The Early Days of Customizing

The options list was a great idea, but for many enthusiasts it wasn’t enough. In the 1930s, there were several companies that personalized and customized cars for wealthy clients. One of the great automotive designers of all time, who was ultimately hired by General Motors, Harley Earl, customized cars before he joined GM in 1927. Earl can also take a great deal of the credit for the creation of the ’55 Chevy, along with Clair M. MacKichan, when the team designed an all-new car from the frame up.

The Golden Era of Custom Cars

In the automotive hobby, we look to the 1950s as the golden era of customizing, with names such as George and Sam Barris, Joe Bailon, Bill Hines, Dick Dean, Dean Jeffries, Darryl Starbird, Bill Cushenberry and many more who led the way. They were all successful and built customs that were longer, lower and smoother than their factory counterparts, or, in some cases, the customizer would alter the vehicle to give it a futuristic look. All of the aforementioned bodymen were magicians with metal and could form bodies that were beyond belief with primitive tools, gas welders and lead.

Steve Frisbie and the Modern Age of Customization

The tradition lives on, and there are a few fantastic custom builders in the new millennium who have the creative talent to build unbelievable vehicles. One of the designers and hands-on builders who has recently joined the ranks of great customizers is Steve Frisbie, owner of Steve’s Auto Restorations. Frisbie has been building awe-inspiring classic cars for many clients over the years, and they have won top honors at concours d’elegance shows throughout the country. Several years ago, Frisbie decided to turn his talents toward building street rods and custom cars. Since then, the vehicles he has created have been some of the best in the country. Frisbie told us that his plans are to continue his concentration along these custom-fabrication lines, because he enjoys the work so much more.

Introducing “Realmad” and the Birth of “NewMad”

One of the more memorable customs that he created was “Realmad,” a concept car loosely resembling a ’55 Chevy Nomad. It received national attention and ink in many publications. This awe-inspiring car appeared on several calendars and was used as a featured vehicle in the company’s advertising campaign. It is not known if the salmon and black Nomad was the inspiration for this new concept Nomad, and it makes little sense to ask, because NewMad will certainly be one of the premier customs of the year, and perhaps of all time. It will forever go down in history as one of the scratch-built super rods that have made a difference.

Preserving the Essence of the ’55 Nomad

This ’55 Nomad, owned by Dave and Barb Hall, differs dramatically from the first one, in that Dave Hall wanted to preserve some key design elements that distinguishes a ’55 Nomad from the other station wagons of the mid-1950s. The unique elements that were preserved include the front-fender side chrome, the canted B- and C-pillars, the tailgate chrome strips, the open rear wheel well and the horizontal roof ribs. It’s basically what today’s stylists would do to the Nomad if Chevrolet decided to offer a retro-styled vehicle.

From Concept to Steel: Building NewMad

In addition to preserving certain design elements, the goal was to modernize the styling of the Nomad by smoothing its bodylines, and to give it sleekness without removing its distinguishing features. This is a design exercise that required a rendering. It needed to be put to paper before anyone started sculpting and forming the first sheetmetal panel. When Ken Ito submitted the final concept after all the details had been worked out, Steve’s Auto Restorations took over to create the vision in steel, brass and chrome.

Custom Chassis and Suspension Engineering

Ironically, a restored Nomad was selected as the starting point for NewMad, and only then did the sheetmetal craftsmen and wire-feed welders begin the complicated transformation to a newer, much more modern version. Along with the major body changes, a custom frame was built from 4×5-inch square tubing with tubular crossmembers and body mounts. In keeping with its radical design and modernization, a C5 Corvette donated the front and rear suspension components, which were fabricated to fit into the new frame. At the rear, Corvette control arms were combined with Air Ride ShockWave suspension components and a Dutchman IRS aluminum housing that was equipped with a Strange Engineering 9-inch center section with 3.89:1 gears. The center section was combined with a set of custom Dutchman axles with Porsche CV joints. The front suspension features Corvette A-arms, spindles and ShockWave suspension components. A modified Corvette rack-and-pinion steering system handles the directional duties, and massive Baer brakes not only add to the aggressive visual statement, but also will bring the car to a quick, controllable stop.

The Powerhouse: 496ci Donovan Big-Block Engine

One of the highlights of NewMad is the highly modified Valley Head Service “Thunderhead”-equipped, 496ci aluminum Donovan big-block engine. The 32-valve heads deliver an awesome 540 hp and a radical appearance that is unequalled when equipped with the hand-built EFI aluminum intake manifold and air plenum. The unusually beautiful engine is hooked to a Hughes Performance GM 4L80E automatic overdrive transmission with a 2,500-rpm stall speed torque converter. An HGM Compushift onboard programmable controller ensures that the shifts are crisp and on time. A Ron Davis custom aluminum cross-flow radiator handles cooling duties with dual 16-inch Spal cooling fans. An 18-gallon custom fuel tank delivers the juice with a Holley in-tank pump. The stainless steel fuel lines are run inside the frame for a cleaner look, and the filler neck is hidden behind one of those slick, one-off rear taillight assemblies. Fumes from the 16 exhaust ports flow from custom headers, 2-1/2-inch stainless steel tubing and a pair of polished stainless steel mufflers. To keep NewMad cruising smoothly, it rolls on 20×8.5-inch Budnik front wheels running BFGoodrich G-Force 255/35ZR20 tires and 20×10-inch Budnik rear wheels running BFGoodrich G-Force 275/35ZR20 tires.

Advanced Body Modifications and Design

Visually, there is no question that this custom exercise is a Nomad at heart, but when you begin to notice the differences between it and an original, only then can you fully appreciate the mountain of work that has gone into its construction. The metalwork is a credit to the craftsmen at Steve’s Auto Restorations. The body was channeled 3 inches, the roof was sectioned 1-1/2 inches, the pillars were chopped 3/4 inch and the wheelbase was lengthened 3 inches. The front fenders retain the ’55 eyebrows, but the wheel wells were re-contoured and moved forward 2-1/2 inches. The turn signals/parking lamps also were highly modified.

Reimagining the Cowl and Firewall

One of the most extensive modifications to the body was the removal and replacement of the entire cowl section. The ’55 was the first Chevy to incorporate a wraparound windshield, which created the dogleg front windshield posts. To get a smoother look to the car, the cowl section was removed and replaced with one from a ’64 Mercury Marauder. The Mercury’s windshield wiper system was retained, but it was recessed under the hood. The hood was custom-fabricated to smooth the transition from it to the fenders, and that included a special inner structure that had to be made. Gas struts from a Dodge Stealth also replaced the original hinge system. When the cowl section was replaced, a new firewall was designed and installed so the engine assembly would fit. The firewall also was made of double-wall construction so that the wiring and plumbing could be cleaned off the firewall. While this was being done, they also installed a hidden master cylinder, leaving an extremely smooth and uncluttered look to the engine compartment. The inner wheel wells and core support were also hand-fabricated for a clean look overall.

Door and Trim Craftsmanship

When the new cowl section was installed, the doors had to be modified to work with the new rearward-slanting posts. First, the vent windows were removed and flush-fit to the inside trim detail. The original latches were replaced with a bear-claw style, and power windows and locks were installed. In keeping with the roundness of the car, the door corners were radiused. Within the lower one-third edge of the door, a recess was formed for a hand-made trim strip that runs from the front wheel well to the rear bumper.

Custom Grille and Rear Design

The grille opening remains similar in shape to the original, but it was peaked in the middle and more sharply contoured to the hood. The Ferrari-style egg-crate grille gave way to a single bar that was cast with a Chevy emblem in the center. The background of the inner portion of the grille features laser-cut mesh. The hand-fabricated front bumper mounts perfectly flush with the body and was also peaked in the center to match the grille opening. The grille is inset into a hand-formed, body-colored valance panel. When the grille was being made, care was taken so that the fasteners would not be visible.

The rear quarter panels also received many subtle changes, starting with re-contoured wheel openings. The taillights were laid forward to match the angle of the pillar posts, and they were completely hand-fabricated to retain the basic design features of the originals. Both light assemblies are hinged, one for the gas filler and the other for a battery switch. The lower portion of the fender was also recessed to accommodate the new body trim strip. The rear fender panels and center body valance also were highly modified to incorporate the new hand-fabricated, flush-fit rear bumper. The bumper features openings for the license plate and exhaust tips.

Roof and Liftgate Modifications

Although the roof strongly resembles the original Nomad, its changes are extensive. All of the body pillars are different, and the A-pillars are hand-formed, laid back and flush-fit with the windshield. The B-pillar, narrower than the original, was hand-formed and laid forward. The C-pillar also was hand-formed, laid forward and flush-fit with the one-off rear-quarter glass. The custom-made rear lift gate features a tube frame, fabricated hinges and a power lift. The tailgate was re-contoured and shortened 1 inch. The corners were radiused, and hidden hinges were used. A custom latch mechanism keeps it closed.

Chrome, Trim, and Paintwork

With all these extensive changes, it should come as no surprise that all of the chrome and stainless trim on this car was created by Steve’s Auto Restorations. The window trim, beltline molding, grille and parking-light bezels were hand-formed from solid brass and chromeplated. The lower body molding was made from polished aluminum. The door handles and mirror stanchions were integrated with the side trim.

When we first saw NewMad in primer, the car was so straight and its body panels so perfect that it looked as if the factory had stamped all the panels out of expensive body-panel dies. The finished product is a credit to the craftsmen who worked on the body to get it so flawless. A great deal of block sanding and preparation went into the body before it was finally wheeled into the spray booth for the application of House of Kolor Majik Blue Pearl with Kandy Cobalt urethane. The frame was painted the same color, with the parts either natural aluminum or painted bright aluminum color.

Custom Interior Design

The interior also was built from an artist’s illustration that featured a pair of elongated dash pods similar to, but larger than, the original designs in the Chevy Nomad. The pods flow off the dash on the inside to form the forward base of the console. It was determined that a ’99 Ford Cobra instrument cluster with a 150-mph speedometer would be perfect for the car. On the opposite side, a glovebox door mimics the shape of the instrument cluster. The original seats were replaced with modified Lexus SC400 10-way power seats with hidden aircraft-style seat belts. The rear seat was hand-fabricated to flow into the rear stowage section. To blend the outside of the car and the interior into one cohesive package, custom-dyed two-tone gray leather was used throughout, with the exception of the headliner, which was done in gray Ultra Suede.

Details and Creature Comforts

The door panels were custom-made from a composite, with an integrated armrest, door pull and inside door handle from a Jaguar XJ8. Custom stainless doorsills were used, wrapped with leather and accented with an SAR logo insert. The console also was fabricated with front and rear armrests. A Corvette C5 transmission shifter was used along with window switches from a Porsche. There’s a front storage compartment in the console with controls for the air suspension.

NewMad is filled with all the creature comforts expected today in a top-end 2001 luxury car. They include power door locks, power windows, power lift gate, power four-wheel disc brakes, power steering, cruise control, tilt steering column, tinted glass, air-ride suspension, Vintage Air climate control, remote-opening rear hatch and power seats. The sound system is impressive, too, with a Clarion CRX9255 head, CDC635 six-disc CD changer, Sound Stream speakers and a Rubicon 550-watt 5/3-channel amp.

A Modern Icon in Custom Car History

The result of this extensive design and fabrication is a one-off Nomad like no other. It works because it retains the feeling of the basic styling of the original ’55 Nomad, but it has all the features you would expect to find in a new luxury vehicle. If Chevrolet ever had the notion to build a modern-day Nomad to compete with the likes of the PT Cruiser or the new Thunderbird, this is the one that could do it. And should you be asking yourself if this is a custom or concept vehicle, it’s both, and from a restoration shop that can do virtually anything. And, even more amazing, from start to finish, NewMad was built and completed under one roof.

The Legacy of NewMad

Perhaps we have entered a new golden age of customs with designs that feel so natural that NewMad creates for itself a self-start legacy that is bound to be lifted and duplicated in many forms, just as the ’55 Nomad did 70+ years ago.