the story of nomadic

Established in 2019 in the small mountain town of Sun Valley, Idaho, Nomadic Van was founded upon a passion for the outdoors, and a love for rugged vehicles capable of getting to hard-to-reach locations. Nomadic’s creators, Ron Arnold and Gardner Cord, started their journey over a post-ski beer at Grumpy’s, where they bonded over their shared love for adventure, and a long lines of automotive history in their blood.

Ron hails from a family of mechanics—his grandfather was a master mechanic for CAT—while Gardner’s great-grandfather invented the Cord Front Wheel Drive, and grandfather raced for the Toyota Factory Team. Initially focused on skiing and snowboarding, neither anticipated their future in the automotive industry.

Fast forward three years, and the duo found themselves skiing powder in Japan while snagging Delicas on what they jokingly called a “work trip.” This was the spark that launched Nomadic Van, perfectly timed for a post-COVID world eager for adventure, prioritizing reliability and functionality. The first three years were filled with late nights, relentless R&D, and the grit needed to establish a new venture.

Now five years into their Delica journey, Ron and Gardner lead a dedicated team of mechanics, mountain athletes, and overlanding enthusiasts, all committed to building the Nomadic lifestyle in everything they do.

Fueled by freedom, integrity, and the pure joy of driving, Nomadic Van provides a means of adventure that you can rely on. We aim to deliver the highest possible performance in our vehicles, matched by a level of honesty and trustworthiness that is rare to find in the automotive world.

Meet the Team