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nomad
12-11-2021, 03:32 PM
I once saw a picture in black and white of 1957 Chevrolet Nomad bodies 3/4 of the way built and being shipped to one of the 12 Chevrolet assembly plants by train standing up on their rear bumpers with a 10 *degree angle . These cars the way I have heard it where already painted , and had their matching interior's installed . Then one of the 12 Chevrolet Assembly plants would finish installing the drive train , mount and paint blend in the nose ect. Has anyone else ever seen this picture ? Dose anyone know where I can get a copy of it ?

Rick_L
12-11-2021, 07:41 PM
I don't know if I've seen a photo or not, but that's essentially the way it was done. No bumpers though, because they were shipped without a frame - and the bumper attaches to the frame.

BamaNomad
12-11-2021, 07:44 PM
I suspect this is it, Domenic...? Shows '57 wagons as they are prepared to leave the Cleveland OH Fisher body plant... ALL Nomads and many wagons were built in this Fisher plant, complete with interior, paint, etc but minus the chassis (frame and drive train, and front body panels which were completed at one of the 10 assembly plants.

12332

and Here are some '56 models as they arrived at an Assembly plant (in 1956) which shows the bodies on the body bucks used for shipping.

12333

PS. I think I recall seeing a photo of Fisher bodies (maybe Nomads?) on a train also, but don't have a copy of it... may have been in an old NNC magazine, but as Rick said .... they didn't have bumpers at that point.

busterwivell
12-12-2021, 03:22 AM
I remember as a kid seeing frames stacked at an angle on railroad cars, headed to some assembly plant. We lived 3 doors from the railroad tracks, and that was an every day occurance.

nomad
12-12-2021, 01:29 PM
Your right no frame no bumper's . I have had a friend or two claim that they remember seeing this sort of picture . They were standing up pitched forward about ten degrees . Maybe I'll call john Chamber's he may know . Thanks for the info .

nomad
12-12-2021, 01:42 PM
The 1955-57 Nomads had very strange beginnings. Because the 1955-57 Nomad bodies were so different than Chevrolet's regular offerings , they used the Clevland Ohio plant to make all the " Nomad bodies ". They were painted with full interior's and then the partially completed wagon's went on a train standing almost straight up, tipped forward 10 degree's to the 12 Chevrolet assembly plants to be completed . This was so costly that these 1955-57 Nomads cost more to build, and to sell , than the Convertibles and the Corvette's.

nomad
12-12-2021, 01:53 PM
Bama , you say the 10 assembly plants ? They were using St. Louis for all the Corvettes, and Clevland made all the
Nomad bodies is this why you say 10 and not the 12 plants that they had ? The picture I remember seeing had all the Nomad bodies upright and loaded on the train .

BamaNomad
12-12-2021, 07:43 PM
Domenic,

No, I stated '10' assembly plants from memory; maybe I should have verified... :)

I just went and checked the assembly plants for 1957, and found that they were: A - Atlanta,GAB - Baltimore,MDF - Flint, MI J - Janesville,WIK - KansasCity, MOL - LosAngeles, CAN - Norwood,OHO - Oakland,CAS - St. Louis,MOT - Tarrytown, NY. That's 10 isn't it? Am I missing one? What are the two I'm missing if there were 12 as you stated?

markm
12-13-2021, 06:44 AM
I did not know this, interesting.

BamaNomad
12-13-2021, 07:58 PM
nomad/Domenic: Cleveland was NOT an assembly plant (ie. There was no assembly plant in Cleveland), BUT there were TWO Fisher body plants in the Cleveland area; one of which was on Euclid Avenue which made the Nomad Bodys (and many other wagon bodies, eg Safari Pontiac, and some 'std' wagons as well). The Fisher body plants produced the body panels and bodies from the firewall back (no frame) but with interior, glass, trim, etc. FISHER did this for ALL the models, not just Nomads. In some cities, the Fisher plant was adjacent (sometimes sharing a wall with a huge opening for the bodys to go thru) to the GM Assembly Plant. In these cases, there was no shipment since the body just moved thru the wall to the assembly plant, still on the body buck.

But.. Nomads were NOT the only models shipped; they were unique in that ALL nomad bodys were shipped to a distant assembly plant, but there were other situations where certain car bodies were shipped to an assembly plant in a different city.

nomad
12-14-2021, 07:57 PM
Bama , my restorer friend Bob has my worn out copie of How to restore your 57 Chevrolet by Harold Luisiana .In the rear of this book they list the assembly plants my Memorie could be off . I live about 10 miles away from the old GM assembly plant in Tarrytown NY. My friend who started working their in 1958 told me that they were making 500 cars a shift two shifts a day . That's 1,000 cars a day . Only the Oakland California plant was making more end of the year production totals than that , and not by many cars . Ancor Motors were hauling 9 cars on a trailer out of their every three min. X-2 one trailer going North and one going South . Thier were always two trailers three min . behind them . They were moving 1,000 cars a day out of the Tarrytown NY assemble plant . These were GMC tractors with big block Chevrolet gas engines , and standard transmissions .

Rick_L
12-14-2021, 08:15 PM
I think it's very well known what the list of assembly plants was.

Big block Chevrolet gas engines did not exist in the 55-57 time frame. If the trucks were GMCs they had a six cylinder engine. W engines came out in 58, Mark IV big blocks in 65.

markm
12-15-2021, 07:24 AM
I think it's very well known what the list of assembly plants was.

Big block Chevrolet gas engines did not exist in the 55-57 time frame. If the trucks were GMCs they had a six cylinder engine. W engines came out in 58, Mark IV big blocks in 65.

I have no clue when but pretty sure is was in the 60s, when did those big GMC V-6 motors come out. GMC would have used them over a Chevy V8.

Rick_L
12-15-2021, 05:35 PM
I don't know when they started, but most 60s era GMCs I've seen had one.

markm
12-16-2021, 07:17 AM
[QUOTE=Rick_L;63584]I don't know when they started, but most 60s era GMCs I've seen had one.[/QUOT

GMC Truck produced a unique 60 degree V6 engine family from 1959 through 1974, in gasoline and Diesel versions. V8 and V12 derivatives of the basic design were also produced. Examples of this engine family were found in pickup trucks, Suburbans, heavier trucks and motor coaches.

V6 big block engines were produced in 305, 351, 401 and 478 cubic-inch (5.0, 5.8, 6.6, and 7.8 respectively liter) displacements, with considerable parts commonality. During the latter years of production, 379-and-432-cubic-inch (6.2 and 7.1 L) versions with enlarged crankshaft journals were manufactured as well.

GMC produced a 637-cubic-inch (10.4 L) 60° V8 with a single cam shaft using the same general layout (bore and stroke) as the 478 V6. The 637 V8 was the largest displacement production gasoline V8 ever made for highway trucks.

The largest engine derived from the series was a 702-cubic-inch (11.5 L) "Twin Six" V12, which had a unique block and crankshaft, but shared many exterior parts with the 351.

Diesel versions of the 351, 478 and 637, advertised as the ToroFlow, were also manufactured. These engines had no relationship to the well-known Detroit Diesel two-stroke engines produced by General Motors during the same time period.

I read the above on the internet so it must be true.

busterwivell
12-16-2021, 08:51 AM
I thought GMC back in the mid-50's used the Pontiac 347 engine. I'm almost sure they did in 57.

markm
12-16-2021, 09:20 AM
Small-journal engines:1955-1981
287
The V8 engine was introduced for the 1955 model year as the "Strato Streak". Not long before the model year introduction, Pontiac management decided that the entire line would be V8-powered. This was based on results of over 1 million test miles, which was unheard of at the time. The 287 was an "oversquare" engine with a bore and stroke of 3+3⁄4 in × 3+1⁄4 in (95.3 mm × 82.6 mm), for a total displacement of 287.2 cu in (4.7 L). Compression ratio was a modest 8.00:1, with valve diameters of 1.781 in (45.2 mm) (intake) and 1+1⁄2 in (38 mm) (exhaust). It was rated 180 hp (134 kW) @ 4600 rpm and 264 lb⋅ft (358 N⋅m) @ 2400 rpm with a two-barrel carburetor, 200 hp (149 kW) @ 4600 rpm and 278 lb⋅ft (377 N⋅m) @ 2800 rpm with the four-barrel carburetor.

317
For 1956 the V8 was bored out to 3.9375 in (100.01 mm), increasing displacement to 316.6 cu in (5.2 L). It was offered in the following forms:

(with manual transmission)

Two-barrel carburetor, 7.9:1 compression, 192 hp (143 kW) @ 4400 rpm, 297 lb⋅ft (403 N⋅m) @ 2800 rpm
Four-barrel carburetor, 8.9:1 compression, 216 hp (161 kW) @ 4800 rpm, 315 lb⋅ft (427 N⋅m) @ 2800 rpm
(with Hydramatic)

Two-barrel carburetor, 8.9:1 compression, 205 hp (153 kW) @ 4600 rpm, 294 lb⋅ft (399 N⋅m) @ 2600 rpm
Four-barrel carburetor, 8.9:1 compression, 227 hp (169 kW) @ 4800 rpm, 312 lb⋅ft (423 N⋅m) @ 3000 rpm
Two four-barrel carburetors, 10.5:1 compression, 285 hp (213 kW) @ 5100 rpm, 330 lb⋅ft (447 N⋅m) @ 2600 rpm.
347

Pontiac V8 engine with triple two-barrel Tri-Power carburetor setup
For 1957 the V8's stroke was increased to 3.5625 in (90.49 mm), for a displacement of 347 cu in (5.7 L). For the first time, Pontiac offered Tri-Power, three two-barrel carburetors with a sequential linkage (replacing the previous dual-quad set-up). Power ratings increased accordingly:

(with manual transmission)

Two-barrel carburetor, 8.5:1 compression, 227 hp (169 kW) @ 4600 rpm, 333 lb⋅ft (451 N⋅m) @ 2300 rpm
Four-barrel carburetor, 10:1 compression, 244 hp (182 kW) @ 4800 rpm, 350 lb⋅ft (475 N⋅m) @ 2600 rpm
(with Hydramatic)

Two-barrel carburetor, 10.0:1 compression, 244 hp (182 kW) @ 4800 rpm, 350 lb⋅ft (475 N⋅m) @ 2600 rpm
Four-barrel carburetor, 10.25:1 compression, 270 hp (201 kW) @ 4800 rpm, 359 lb⋅ft (487 N⋅m) @ 2900 rpm
Three two-barrel carburetors, 10.75:1 compression, 290 hp (216 kW) @ 5000 rpm, 375 lb⋅ft (508 N⋅m) @ 2800 rpm.
Several dealer-installed camshafts were optional to increase power further to 317 hp (236 kW). which was seen on the hood of the 1957 Daytona Grand National winning car driven by Cotton Owens.

Standard only for the Pontiac Bonneville was Pontiac's first-ever fuel injection system. A mechanical system built by Rochester, it was similar in principle, but not identical, to the contemporary Chevrolet "fuelie". Pontiac did not release official power ratings for this engine, saying only that it had more than 300 hp (224 kW). Contemporary road tests suggest that it was actually somewhat inferior to the Tri-Power engines, although it did have better fuel economy. Only 630 Bonnevilles were produced for 1957, all of them fuel-injected.

markm
12-16-2021, 09:36 AM
GMC Husky 471Diesal power plant 150 hp for 28000-54000 GVW heavy trucks.

BamaNomad
12-16-2021, 07:57 PM
*wondering how this thread deviated from Nomad shipments to 'Diesel truck big block power'??? *L* Start a new thread fellas if this is something you want to discuss.. :)

markm
12-17-2021, 06:18 AM
Someone brought up what powered the GMC trucks hauling those 55-57 Nomad bodies.

nomad
12-17-2021, 06:23 AM
Sorry for a lot of confusion , When I remember clocking the GMC tractor's with the Chevrolet big block motors was during the 70's . I worked in Tarrytown on Main St. A building which I still own and from the front you could see them coming up the very steep grade of Central Ave . At the top of the hill they met Broadway which was flat , at this point they had to keep going out onto Broadway rt.9 in creeper gear weather their was traffic or not onto Broadway or the loaded trailer would get stuck on the degree change . You could see the road was very scraped up where they would bottom out . Their was always another loaded trailer coming in three min. behind him .

markm
12-17-2021, 07:37 AM
No problem sometime question lead to questions or it peaks interest in a related but different matter.

Rick_L
12-17-2021, 07:58 AM
"wondering how this thread deviated from Nomad shipments to 'Diesel truck big block power'??? *L* Start a new thread fellas if this is something you want to discuss"

OP started that. No big deal to me.

BamaNomad
12-17-2021, 08:09 AM
OK... :) since the OP began the deviation, it's his choice... (but personally I'm a LOT more interested in NOMADS as a topic.. :)

markm
12-17-2021, 11:03 AM
I really enjoyed the deveation and decided the big GMC trucks of this era are really cool to look at and I learned a bit about them

BamaNomad
12-17-2021, 12:31 PM
your posts seemed to imply that you KNEW a lot about the big diesels, Mark.. :) certainly 100% more than I knew.

markm
12-17-2021, 02:01 PM
My grandpa was a diesal mechanic and a couple of my old beer drinking buddies were the same. One of which worked at a Chevy car dealership in the 60s and taught me a lot of what I know about cars of that era. I am really do not that know very much.

nomad
03-26-2022, 07:33 AM
Bama , you are right 10 assembly plants . I still have a place in Tarrytown NY . and can remember "Ancor Motors " delivering the loaded trailers . My friend who worked their and started in 1958 said that they made 500 cars a work shift ,with two shifts a day = 1,000 cars per day , closed Saturday and Sunday unless it was needed to be open to catch up . Just moving the 1,000 new cars out of there per day was amazing . Only the Oakland California GM plant was producing more year end totals than the Tarrytown NY. GM plant.

teahead
03-31-2022, 03:51 PM
Not a trifive, but weirdly stacked vegas:

https://www.railwayage.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/VertaAPack2.jpg

BamaNomad
04-06-2022, 06:41 PM
Nomad: Just to be clear and complete, there were 10 US GM assembly plants, but there was also an assembly plant in Canada which made 11 total. I think it was in Oshawa, but I can't find any detailed information on their production during the trifive years. There were also some 'partial assembly plants in other countries where the CKD (knockdown cars) were final assembled and tailored for that country's requirements, but I think most/all of those CKD cars began assembly at Oshawa?

LEE T
04-10-2022, 05:20 AM
I'm pretty sure they did assemble cars is in the tri five years, and there is factory info available on each of those Canadian built cars. If I remember right there may have been some engines from Pontiac in them also. Please correct if this is incorrect.

BGK1986
06-04-2023, 01:32 PM
@BamaNomad thanks for providing additional detail regarding the Nomad body production at Fisher's Euclid Ave facility. Do you know if any records exist for Nomad bodies assembled at the Euclid Ave plant? I'm trying to locate my grandfather's 1956 Nomad which was an ivory/dusk plum color scheme (code 708). He purchased the car in the Milwaukee area so my best guess is that the body likely was shipped to Janesville WI before being delivered to a Milwaukee area Chevy dealer. Wondering if there are any records of Nomad bodies shipped from Euclid Ave to each GM assembly plant with the color/trim details? I'm trying to narrow down the VIN based on the few details I have. Appreciate any advice you can offer, cheers!

BamaNomad
06-05-2023, 06:20 AM
Sorry BGK... but I've been following classic chevys, and absorbing every detail of Nomads I could for more than 50 yrs, but I've NEVER seen/heard of any Fisher body plant production figures, and certainly not to include color/options/etc...

PS. Fisher was a separate company from GM (but partially/wholly owned by GM) during the trifive years. Basically GM collected orders from dealers and made assignment to Fisher for body production. There were surely production figures from both Fisher and GM at the time (but not likely to include 'colors') but those records are no longer available, and were probably never available for the public.