Words: Tommy Parry Images: Ken
Ken’s wife always wanted a Nomad, so when a friend of his put one up for sale, there was no need for a discussion. It was a California car and was 100% rust free; his buddy had kept it in a climate-controlled environment for the prior decade. Though it had already been built quite sturdily by a previous owner, Ken felt the need to move into the future and outfitted it with a modern motor.
When he got the car home, he knew right away the car would be upgraded and had a clear path in mind. He built his first LS-powered car – a 1937 Ford – back in 2009, and quickly realized that this was the way to go. The motor, an LSA, found its new home in the Nomad’s engine bay, as well as a 4L85E transmission. Once it was mounted, he sent the supercharger’s snout off to Lingenfelter Performance to be modified to accommodate the new pulleys.
The motor was not the only retrofitted item. At each corner, Wilwood disc brakes help slow the behemoth, as do the sizable wheels and BF Goodrich Radial T/A tires. Continuing on the retrofitting theme, the radio is a retro-look item from Antique Automobile Radio called the Wonder Bar. Within the classic shape, this deck offers Bluetooth and Sirius capability.
The interior was further spruced with a new A/C system and Dakota Digital’s VHX gauges and clock. The dash, which arrived in a dull chrome, was stripped and painted to match the fiery exterior.
Back at the business end of things, Ken installed a pricey and very pretty AutoRad aluminum radiator setup which, while massive, still fit comfortably in the massive bay.
Issues surrounding the custom fuel tank hindered Ken’s progress for a while, but after the requisite swearing and knucklebusting was over, he could turn his attentions to the paint. Though a decade of storage in a climate-controlled garage had kept it in decent shape, the paint had taken a beating; Power Tours had chipped the paint and a little shrinking was just par for the course. After a repaint of the hood and the top of the fenders, a good buffing and the removal of a few bubbles, he rolled the car out into the sun to see it gleaming.
New bushings in the lower control arms, tubular upper and lower control arms, a lovely set of Ridetech coilovers and a 4-link setup gave this Nomad the sort of compliance and comfort Ken needed for long hauls. After spending so much time in coil spring cars, he couldn’t live with the rough ride brought on by leaf springs.
This entailed a lot of work, naturally. The 4-link prompted the gas tank change, elimination of the spare tire well and throwing the brand new exhaust system, which no longer fit, into the trash bin. However, the athletic stance made all those frustrating changes worthwhile.
A final trip to the dyno and a set of Hooker headers netted an astonishing 520 horsepower at the rear wheels on just twelve pounds of boost. The Nomad was ready to travel across the country to participate in the Goodguys Road Tour this year. With the Nomad’s exclusivity, immaculate paint and presentation and retrofitted powerplant, it’s certain it’ll be a hit.
