23rd Jun 2007, 17:52
Your 51 Nash brought back fond memories of my dad's 51 Statesman Super four door sedan. He bought it in November of 1950 from Farnam & Ostrander Motors in New Haven, Conn.
It had a flat head six with the three speed manual transmission and overdrive. We made frequent trips between Ft. Devens, Mass., where he was stationed with the Army and North Haven, Conn. where my grand parents lived. That Nash never broke down and it delivered close to thirty miles per gallon during our trips. The seats that made into beds were for camping trips.
I hope you continue with the needed restoration on your car. I plan on looking for a 50's era Nash after I retire. He later owned a 53 Statesman sedan and a 55 Statesman Custom "Country Club" two door hardtop with the factory "Continental" tire mount. That was the car that I was able to drive during my sophomore and junior years of high school. The reclining seats were great on dates!
26th Aug 2010, 16:03
I am 80 years old, and work at the Seaman Nash Body Plant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The body was trucked to Kenosha Wisconsin, where the final assembly was made. I helped to make the dashboards, fenders and was a tack spitter. Seats cushions were installed with tacks and a tack hammer. Every few days you would swallow a tack. The nurse would give you white bread to eat to cover the tack.
I owned a 1951 Stateman Custom with overdrive. It was a green in color. Very wonderful ride and easy to drive. The air cleaner was oil bath.
6th Jan 2014, 19:54
My dad was an auto mechanic and for years worked at a Packard garage in the '50s. However his car of choice was always a Nash. We had a 1950 Nash 600, and I have fond memories of that light blue "bathtub Nash". I thought it to be ugly then, but now as a 70 year old guy, I see its design as being functional and innovative. It also now seems to be a nice looking car for its time.
My dad's main complaint was the lack of power in the 6 cylinder engine for the size of the car. We loved the ride, and the fold down seats were fantastic for camping.
We next had a 1953 Nash Ambassador, and that too was a good car, but it had severe rust problems toward the end of its life.
The last Nash we owned, and dad bought it just before he died, was a 1959 Nash Rambler. I loved that car. It was a green and black two-tone, and was a good looking car. I even liked its version of the tail fins. This car looked stylish, was mechanically sound, and got excellent gas mileage.
Nash was one of the first cars to have a unitized body and pioneered that innovation. The Nash Weathereye heating system was unbeatable back then.
I would like to follow in Dad's footsteps with Nash, but alas - Nash is gone. My Ford Explorer doesn't have the charm and the fun, and the memories of these old 50's cars of the past.
Nash cars - I miss you!
18th Jan 2007, 07:29
My dad had a 1949 Nash and he was super proud of that car. It was designated the Nash 600 and featured an overdrive button on the accelerator, front seats that folded down into a bed, and very comfortable soft seats. It was so ugly that it became a cute novelty. Dad claimed that he got almost 30 miles per gallon with the combination of the small engine and the overdrive. The previous person commenting called it an ugly Junebug while we called it an upside down bathtub.
Our family loved that car. It was a little underpowered with its straight 6 and on the column stick. The weather eye heater on those old Nashes were fantastic and kept us Northern Wisconsin people warm in our 20 below January temperatures.
Dad later stayed with Nash and bought a 1953 Nash Ambassador with a larger 6 and many extra features. In 1957 we drove out to see the Pacific Ocean (from Wisconsin) in this car and used it as our Motel room at campgrounds along the way. It made the trip with no problems and was a delightful car for that type of trip.
Later dad bought a 1957 Nash Rambler and again it was a good car for our family.