Rat Rod with the Soul of ’57 Chevy Bel Air Nomad

Rat Rods are one the gearheads’ favorite types of vehicles.

They are the embodiment of functional car art. They are limited only by the builder’s imagination and in the case of Rick Newberry’s 57 Rat Rod, $3,000.
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We have no idea how much Rick paid for the vehicle. It was built by Chirs Walker of ITW Hot Rods. ITW stands for In The Weeds, and is a shop based out of Stacy Minnesota, which is near the St Paul and Twin Cities area. Chris was tasked with building this beast for under $3,000. And guess what? He did it. You get the feeling that Chris may know what he is doing.
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We are not giving much detail about the 1957 Nomad Rat Rod, but we do know that it comes equipped with a 355 Yeoman Racing small block engine. With a little detective work, we discovered that the HP model can push 425 HP and 440 ft-lb of torque. With excellent equipment, these engines can top 700 HP. Those massive tires on the back suggest some temperament in the engine.

The wagon is heavily chopped and rides on a custom frame, and in true rat rodding style, the only glass left on the car is the windshield. Not a vehicle that one should drive in the rain as the entry is through the roof. However, if water should get inside it would likely not stay long as there is a large hole in the floor. As the video nears its end, the camera lowers, and you can see the pavement rolling past through the hole in the floor. That hole is a symbol of these cars.
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They are made to be driven daily. They branch out from automobile restoration and cross over into the realm of customized daily drivers. They represent the vision of the builder and are meant to be raw with an unfinished edge to them. They are as close to Frankenstein as a mechanic can get. They are pieced together from bits and pieces, and they push builders to become innovative in their design and skills.

This 1957 Chevy Nomad Rat Rod has the look of an ally rat that has been through its share of scrapping. That is another thing that drives this hobby — nobody hides the scars. You can see, for the most part, how this car is put together. When you climb in you are sitting on original seats. That is the original dash with gauges.

Somewhere back in 1957, this Nomad was the envy of a block. Today, it would likely horrify those people, but not those of us who love Rat Rods.

Watch and hear this custom ’57 Chevy Nomad rat rod in the video below.