Bel Air and Nomad thread

My sources tell me that Bel Air and perhaps Nomad may be nearing approval. If approved ....they'd be based off the SSr platform. You can bet that the 290 hp 5.3 would be incorporated.

I think that these could make neat cars.....for about $25K, that is.

If these cars come out with an SSr price tag (about $40K)....do you think Chevy will have any takers.

These cars are getting insane. The very last thing GM needs, let alone Chevy, is yet another $40,000+ niche vehicle. They wanna do the SSR? Fine. Do we need 2 MORE SSR type vehicles? Heck no! Where is the attainable car?

I made the point in another thread that Chevy is the "volume" brand in the GM portfolio. They're starting to prove me wrong with products and pricetags like these. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Z284ever
My sources tell me that Bel Air and perhaps Nomad may be nearing approval. If approved ....they'd be based off the SSr platform. You can bet that the 290 hp 5.3 would be incorporated.

I think that these could make neat cars.....for about $25K, that is.

If these cars come out with an SSr price tag (about $40K)....do you think Chevy will have any takers.

If these cars suffer from either one of the SSRs biggest pitfalls, price and weight, they'll be losers.

Assuming that the Bel Air concept was in any way indicative of a production example, this car is more of a Sebring Convertible than a high value niche product. This concept was more exciting as a possible base for a family of vehicles. If it comes out as a $48k, 4500lb slug, it will be a bigger joke than the SSR.

The '99 Nomad concept was a real stunner, and the details were amazing for a rush-job. Here is a really viable potential product, more so than any GM "dream car" in the last 30 years. The Nomad gets me excited.

Of course, the only problem I have with this news is that I'll probably have my new vehicle before either product hits the streets.

I can't help but think how popular these cars would be if the price were right. For all those complaining about the cost of IRS.....their truck based chassis' and V8 power would make great drag racers.....and if they were affordable I could imagine hotrodders embracing them.

If these were produced as cheap (albeit relatively crude) entry level V8 RWD cars, I wonder how popular they'd be?

The Bel Air would take on the exact same pattern as the TBird did.

GM can spend how many millions on cars that are nearly guarenteed to dead end in a 2-3 year life span, but they couldnt spend any money on a new Fbody platform, which had a pretty decent 35 year run. Unbelievable.

Originally posted by redzed


The '99 Nomad concept was a real stunner, and the details were amazing for a rush-job. Here is a really viable potential product, more so than any GM "dream car" in the last 30 years. The Nomad gets me excited.



I agree. No Chevy concept that I can think of, so captured my attention. This years' "SS" concept paled in comparison.

I hope that Chevy produces the Nomad...but it needs to be fun and affordable. It needs to be to Chevy, what the PT Cruiser is to Chrysler.

Originally posted by Z284ever
I can't help but think how popular these cars would be if the price were right. For all those complaining about the cost of IRS.....their truck based chassis' and V8 power would make great drag racers.....and if they were affordable I could imagine hotrodders embracing them.

If these were produced as cheap (albeit relatively crude) entry level V8 RWD cars, I wonder how popular they'd be?

I would love to see the Bel Air reshaped into a base/GT Mustang competitor. Give it the new inline-5 and a 5.3 liter V8 option. Since the 2005 'Stang is retaining struts and a live rear end, this could be a cheap, simple coupe and sedan. They could even use a cheaper T-45 5-speed. With the full-framed construction of the Bel Air concept, they could even give it a real 5,000lb tow rating. Now that would be a real "life-style vehicle."

Of course, that would leave room for a more performance focused F5 Camaro. Remove the need for the F-body 2+2 to be a "Jack of all trades," and it could be a real Cobra slayer. Call it a Z/28, and give it IRS and 400hp. One model, low design costs, and no :bs:!
Keep production volumes to about double that of current Corvette production, and you'd have a viable car.

I believe the 99 nomad concept along with the wedge of cheese looking Concept GTO were built off of the f-body platform- which may explain why they didnt make the cut then. Nomad should be brought back.

Nomad is another old model with still a large following. It would be alot cheaper to dust off a well known old name keeping in mind its heritage, than spending millions promoting some totally new unknown product. Ron Zarella should have known this from his consumer product days.

57 Nomad was almost as insanely popular as the 57 Chevy. It's still very fresh, familiar and nostalgic in millions of people's minds. That 99 concept was very promising. Leave off the concept's 69 Camaro front end but I'd love to see it put into production one way or another.

gt

Originally posted by redzed


Of course, that would leave room for a more performance focused F5 Camaro. Remove the need for the F-body 2+2 to be a "Jack of all trades," and it could be a real Cobra slayer. Call it a Z/28, and give it IRS and 400hp. :thumb:

Originally posted by gtjeff
I believe the 99 nomad concept along with the wedge of cheese looking Concept GTO were built off of the f-body platform- which may explain why they didnt make the cut then. Nomad should be brought back.

Nomad is another old model with still a large following. It would be alot cheaper to dust off a well known old name keeping in mind its heritage, than spending millions promoting some totally new unknown product. Ron Zarella should have known this from his consumer product days.

The striking '99 Nomad was a "last minute" showcar with F-body mechanicals. Considering how it had a working sliding rear roof (think Envoy XUV), I think there was more to the design than Chevy admitted at the time. On the other hand, the GTO concept was just an enormous block of foam. As ugly as it was, it still looked better - and more like a GTO - than the upcoming Aussie blob.

As far as reintroducing the Nomad name, if they can produce a car with the features of the concept, the name will be deserved. Here was a "retro" design that was fully modern. It looked like a product that would be both unique and useful.

Then they gave us the SSR.:death:

Yeah, I also would have rather seen a new Nomad over the SSR. I would also be intrigued by a stripped version that follows the formula of the Reg. cab Silverado SS seen at SEMA.

Bench seat, rubber floor mats, manual trans, $23,000.

Redzed, You are right about the block of foam Concept GTO. I did read somewhere recently that GM did look at one time into building a GTO on the f-body platform.

By the way the Nomad concept was shown at the Milwaukee auto show this past March-kind of interesting.

Originally posted by gtjeff
Redzed, You are right about the block of foam Concept GTO. I did read somewhere recently that GM did look at one time into building a GTO on the f-body platform.

By the way the Nomad concept was shown at the Milwaukee auto show this past March-kind of interesting.

The end of the line for the F4 was always certain, but at one time GM did consider continuing production at Ste. Therese. A Nomad wagon and GTO notchback would have made a great combo.

By the way, was the Nomad concept you saw at Milwaukee repainted in black?

Redzed, the car was pictured on advertising cards that were given to dealers to display at their dealerships-believe it was green on the ad. I actually didnt go to that show, so I dont know what color was shown there. If I can find out will post here.

I just saw the Nomad pictures. Wow that's a hideous looking thing. It'll fit right in with all the other cars that are exactly like that.

The Nomad concept was at the Cleveland Auto Show a few years back.

It wasn't put up on a turntable or anything... just sat there on the floor with a rope around it... people walked by, gave it a glace, and kept on going. :o

The most notible thing about the Nomad concept to me were the hand-carved tire treads with the Chevy Bowtie pattern.

The Nomad & Belair were pretty certain to head for production for quite a few months now (Lutz evidently kicked them upstairs before the Detroit show in January), but I didn't realize they could be on the SSR chassis...I was assuming it'd be on the VE.

But it would be far cheaper to make on the Trailblazer chassis, and if both Nomad and Belair shared styling (ie fenders, front end, doors... etc), it would be an extremely cheap vehicle to make, and even if it had a short product run, it would still be somewhat profitable while creating a pretty good rush on Chevy showrooms.

BTW, did has anyone realized how many car Chevy will be bringing over just a 2-3 year period (2005-2007)!! :eek:

Originally posted by guionM

BTW, did has anyone realized how many car Chevy will be bringing over just a 2-3 year period (2005-2007)!! :eek:

GM in general! Pontiac will look new in 2005-06, Cadillac will have the new STS, Buick is getting **** done, right? Chevy will have like 10 new cars. New company to debut in 2005 I guess.

Originally posted by Chuck!
GM in general! Pontiac will look new in 2005-06, Cadillac will have the new STS, Buick is getting **** done, right? Chevy will have like 10 new cars. New company to debut in 2005 I guess.

Ya, it's the proverbial Calm Before The Storm...

We are starting to get through the buffer period that was there for the Lutz Era products to start coming out.

Between 2004-2008 chevy will have a RWD Monte, Impala, C6 Corvette, SSR and now maybe Nomad, Camaro and Bel Air. This just seems all to good to be true.

Originally posted by Evil Turbo SS
Between 2004-2008 chevy will have a RWD Monte, Impala, C6 Corvette, SSR and now maybe Nomad, Camaro and Bel Air. This just seems all to good to be true.

Either the Impala will be RWD, or it will be redesigned and Chevy will also have a RWD sedan as well.

But also not mentioned: The new Malibu sedan an wagon..er..Maxx, the Cavalier replacement (1st the sedan, then later a coupe), and most likely the Camaro.

All this begining this summer and just going to the summer or fall of 2006! That's Chevrolet's entire car line plus additions to the line-up completely done in about 36 months!! :shock: :bow:

Remember how just a few months ago we were b*tching about how Pontiac, Cadillac & GM's trucks were getting all the attention??

Guess what time it is?? :D

What strikes me as kind of neat with these cars is how they might have the potential to be really cheap RWD choices.

Their truck based architecture is under no pressure to outhandle a 350Z or RX8. And they won't have to match the Cobra's horsepower either.

What a great "blank" canvas to get entry level enthusiasts interested in Chevy again!

How much could an Atlas I5, base Nomad cost?

Originally posted by Z284ever
Their truck based architecture is under no pressure to outhandle a 350Z or RX8. And they won't have to match the Cobra's horsepower either.

What a great "blank" canvas to get entry level enthusiasts interested in Chevy again!


It's a neat idea but realistically,

1) What kind of a market is there in this day and age for a decent performing entry level RWD car that handles like a dump truck and

2) Based on a truck chassis these theoretical cars will be extremely heavy, meaning it better have a lot of horsepower to get them to perform decently. Remember that it seems V8 horsepower doesn't come cheap these days either. :(

Originally posted by Z28Wilson
It's a neat idea but realistically,

1) What kind of a market is there in this day and age for a decent performing entry level RWD car that handles like a dump truck and



Well, does it really need to handle like a dump truck?

It's suspension sophistication would be comparable to the last (or even any, for that matter), Camaro. Add tuning tweaks similar to the Colorado's ZQ8 and a 5.3 and there you go.:cool:

With a set of springs and shocks, my 96 Impala SS is sure no dump truck.....and its chassis dates back to about 1976. It surprises the heck out of some of the ricers.:D

Originally posted by Chuck!
The Bel Air would take on the exact same pattern as the TBird did.

GM can spend how many millions on cars that are nearly guarenteed to dead end in a 2-3 year life span, but they couldnt spend any money on a new Fbody platform, which had a pretty decent 35 year run. Unbelievable.


So right:mad:

I hope to see a Camaro Soon... because if they have $ to put on the Bel air.... they should have $ to spend on a car that gave them 35 years...:mad:

Maybe this is a stupid point to bring up, but since the Bel-Air concept was obviously made to look like the '57 Chevy, shouldnt the Nomad and the Bel-Air concept look alot more alike, cuz when I think of Nomad I think of the Tri-5 Chevy Nomads from back then, not a '69 Camaro Nomad?

Originally posted by luis nunez
So right:mad:

I hope to see a Camaro Soon... because if they have $ to put on the Bel air.... they should have $ to spend on a car that gave them 35 years...:mad:

I hope that they spend some cash on Camaro too. But I don't fully buy the argument that if GM didn't spend so much money on BelAir/Nomad/SSR/GTO/Solstice/Bengal/Sky/Trucks/Daewoo/Cadillac/Fiat/Pontiac/Saturn/etc.......that all this money would be earmarked for Camaro.

Originally posted by Z284ever
I hope that they spend some cash on Camaro too. But I don't fully buy the argument that if GM didn't spend so much money on BelAir/Nomad/SSR/GTO/Solstice/Bengal/Sky/Trucks/Daewoo/Cadillac/Fiat/Pontiac/Saturn/etc.......that all this money would be earmarked for Camaro.

Completely agree with you on this 100%.

While it's true that even Bob Lutz has held up Camaro money in favor of other, more pressing projects, I think everyone is forgetting that Camaro simply isn't a big or earth shattering project compared with vehicles like Belair, SSR, or Nomad, which will gather boatloads of press for Chevrolet, and Camaro won't sell the volume to be a important car from a sales stand point.

These vehicles are designed to gather big news and a big bang for Chevrolet, and these vehicles will likely peter out just as quickly (Viper & PT are currently the only exceptions to this flash then die-out rule). Does anyone REALLY want Camaro in that role??

Even here on this site, there's no consensus as to what the next Camaro should be. You have one faction that want's cheap RWD performance, yet flames the Solstice chassis which would make that possible, another faction that wants the fastest, up to date, Z28 possible, yet bemoan the $32,000 GTO as too expensive while ignoring that the same price was charged for Camaro SSs and WS6s.

Should the next Camaro be retro based on a 1969, or should it be a continuation of it's evolution began in 1971 and continued till the final F4s. Should it have a trunk or a hatchback? should it be downsized to the G35 or even Eclipse dimensions, or should it continue in it's full size dimensions?

Once you get over the contradictions over what Camaro enthusiasts want, you still can't use the Camaro name for a certain period of time unless you are willing to pay the CAW an extrordinary amount of money, so why rush developing a new Camaro before the clock runs out??

This whole situation was created years ago, and it will take time for this to straighten out. Though it isn't written in stone, the common view in and out of Chevrolet is there'll be a Camaro for it's 40th anniversary.

There's plent of things slowing down Camaro without having to reach for scapegoats. :rolleyes:

Does GM that A nomad or Bel air will sell more than a Camaro?
or they will make more $ on them?

Originally posted by luis nunez
Does GM that A nomad or Bel air will sell more than a Camaro?
or they will make more $ on them?

Really doubtful. But then again, Camaro wasn't exactly blazing the charts when it left the scene, either.

It's just that the logic behind vehicles like that is to bring out something that's soooo out of the norm that it get's alot of showroom traffic from curiosity seekers who can be sold something else. These vehicles don't take alot to develop (time or money), cost relatively little to manufacture, can make a little pocket change in the process.

On the other hand, Camaro wouldn't fall into this catagory (unless someone actually wants Camaro to be a short lived, high price, limited edition car) since it would need more work to develop, a bigger commitment to manufacture, and would sell in much greater quanities than say 10,000 vehicles per year.

You could set 5 people up in the corner of a cafeteria, and they could develop a Nomad or Belair (and aparently that's not too far from the truth in this case), while Camaro would need alot more involvement & resources from GM.

So, saying these other cars are bleeding money from Camaro is like saying you can't afford a washer/dryer because you just bought a tupperware set.

Originally posted by guionM

You could set 5 people up in the corner of a cafeteria, and they could develop a Nomad or Belair (and aparently that's not too far from the truth in this case), while Camaro would need alot more involvement & resources from GM.



I'm afraid that you could be right about the future of the Belair and Nomad. Automotive manufacturers are currently in love with the idea of building high-profit, low investment cars. However, the Thunderbird/Marauder lesson should have been learned by now. Unless a retro/niche car is relatively affordable, it will be sales disaster.

VW went out on a limb with the Beetle, and won, at least in the United States. The same goes for the PT Cruiser, despite the fact that inventories have started to pile up recently. Of course, the fact remains that both cars had significant investment, albeit smaller than the mainstream cars they were based on.

If the Nomad and Belair are based on the same concept as the SSR, they will fail. Already, the SSR has seen some of the most scathing criticism I've ever seen for a low production performance vehicle. I hope guionM is wrong about GM's approach to these new cars, but I'm afraid he's right.