I Towed My Restomod Vette to Vegas with My Restomod Nomad

This story first appeared in the September/October 2024 issue of Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. Join the club to receive our award-winning magazine and enjoy insider access to automotive events, discounts, roadside assistance, and more.

The West Virginia Department of Tourism sponsored a booth at the 2023 SEMA Show to promote the state and attract businesses. I have a hot rod and restoration shop and was invited to display my 1956 Corvette, which has a 6.2-liter LT1 V-8 backed with a T-56 manual transmission. The only catch: I would be responsible for getting the car to and from Las Vegas.

I couldn’t find a transporter willing to do the trip, so my only option was to tow the Vette myself. What better tow vehicle than my 1957 Chevy Nomad, painted the same shade—Sapphire Blue Pearl—as the Vette?

The Nomad is a restomod that we built from 2002 to 2007.  It started out as a rust bucket and required all new floors, fenders, and one quarter panel to get the body in shape. I added air conditioning, cruise control, power rack-and-pinion steering, and Hydroboost power brakes. I’ve completed several full Hot Rod Power Tours in my LS1-engined Nomad, so I was confident it was capable of the trip. However, I wasn’t sure how its 4L60E automatic transmission and C4 Corvette rear suspension would hold up to towing, so I added an external transmission cooler and air shocks to compensate for the 4200 pounds of trailer weight.

With the Nomad prepped and the Corvette loaded on a trailer, my wife Joyce and I left West Virginia and began our five-day journey to Vegas. My preparations paid off, and even through the mountains, the Nomad performed well. On day three, the forecast called for serious snow on our route, so we redirected south, traversing a good bit of Route 66 across New Mexico and Arizona.

We arrived at the hotel in Las Vegas with several other SEMA-bound vehicles. The crowd reaction was fantastic. They were surprised to see a ’57 Nomad towing a ’56 Corvette, especially with the West Virginia tags on both.

At the show, I was kept busy as people talked to me about the Corvette all day long. The Vette was a four-year build that we started in 2016. It was a barn find that had been sitting disassembled and stripped since the 1970s. We restored the car and then added a Chassis Concepts chassis, C4 suspension, Schott custom wheels, as well as modern conveniences like air conditioning and power steering.

Our SEMA trip was a great adventure that spanned 5004 miles. It was terrific to validate the quality of my Nomad and gratifying to see so many real car people show their appreciation for both of my Chevys.