response at Motorama, Harley Earl ordered the Chevrolet design studio to fast-track the Nomad for production in time for the 1955 model year. However, rather than carrying the Corvette name, the Nomad became a standard Chevy model offering, falling more closely in line with Bel Air production.
This decision was handed down by top GM brass, in a bid to bolster Chevrolet sales and better compete with the offerings of various other manufacturers.
1955 – 1956 – 1957 Chevy Nomads
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