Nash ‘Super Jetfire’ Trivia Questions of the Week: 1. Years before the ‘big three’ entered the compact market, Nash was already represented. What was the name of Nashes compact car for 1953? 2. What did Nash, the motorcar, have in common with milk and eggs? 3. Who sang the sixties hit song Little GTO? 4. On March 22, 1963, what musical group release the album Please Please Me? 5. What was the name of Coca-Cola’s first diet cola introduced on May 1, 1963? 6. What U.S. Postal first was introduced on July 1, 1963?

The artist rendering of the Nash Ambassador above, exaggerates it’s shape, lengthening and lowering its profile in order to make it more visually appealing to prospective buyers. This utilization of artistic license was not uncommon in the mid twentieth century– a time when consumers were enamored by anything even remotely associated with aeronautics and flight. Even model names carried implications of air travel. The Ambassador 2-door hardtop (note the lack of ‘B’ pillars) in this illustration carried the secondary or sub model name ‘Airflyte’ Country Club. Now there’s a double entendre if you will, connoting not only the romance of air travel, but also the exclusive country club lifestyle. What more could a post war, middle class couple ask for in a new automobile?
Just after the end of WWII, auto makers were scrambling to meet the demands of post war consumers, eager to get a new set of wheels. Most car makers were hastily throwing together new models using tooling and left over parts from pre war models. The market had a "buy anything" mentality and manufacturers across the board were doing whatever it took to fill the pipeline. By the late forties, the "big 3" auto makers were positioned to introduce a spate of new models... completely redesigned cars with bold new profiles emphasizing longer, wider and lower appearance. Nash responded with a new series of full size Statesman and Ambassador sedans for 1949 with avant-garde styling cues including not only highly aerodynamic bodies, but enclosed wheel wells and one piece windshields just to name but a few. Sales were great for the first couple of years, but had begun to wane by 1951. In an effort to turn things around, then CEO, George Mason turned to famed Italian auto designer Pinin Farina to add dashing new flair to the car which, heretofore had born a somewhat stodgy image. The result was the Golden Airflyte of 1952, named such because it was the fiftieth anniversary of the marque. While the nearly identical 1952-53 models were a breakthrough design, aerodynamics still played a significant role in the finished product. One wind defying feature was the fully enclosed wheel wells. While this type of wheelhouse was fairly common at the aft end of many automobiles, bow application was just as uncommon. Typical low rise rear wheel cutouts are possible because of the use of fender "skirts" at the rear which allowed accessibility for tire changing, etc. The difference being that rear wheels are not responsible for steering the car and therefore remain on a straight forward plane. Up front, however, it’s a different story. With an enclosed front wheel well, left to right turning is severely limited and the resulting turning radius is much wider than the vast majority of cars on the road. This caused a great deal of exasperation for drivers when parking the sizeable Nash Ambassadors.
Another notable Nash feature was the fold down front and rear seats and cargo layout. Similar to modern day station wagons in a way, it allowed flexible use of rear cargo space, while at the same time offering conventional sedan styling. "Airliner" reclining seats up front, adjusted to 5 positions, including fully reclined, allowing you to, as Nash stated in their sales brochure, "sleep the miles away while others drive."
Unfortunately, as Nash entered the ‘jet age,’ the tenacious marque was encumbered with a considerable load of checked baggage. Although Nash had a proven track record as a tough and reliable automobile, it was perceived by many as being somewhat ‘stodgy’ in character. During the process of composing the previous sentence, I had one of those moments that writers often experience. As the term ‘stodgy’ came to mind, I questioned the specific definition of the word... a term which, frankly, I could not remember ever having used in the past five years that I have been writing this column. That prompted me to call up the Webster’s Dictionary program on my laptop to discover precisely how the word is defined. As I read Noah Webster’s definition, it became suddenly clear that I had chosen the perfect term to explain how the Nash brand was perceived by a sizeable share of the automotive marketplace. The noted lexicographer penned a string of synonyms including, "dull; tedious; uninteresting; heavily built; bulky and slow in movement; drab; unfashionable; unattractive; narrow and conventional", and perhaps most fitting of all, "stubbornly old-fashioned". Now, if you were a shiny, new fifties automobile back in ‘the day’, the last thing you would want to be called would be "stubbornly old-fashioned". But that’s the connotation... the ‘baggage’ if you will, that encumbered the once proud name, Nash.
Now, before I stir up an angry swarm of Nash aficionados (please don’t send angry letters), let me say that the image portrayed in the preceding sentences is not necessarily all bad– for those 13,762 buyers who chose Nash Ambassador for 1953, did so for many of the same reasons that others did not. Nash buyers tended to be a conventional bunch– conservative to a fault– not prone to falling for the latest, greatest, most flashiest models to hit the showroom floor. (Didn’t we see that term [conventional] in Webster’s list, earlier in this paragraph? I thought so.) What Nash buyers were specifically looking for was, first and foremost, a "bulky, heavily-built car... conventional and stubbornly old-fashioned." And what could be so wrong with that?
My aunt Dorothy would have been a perfect candidate for the $2,500.00 Nash Ambassador. It was hard to find fault with the relatively clean styling, though some from the other camps would call it ‘unattractive’, ‘dull’ or ‘boring’. The ‘heavily-built’ Ambassador may have been ‘slow in movement’ compared to a Rocket 88, but its six cylinder ‘Le Mans Dual-Jetfire’ engine produced 140 horsepower (thanks to dual Carter carbs) and moved the ‘bulky’ car along deftly... and the available GM-built Hydra-Matic transmission made the driving experience even more carefree.
　
Base price for the 1953 Ambassador Custom Country Club hardtop coupe shown above was $2,829.00. It was the priciest model in the Nash lineup for the year. A good salesman could talk buyers into adding a number of options, including such amenities as radio; electric antenna; wire wheel covers; back up lamps; electric clock; air mattress; hand held spotlight; plastic window screens; luggage carrier; curb feelers; door edge guards; exhaust extensions; vanity mirror; outside mirror and more, which could have added another seven or eight hundred dollars to the bottom line. Fully-optioned Ambassador Customs approached the mid threes. In ‘09 dollars that’s just over $28,000.00.
Creature comfort for the long haul had been a Nash trademark for many years and the option list for 1953 included reclining seats and a twin bed set up, just in case all the neons along Route 66 were flashing ‘no vacancy’. Come to think of it, not only would my aunt Dorothy have been enamored by the ‘53 Ambassador, my cousin Mark would have enjoyed it too. After all, it would have been a great choice for the senior prom!

UPCOMING, ‘DON’T MISS’ EVENTS: Hey, did you know they’re still ‘cruisin’ at the Chuck-A-Burger on St. Charles Rock Road? It seems there were a bunch of people who thought the old Chuck in St. John had closed down. Not so. Unfortunately, the newer Chuck-A-Burger in St. Charles did close a few weeks ago, due to the sluggish economy and stiff competition in the area. But the St. John location is still humming along like a well tuned Chevy and folks gather there in mass on Friday nights to check out the latest customs and newcomers to the old car hobby. Help support Ron Stille and his crew at the only remaining Chuck-A-Burger, an icon in St. Louis drive-in restaurant history. Visit Friday or any other day of the week. The menu is still the same and curb service still rules!
ATTENTION ALL GM FANS: If you’re a GM person, particularly a fan of Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Buick... don’t miss the Archway Oldsmobile Clubs annual three-day event in Osage Beach. With the recent sad news that Pontiac will soon be joining Oldsmobile among the ranks of ‘orphaned’ auto makes, this is a good chance to pay homage to these grand old marques. The event takes place at Tan-Tara Resort on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 5, 6 and 7th. All models and years of Olds, Buick and Pontiac are welcome as well as spectators. For more information on the event call 314-878-5651. This is a great group of folks who love the GM cars and put on some fantastic events. Enter your car or just go down to check it out. In either case, you’re sure to have a blast.
FIN MAN detailing tip of the week: When washing your car, whether it be a collectible or your daily driver... don’t forget to wipe down those hidden areas that often go untouched. Take a damp towel and wipe down the door jambs and mating door edges. This may seem unimportant, but if you’re going to sell your car some day, get in the habit of cleaning these areas because it will make a difference when a prospective buyer looks at your car... and besides, you’ll feel better just knowing their clean.
‘The FIN MAN’^TM is available for your group’s special occasions. In addition to his seminar schedule, he has been a guest speaker at group meetings including car clubs, engineering clubs and other professional associations. He has also acted as host or emcee at a number of special events including trivia parties, holiday parties, social and professional club events, benefits and fund raisers. During his appearances, he presents an overview of the collector car hobby plus a detailed look at American cars from the fifties and sixties. His program includes a fascinating Power Point presentation with images of collectible automobiles and various associated nostalgia and Americana. Guests also have the opportunity to play "FINS for FUN," the video game he produced in 1987 which inspired his nickname, in which players compete to identify the year, make and model of cars from tightly cropped photos of fins and taillights. Those who score the highest win auto-related prizes donated by supporting Fin Man sponsors. For more information, go to http://www.thefinman.com. We are currently accepting bookings for the remainder of calendar year 2009 and 2010.

The FIN MAN^TM is a member of the Society of Automotive Historians and the St. Louis Chapter of the Buick Club of America. At one time or another, he has held membership in the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, the DeSoto Club, the Imperial Owners Club and the Edsel Club of America. He welcomes your questions, comments and suggestions regarding the column or old cars in general. We’ll see you at the next Chuck-A-Burger cruise on the Rock Road in St. Ann.


Bruce Kunz - a.k.a. "The FIN MAN"

http://www.thefinman.com

Others may talk about the golden age of American automobiles...
The FIN MAN lived it!