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When it comes right down to it, Chevrolet’s storied performance history can be summed up in two simple letters— “SS”. Sure, names like Chevelle, Camaro and Nova conjure up visions of tire-smoking prowess. And of course, cubic-inch call-outs such as “396”, “427” and “454” all bring to mind big torque and power. But the “SS” moniker is the all-encompassing term that will forever symbolize not only power and performance, but a level of pure class as well.

Where did it all start? In 1961, with the introduction of the SS option on the full-size Impala. This was the year the legendary 409 cube V8 came into play as well. The SS/409 combination was Chevy’s response to Ford’s 390 powered Galaxie. You might say 1961 was the year that the serious horsepower wars began!

Customer quote: “Nearly all of the weatherstripping, wiring and many other parts came from Eckler’s Classic Chevy and other suppliers”

RAKISH was a six-year project. I purchased this ’55 210 when I was 55 years of age. I had wanted a 1955 Chevy since the age of ten, when I first saw my dream car. A neighbor came home from the service with a black beauty. I loved it! When I made the decision to do a frame-off restoration on this car, I had no idea what I was in for. My goal was to complete the car in about two years. Boy was I off target! Being new to the hobby, I had no idea how long it took to get body work done, painting, interior, upholstery, etc.

My sister said, "Brother, you're not going to buy that piece of junk, are you?"

My love for Chevys started back in high school when in 1984 I purchased my first Chevy, a 1955 two-door sedan. Although I loved all Tri-5 Chevys back then, my real love was for the ’56s. I liked the changes in the grille, taillights, and rear wheel styling. My budget just would not allow me to own one!

Customer quote: “I spent 3-1/2 months on the Internet, 8 hours a day, 6 days a week, locating and purchasing parts for this car…”

The ’57 Nomad is arguably the most beautiful and most collectible Nomad of all. Sure, production during the “Tri-5” years was quite limited to begin with - 8,530 units in 1955 and 8,103 in ’56 - but for 1957, production dropped to just 6,534 units. Add this low build number to the fact that the ’57 Chevy Bel Air (on which the Nomad was based) stands as perhaps the world’s most iconic vehicle, ever, and you have an instant automotive masterpiece.