Yes, same. Some old cars I can relate to, having had some growing up, and now I own a couple; but super cars are out of my league and also not very interesting to me. Bells and whistles aside, not sure what they are for, except as a bill board to say "I'm rich, I may be short and bald, but I'm rich; hop in ladies". Everything is relative I guess, as my old pal Albo use to say! We got new cars with muscle in the 60's to get chicks too, but not at a million bucks, then. Funny though, some of those old cars we bought for a few thousand are being sold again at American classic car auctions for big bucks too. And those guys who can afford the Shelby Mustangs and super Cameros of the 60's often look just like the man I described earlier! It has come full circle, LOL. :D
@@שהרבכהן They like them too. Wayne Carinni the little short guy from Chasing Classic cars went to Kuait once to deliver some classics, old ones I think, like Pearce Arrows. And there was a show with a bunch of others there. But I agree, having had 50-60's classics when they were just productions (Ford, Chevy, Mercury), and had/have some today now that they are (67 Mercury, 64 Ranchero, 70 Mustang).
My grandpa, who passed just a few years ago at 104, God rest his soul, owned a '51 Nash A.C. and drove the old "boat;" (that's what we, his grandkids, used to call her, "Grandpa's old boat") until she began to really fall apart. After she got to the point where some of the old girl really needed to be rebuilt, he stuck her in his garage and promised grandma year after year after year; "I'll get it done next year dag nab it!", (Gramps had a foul mouth lol) He never did get her rebuilt; as far as I know, it's still sitting in his garage somewhere in Cherry Valley, Illinois. Maybe God gave him a new Nash in Heaven?
Jay, I bought a 53 Nash Ambassador when I was in college around 1955. I loved it! Still do. I would love to have another. I got my first girlfriend in the summer of 1958 and we married the last of December. We have just completed 57 years of wonderful married life and it sure would be great to go to a Drive-in Movie in my old Nash. I finally traded it for a new Studebaker Lark, I went from a wonderful car to a piece of junk. It is wonderful to reminisce of days gone by. I enjoy seeing your garage and your collection. I am now 80 and will probably never make it to California again. Keep putting your collection on youtube. THANKS!
Such a beautiful car. I got to tell my Nash story. In 1985, on my 30th birthday I went with my future ex wife to the Marin Jazz Festival on Mt. Tamalpias. I was hanging around the side of the stage when this beautiful sparkle green Nash pulls up. I was transfixed on this thing of beauty! The car parks and out steps Stan Getz and a couple of his musicians. I am just admiring the car and standing at a distance. Stan says hey kid, you like the car, come on over and check it out. He lets me sit in the front and check it out. I was petting it and asking questions. I think Stan knew I had no idea who he was. I had no idea it was Stan until he started his set. My most memorable birthday ever.
I have always wanted one of these, but no matter how hard I've looked, I've never seen one for sale near me. They are by far one of my favorite automobiles of the 1950s, mostly because of their very unique and what I think is beautiful styling.
Lot's of cars from the fifties and sixties were what we called "PW's". Second word was "wagon", first word was,... you guessed it ,.... another word for kitty cat!
I had a 65 Rambler American and it too had fully reclining seats and needless to say I have a lot of memories from that car and those days back in the 70s!!
Back in 1969 when I was 21 years old I bought a 1951 Nash Statesman Airflyte from a SAAB dealer’s used car lot for $150. That was a very small amount of money even back then. I was a Nash fan and I knew a lot about these cars so when I saw this car on their lot I was ecstatic! They sold it to me as “junk” due to the fact that wanted to make it clear there was no warranty. The car had relatively few miles on it….about 60,000 if memory serves. Regardless of the junk label it drove well and easily passed inspection. The interior was all original (cloth) and in great condition and, as with all Nashes the seats converted to a bed. It has an optional hood ornament that looked like the one on the 1950 car Jay Leno has. For 1951 the uniscope dashboard was abandoned and my dashboard design did not look anywhere nearly as nice as the one in Leno’s 1950 model. I swear it had a knob labeled RW for an option my car did not have. Nash couldn’t have offered a rear-wiper option (could they?) as the pulley system used for the regular wipers looked like a Rube Goldberg contraption. Nash kept the blinking red light at the end of the turn signal lever and it worked fine and was quite a novelty. Exterior design changes included a slight alteration of the grille which now had vertical bars instead of a crosshatch design and the turn signal parking light combo was changed also. The rear was the most extensive change and what could be described as a tasteful fins/taillight combination was added. That look continued to evolve through 1955. I believe that the Pininfarina Italian design firm had nothing to do with any of the Nash’s design from 1949 to 1951 but the name was used for 1952 redesign and beyond in their advertising even though the Nash Motor Company had most of the influence over the final design. They wanted the prestige of Pininfarina’s name. My Nash was in very good original condition with miner rust on the rockers and slightly above. I decided to sand and prime the lower portion of the sides and I applied a darker blue paint to the area below the low chrome trim that ran along the entire lower sides of car thus making the car a two-tone. I knew that I would never match the original color and the complimentary color looked really great. No joke. The rest of the car’s original finish was beautiful enamel and had quite a shine to it after I waxed it. I drove the car for a couple of years to work and to college in all weather conditions and it was really a great vehicle. Mine was a three-on-the-tree and it shifted just fine. To start the car you had to turn the ignition key to the on position and then depress the clutch thus depressing the button on the floorboard that activated the starter motor. The car moved out alright but the Statesman’s engine was, I believe, a slightly less powerful seven main bearing straight six than Leno’s Ambassador had. The car, by all accounts, was very aerodynamic and the design was wind tunnel tested and had a very low drag coefficient. Part of the aerodynamic design was the enclosed wheel wells which forced the car to have a relatively narrow track so that the front wheels had room to turn. This made the turning radius slightly smaller then that of the Queen Mary and the car list like the Titanic if you took a corner fast. The only work I ever had to do on the car was to put in a rebuilt starter motor and replace a broken part to the window roll-up mechanism. I took that part from an older Nash I saw abandoned with other cars in a farmer’s field. I applied rust proofing to the its underside (no separate frame with unibody construction) in a valiant attempt to slow down the advance of rust occurring due to Western New York’s winters and the extensive use of salt on our roads. My Nash, unlike Leno’s, did run hot and I had to keep an eye on the temperature gauge on really hot days. The car was built like a tank and one time, when I pulled over to the side of the road to pick-up a hitchhiker, a Renault hit my Nash in the back end. The front of the Renault was wedged under the rear of my Nash and it had a seriously damaged front end including a crumpled hood and broken windshield. The only damage to my Nash (I swear this is true) was a dent the size of the tip of your thumb beneath the trunk on the lower chrome trim band that encircled the car. I had to ask the Renault driver to try to back up as I pulled forward to separate the two cars as they were stuck together. Unfortunately one day there was a tapping as of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. It was an internal engine issue and, as an act of desperation, I tried STP engine oil treatment that solved a similar problem a couple years earlier with my 1950 Dodge. No luck this time. Not having the mechanical skill of Jay Leno or the finances to hire a real mechanic I contacted someone who had remarked that he would like to buy my car if I ever wanted to sell it. He was the manager of a local fast food restaurant that I frequented. I told him about the problem and sold him the car for about what I paid for it. He said he planned to restore it and I figured it had a better chance of survival with him than with me. I always loved the cars of the forties and the 1951 Nash’s basic design was first introduced in 1949 … 1951 was the last year of that body style. I loved the look and the feel of those old cars and will always remember my old Nash. Perhaps it is still out there somewhere.
Jay is the coolest guy ever I love how he keeps it real like the missing horn ring if he didn’t say that I would have never known. But he did and that’s what I like about him he’s honest
Jay's got that fine sentiment for the automobile that really does touch you )) Love his videos, plenty of nostalgic nice feeling about the cars, people, their stories and all the rest
My Dad bought a new 1953 V8 Ford for a trip from Texas to northern California. Ate gas like a thirsty camel after a trip through the desert. Before we got to California he nicknamed the Ford "Rough Rider" because it was such a hard ride. On the trip back to Texas we stopped at a diner in LA. Across the street there was a used car lot and they had a 1952 Nash Ambassador sitting up front. Dad went over to look at it and traded the Ford straight across for the Nash. Nick named it the "Smooth Rider", great gas mileage and he fell in love with the way it looked. He always bought a Nash when he had to buy a new car .He never bought another Ford.
I was born in '49, and to me in the early '50s all cars looked like this ... in cartoons, in movies, and on the roads everywhere. They were comforting ... yeah, comforting.
Your so right about the cars all looking like "roundybacks" in the comics and cartoons back in the day. The comic strip Nancy and Sluggo come to mind especially! As a kid I always wondered why those cars always looked so old fashion when all around me were space age looking cars with tailfins!!😅
I worked in a shop, downtown SF, CA when it was fun. I got to work on one. Rich deep burgundy, with awesome new seats. I did the work. I got to test drive it and open her up on the road. A fine tuned rolling masterpiece. I drove to "Original Joe's" in the original location back in the day. Yup, got to share the rides with a few cats from that spot "owner". Trip down memory lane. Thanks for the vid Jay.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. My grandparents had this exact same Nash. Same color, same trim, same automatic transmission. My brother and I rode in that back seat cavern many times. They drove it for years and then traded it in on a ‘57 Nash Rambler.
Years ago, I was polishing my newly acquired (in 1978!) 1959 Rambler American...I freaked, when I noticed that the turn signal indicator in the front had NASH stamped on it!
Showing the commercial is a major + for the viewer, as well as any Life or Saturday Evening Post adverts(for color). I enjoy the history side of the ad campaigns. GREAT!!!
I am an old 89 yrs and still able to appreciate the beautiful American automobile's of my youth. I remember well the Nash, the Pacakards, Hudson'sand irrmember many that were brought back to life when WW 2 caused shortage of road worthy vehicles. Tell Mr. Leno I will work on the Garage with no pay just to be around the wonderful collection. God Bless us all And many happy drives.
Thank you Jay, for highlighting the Nash. My father had a Nash 600 ( I believe),and my grandfather had a Nash Ambassador. My Grandfather died in 1953, and my father inherited my Grandfather's Nash Ambassador. I was only 5 years old in September of 1953, so I don't remember a lot about the car.
My parents had this Nasg Ambassador in 1953 only in robin's egg blue. I always called it the Easter Egg. We used it camping sometimes and slept on the folded-down seats many times, once in the Everglades when it was too late to drive to a motel. On long night trips, I would make a bed using a blanket in the rear seat, right side floor - just large enought for my 4 year old body. I would listen to the hum of the road a few inches below me as the Nash sped along the just-built New Jersey Turnpike on the way to my grandmother's house in Washington, D.C. . It was a tank of a car and exactly as Jay describes it, but it had a fine elegance on the road.
I bought one of these cars for $100 in 1960. I drove in a car pool and one of the guys would make the car into a bed and take a long nap at noon. The big tube radio didn't work and I hung a transitor radio on the clock area and fed the outlet to the speaker system. It was a tube radio and I took it out and got it repaired and it worked wonders, Great speaker system.. It had pre-tuning bars in the radio and a foot feed so you could index through the preset channels with your left foot. I thought that was a huge feature. It had a super large trunk and the guy that owned it before me had used it to haul chunks of coal home from the Southern Railroad yards as he was an engineer. Used the lumps in an old cast iron pot belly stove in a hunting cabin. It made a big mess in the trunk and that was part of the "buy as is" deal. I had a new Chevvie station wagon that would not start when my wife was ready to come home from hospital, so I drove the Nash. The old days they took her to the car in a wheel chair and the nurse carried my daughter, til my wife got seated and then placed Robyn in her arms. All the time she was embarrassedly telling everyone that we had a new car at home..
Interesting to see someone who is apparently relatively literate and able to spell correctly write "Chevvie" instead of "Chevy". It never occurred to me that there might be people unable to spell "Chevy" correctly (if there is such a thing as "correctly", of course), but certainly not that that might be the ONE word a person misspelled!
Mid fifties Buicks could have the floor button for the radio to jump to the next station. There would also be a bar on the radio to do the same thing. Probably a premium radio option. And Studebakers maybe up to 1952 also had the starter button under the clutch pedal.
@@vincentl.9469 11:38 - The front track was quite a bit narrower to enable a reasonable turning radius. The body was wind tunnel refined & these cars got outstanding mpg for the day, and considering the low compression ratios of the time.
My Dad loved his Nashes. We had a '53 , a '55 that had 'Body by Pinninfarina' plate on the door thresholds (like GM had Body by Fisher), and their last model year, a '57 with quad headlights, & V8. Unfortunately I was too young to take advantage of the flat folding seats. Thanks for the time trip!
Jay always brings a smile to my face with his reverential, loving presentations of these grand old rides. He considers himself a caretaker of them and I shudder to think what will happen to all his cars when he's gone. I don't see the Honda fart-can muffler crowd of today respecting history like our generation does, sadly.
I'm 31, and I have been around cars all my life, make a living servicing them, and I appreciate all the classics. My favorite era of automobile is the Art Deco era, and my favorite section of Jay's garage is the steam garage.
I live in England so I am not knowledgeable about California, however I wonder if there is a risk of an earthquake which would maybe damage all the vehicles in that garage?
To echo a previous comment, we're here! there are younger people who love old cars. The biggest thing working against us is how closed off some classic car owners are. The best thing you can do to help the hobby is to get out there. Drive your cars, talk to us, find some of us and get us involved in actually working on the cars. They may look great at a show but they look best on the road, or in a driveway on jacks with people working on them, especially if those people are being taught how to. And I hope Mr. Leno sets up some sort of trust to keep his collection together and create a museum.
I think I'll run down to my local Nash dealer and check out all the new models today! Thanks Jay for your appreciation of the "family" car - the cars America drove.
another car Jay has collected from a family whose patriarch passed away, and the family wished to sell it to Jay for preservation. Jay has done this several times. A noble gesture and in keeping with his philosophy that no worthy car shall go homeless.
The names of Nash and Hudson disappeared from the book, however the merger of both was that of American Moters Corporation which much later was known as a Rambler. And those old Ramblers were pretty darn good, reliable cars to.
Jay I’m about half way through the video, you have not mentioned, Nash helped sponsor, NASCAR, for Big Bill France, and he had Curtis Turner, drive one. I’m not sure if was 1949 or 1950, but I have seen photos of the car w Turner Turner & France by the driver’s door, cool photo. I don’t know, if it won any race’s it ran in. But it’s interesting to know this much… I watch the one you have on your Hudson Hornet, and your Marshall Teagues car. Great video.🎉 thanks for all your work.
Jay your channel was founded on these older cars.. don't feel ashamed that you're not doing a super car. I love these cars more. More interesting, more history. just all around cool.
Who thumbs down these videos? If you don't like Jay then don't watch. How could you dislike someone showing you some old cars that you probably never even knew about?
Jay still has that great sense of humor. Thanks sir for this stroll down memory lane. Love the car. Unique and stylish. Beautiful paint job, the multiple tones and interior. Marvelous.
I heard that some drive in's wouldn't admit teens driving their daddy's Nash because of the inappropriate ability to fully recline the seats. I had a '61 Rambler American that the front seats, when slid forward, would allow the seat backs to lay flat and match the level of the rear seat. I miss that car. ;)
We had a 1950 Nash when I was born (1954) that I don't remember but from photos... nice to learn about the actual car! My dad passed away in 1995 but refused to buy any Big 3 car his entire life... We had Nash, Studebakers, Ramblers... Last new American car he bought new was a 1963 Rambler; after that only foreign-made!
Ya know, Jay. I find myself totally enthralled by your car vids; the real Jay Leno. So relaxing, so real person, so cool and unassuming. This is awesome
"You hit your head on that dash and they just hose it off and sell it to somebody else." "It's not unusual to find a Kia or Hyundai crushed up under the wheel well."
I constantly watch this episode with that beautiful Nash. That car is just incredible and the feel is very warm with a going home feel. Just wish cars would be made like them once again.
I've never seen a Nash Ambassador Custom, but I've always had an interest in its little brother, the Metropolitan. There's quite a following for the Metropolitan in UK and I seek out any that appear in classic car shows I visit in UK. My earliest memory of a Metropolitan was about 1960 (I'd be 5) when our family doctor ("General Practitioner") got the Austin of England version. Now, at 5 years old, I wasn't aware of the tie-up between Nash and Austin (that knowledge came MUCH later in my lifetime), but I always remember this quirky, 2-tone car the doctor drove. To my 5 year old child-eyes, it looked like something out of Toy Town, but as I grew up (well, "got older" anyway!) I learned about its American roots. As an aside, between 1935 and 1939, Brough (the luxury British motorcycle marque) imported about 85 in total Hudson chassis and engines, built a body on them and sold them as Brough Superiors. I was unaware of this until I went to a classic car show in Manchester, GB last year (2017) and saw one displayed. You live and learn! Great videos Jay- I love 'em.
I've loved these since I was about 10. Just different enough to be cool without being quirky. Thanks Jay for this information and now I definitely want one again!
I love the old classic car videos way more than the new car videos. The classic cars have so much more character and we all know we will never see such artistic freedom in a car nowadays, due to all the safety rules and regulations.
Everyone thinks their f'ing worthless and meaningless lives mean so much! Go like hell, you'll get there, most of the time. So why not in style rather than with the POS crap "safe" cars they sell today! "Snowflake nation" I guess!
@@grahambarnes7325 I feel the same! I remember seeing a fatal accident many years ago, just a couple of minutes after it had happened. Some unfortunate older guy was driving an early 50s Plymouth that had been hit head-on...His eyes were bugged out, his chest was impaled by the steering column. Unforgettable tragic moment.
when we were kids we used to make fun of the nash cars because they looked so funny to us but now i think they look way cool. kind of one of the pinnacles of late 40's styling with many innovations that were ahead of it's time.
Dad had a '47 Rambler, we drove it up route 17 from Long Island to Batavia every year for several years in the 50's. Three adults and three kids, never had a mechanical problem and Grandma hung onto the strap the whole way...
I always appreciate your videos Jay . If I were fortunate enough to make the kind of money you do, I'm pretty sure I'd spend it the same way. On cool cars, trucks and motorbikes. The fact that you share your passion, our passion, with us and give us history lessons to boot is a testament to what a true car guy you are. Thanks for all the videos and thanks too for sharing your knowledge with us. Being able to see your collection is absolutely on my bucket list.
I think this car has a British feel to it, if the Brits ever made such a huge car like this. It's an island, and there's only so much room. With fiberglass, modern car makers could settle on a design like this and stick with it, instead of having a new looking car each year.
When I was a kid and they were still (occasionally) on the road, I used to call them "bathtub" cars because they reminded me of bathtubs for some reason. I love 'em too!
Absolutely wonderful automobile Jay! My Grandfather had an Ambassador when I was a little boy. What a great road car it was. I really enjoyed this video. Thank you Jay!
I love old cars like this. It was from a time where people actually took pride in their work and designed things to last. I'm quite surprised that cars like this are rather affordable. I'd would like to buy one.
thelongslowgoodbye You might want to check out vacuum cleaners from the same time period, I got a working Hoover 62 (1950-1953) for $2 at a rummage sale and it's remarkable.
Sort of. Except that 1950s cars were thought to be doing very well indeed if you reached 100,000 miles before they died, and if they made 10 years before rusting to a hulk, often a lot less. A modern car is just breaking in a 100,000 miles, and 200,000 is nothing unusual...and this with only minimal maintenance. While many things are cheap and plasticky these days, it's not realistic to include cars in this category. The amount of plastic crap ON them is deplorable, and the complexity has risen dramatically so it is hard to fix them at home, but they do last longer from the factory without careful maintenance.
I bought one for $400 in Canada.I had one look underneath and sold it. The unibody looked rotted. Keep in mind Jay is in Cali. Those cars can be very unsafe underneath.
@@kelharper7971 I agree with all you said but Ralph Nader should re-release his book about the Corvair, Unsafe at any Speed! To include 90% of today's Japanese and other import cars!
My father had 51 Nash Statesman here in Finland, only 7 Statesman shipped to Finland in 1951 and most of them were taxis because of 1952 Olympic in Helsinki Finland. My dad’s one weren’t one of those taxis, but I don’t remember who bought it in 1951 , I just remember that he was some kind of business guy. My father purchased it from local Metroauto in 1958 when this Statesman was changed to new Chevrolet. Father tells me many great stories about his Nash and how great it was, he met my mother first time when he offered her a ride from local dances and drive her home. My father was hard working lumberjack at that time and saved the money for that Nash from his job. In early 60’s Nash was so badly rusted that he took the car apart and sold the engine to some boat and rear axle went to some trailer. I remember seeing that wreck when I was very young. My dad passed on in early 2000, but in early 90’s I was trying to find 1951 Nash Statesman from USA, but before World Wide Web it was a little too hard.
My husband and I had a swell 1953 Nash Pinen Farina 2 door station wagon with totally enclosed front wheel wells ,,It had a flathead 6 of I think 186 inches, water punp was powered by aan extended generator shaft which power a water pump on the side of the lower engine block . It had the Pinen Farina crests badged on both lower front fenders was Sky blue over Navy blue. Bought in 1983 with 53,000 miles and drove it home from Florida to Mississippi with out a hitch. Wish i had it now.
Weather Eye was actually quite an innovation for its time. If I am not mistaken it was the first thermostatically controlled, hot water forced air heater used in an automobile. AMC carried the Weather Eye name well into the 70's.
As was the "All-Weather Eye", the first modern a/c with all the works in the cowl & under the hood, and all controls on the dash. Optional on the big cars as well as the Rambler, 1954. The innovation of 1937s "Weather Eye" was not just thermostatic control, but that it allowed taking fresh outside air through the heater, instead of just recirculating cabin air.
We had one of these when I was a very little kid. I remember it had a huge fold down arm rest in rhe middle of the back seat I used to sit on so I could see out the windows. Dad installed 'curb feelers' so Mom wouldn't scuff the tires lol. Ah yes .... the good old days. Cheers.
Nash didn't go out of business until 1987 when they were purchased by Chrysler. What most people don't realized is that AMC was incorporated in 1916 as Nash Motors, the successor to the Thomas B. Jefferies Co. Yes, AMC's papers of incorporation lists 1916 as the incorporation date. In 1937 Nash bought Kelvinator and changed its name to Nash-Kelvinator Corp. Nash was the surviving company. In 1954 Nash changed its name to American Motors and then did a stock exchange for Hudson. Yes, the AMC name existed before Hudson became a part of AMC. Once again Nash was the surviving company. The Nash name was discontinued in the summer of 1957 but the company lasted until 1987.
yeah guy, i can look up nash and the companys on wikipedia too, you just printed almost word for word on a search, guess what , some of old guys lived through this era, jay is kind of neat but not the genus he wants you to believe, he missed lots of thing in describing this car, and this is from someone that drove these cars.
As far as the 6-12V conversion goes, its more of a matter of convenience. I agree the 6v system is sufficient and fine for the "Sunday cruiser" but for cars that are everyday drivers it's no comparison. The upgrade takes the load off the original wiring and switches. Its convenient for electric accessories, like the CD player, radio and USB chargers. And 6v components are getting difficult to find on short notice.
Father had a 1955 NASH Ambassador Custom that he bought new .. and I was 4yrs old when he brought that monster home. It was a trade-in from a 1952 NASH Statesman that he also bought new a year after I was born. Vehicle was Canary Yellow with a white top. It had the fold down seats to be made into a bed (we went camping and slept in the car), designed by Pina Farina with the "Flying Lady" hood ornament along with the Continental Kit attached. Vehicle had the 255CI straight 6 with the dual Carter side draft carbs with oil bath air filter with the GM 3speed Automatic tranny. Unit had great power using the 6v positive ground system. Yes, had the same starting format as the one above: turn the key on, put the shifter in N pull towards you and starter engages (towards the end of the car's life, Dad had to install a conventional push button on the dash since the switch in the column wore out).. Dash also contained the drawer .. and it was deep. Oh, and it also had the little light on the end of the signal lever (it was a green lens cover) that would blink along with the lights in the gauge set. As the 1950, it rode just as smooth and true, doing shock replacement within the coil springs was a hated thing. Being a unibody design, it eventually rusted real bad to where the suspension actually broke through the body causing the vehicle undriveable when father had it crushed in the early 1980's. I have many picts of that NASH being his all-time favorite car and he was a NASH/RAMBLER/Chrysler fan.
Jay, you are the best! Battista "Pinin" Farina was not involved in styling this one. Much of it was done by Nash engineer Nils Walborg and tested in a wind tunnel, hence the enclosed front wheels. The Weather Eye was, indeed, more than just a heater. It refers, of course the eye of a storm when the weather is calm. Nash introduced it with outside air for the heater and specially designed weather stripping to allow air to evacuate the body without drafts. It was a much improved system when introduced and the basis of what is widely used today. Nash - Kelvinator merged with Hudson on May 1, 1954. The name of the Nash Kelvinator corporation was changed to American Motors which endured, without bailouts or bankruptcies, until acquired by Chrysler in 1987. The Nash and Hudson marques were dropped for the 1958 model year never to return.
My Grandmother had a '49 Statesman and LOVED IT! she always said it was the only car they ever owned that she could drive. My Dad told me, he thought they were going to get a divorce when my Granddad went to town one day and came home with a Brand New '57 Ford Fairline. Dad said she raised so much cane Grandad had to go buy it back. He kept the Ford, but she drove the Nash until 1966. There wasn't much left of it by then. Rust and wear had taken it's toll. It sat in the cow field under an oak tree until about '72. She died in '70 and Grandad died in '74.
Thanks for sharing this. I love this car, she's one of my favorites for this period, as well the 1949 and 1950, all round, soft and cute,, like a gold fish, than 1951, more elegant, more stylish and refined maybe, but still gorgeous and appealling.
Great car, great color combo too. Enjoyed this video, very much! I always hear other buddies of mine talk about Packard's and all the rare and upscale classics, I'm glad you give attention to the common cars of the era, they're very special and very unique. I mean, I drive a '40 Dodge Luxury Liner, doesn't get much more common than that. :-) Thanks for the conformation on the 6V system. They do work just fine, only problem is, some people don't replace the wiring or, if they do, they don't use the right gauge of wires, as you pointed out. Fantastic survivor, they are truly fun cars those Nash Ambassadors.
I bought a Nash Statesman in 1977 when I was a teen living in San Pedro, Ca. It was all original with low miles. You would start it by pressing down on the clutch. People would refer to it as an upside down bathtub. Cost me $1,350 back than.
I saw one of these when I was in my early 20's and I thought the instrument cluster was the coolest thing I ever saw. If I ever build a car I will try to duplicate it.
We had a '60 Rambler Classic wagon with that feature. It came in handy for my parents on those two-day-sometimes-plus pre-Interstate drives to my grandmother's house in Florida.
My dad owned a 1950 Nash Ambassador Custom. He was a Nash guy and owned them from just after WWII until 1954. I remember the WeatherEye controls. He always bought 3-speed manuals. I remember the fold-down seat-beds--but you couldn't have much luggage in the trunk if you wanted to use the bed!
Definitely prefer these videos showcasing older, lesser known & interesting cars than to the super hyped cars of today with their extensive marketing & publicity and everyone and their mom is talking about it.
In the early 50's, my aunt and uncle had one of these. They were in a severe accident and the whole family ended up in the hospital. I remember my uncle saying that the police told him that if they had been in any other car, they would have been killed. My uncle replaced the Nash with a '49 Ford but after about a year, he gave that to his son and bought a '53 Olds 98.
Thanks for showing us this interesting car. I knew it was a Nash without needing to read the title as, when I was a boy, these cars were used in one form or another in The Adventures of Superman TV Series. Lois Lane dove a Nash - sort of a convertible, window frames but no sheet metal roof and Clark Kent drove a Nash roadster ... I think it was called a Nash Healey. Anyway good memories. Thanks.
My grampa had one of these and I remember sitting on his lap hanging on to the wheel while he drove. Thanks for the awesome presentation Jay! Love your insights!
Thanks Jay, my first car was a '55 Nash with the Continental pack in Australia. I paid $3.00 deposit for it and was going to pay the other $22.00 over a period of time. Alas, two days later the engine blew up and blew the oil bath filter off the carby and being 16 yo I thought it was f:~_>d so my mate towed it to a wreckers and I got $5.00 for it. Gee I wish I had the old girl now. I've satisfied my need for old things with my '42 Harley WLA and my wife, hahahahahaha
More specifically, they merged with Hudson in 1954 to become American Motors Corporation, which continued until the Chrysler buyout in 1987. But only the Nash parts of the business in Wisconsin (their three plants in Kenosha, Rancine, and Milwaukee) ended up surviving under AMC ownership, and of those, only one is still standing (it's now a Chrysler parts depot in Milwaukee, it was originally built by Nash to build the LaFayette brand luxury cars, which flopped, then built various Nash models until it eventually became AMC's parts depot). Oh yeah, the old AMC HQ building in Detroit which had originally been built as a Kelvinator refrigerator plant in the 1920's then pressed into service as AMC's engineering department became Chrysler Truck Engineering until it was abandoned in 2009 when Chrysler Truck Engineering moved into new quarters in the main Chrysler Engineering complex in Auburn Hills. I'm not quite sure what Nash got out of that merger with Hudson, other than dealers.
If only Packard had merged with the then new AMC Corporation instead of Studebaker there might still be four. Thank goodness that Tesla is what it is and there is Rivian in the not so distant future. Though different than our past they represent burgeoning domestic automotive manufacturing and new industry. Moreover it can save our remaining legacy makers and might create the signal the reinvention of the great American full size and luxury size cars in the 9 and 8 segments as oil consumption would be of minimal concern.
@@rancedodd Yep, that's what it was originally called, until then-CEO Romney (former GOP candidate Mitt Romney's daddy) realized that "Rambler" had better name recognition and reputation than either "Nash" or "Hudson", and discontinued the Nash and Hudson name badges and all the cars afterwards were just Ramblers. Then when Abernathy took over after Romney left to become governor of Michigan, Abernathy decided he wanted to build big luxury cars and Rambler was synonymous with compact economy cars, so he rebadged everything as AMC, with the Rambler compacts becoming "Rambler by AMC" until finally phased out in 1970 when replaced by the AMC Hornet compact. (The Hornet name being of course a famous Hudson name that became owned by AMC when Hudson merged with Nash, but the Hudson Hornet had been a large car while the AMC Hornet was a compact).
Nice 1950 Nash! As a member of the Hershey Region AACA for 46 years it was great having you at our Fall Meet in Hershey Pa this year sorry I missed seeing you I guess we were just not at the same places at the same time, hope you will come back again real soon .... Love those OLD CARS))
From where I am sitting in Australia, that gorgeous Nash doesn't look old fashioned to me....what a beautiful colour. Thank you Mr Leno. Les Griffiths.
I would rather watch ten videos of old cars like these. Rather than one video of the any million dollar super car.
Great job Jay!
super cars are super stupid. Same performance from $16k motorcycle
Yes, same. Some old cars I can relate to, having had some growing up, and now I own a couple; but super cars are out of my league and also not very interesting to me. Bells and whistles aside, not sure what they are for, except as a bill board to say "I'm rich, I may be short and bald, but I'm rich; hop in ladies". Everything is relative I guess, as my old pal Albo use to say! We got new cars with muscle in the 60's to get chicks too, but not at a million bucks, then. Funny though, some of those old cars we bought for a few thousand are being sold again at American classic car auctions for big bucks too. And those guys who can afford the Shelby Mustangs and super Cameros of the 60's often look just like the man I described earlier! It has come full circle, LOL. :D
"Supercars" just remind me of Arabs. Id take a classic car anyday.
@@שהרבכהן They like them too. Wayne Carinni the little short guy from Chasing Classic cars went to Kuait once to deliver some classics, old ones I think, like Pearce Arrows. And there was a show with a bunch of others there. But I agree, having had 50-60's classics when they were just productions (Ford, Chevy, Mercury), and had/have some today now that they are (67 Mercury, 64 Ranchero, 70 Mustang).
Agree !!!!
My grandpa, who passed just a few years ago at 104, God rest his soul, owned a '51 Nash A.C. and drove the old "boat;" (that's what we, his grandkids, used to call her, "Grandpa's old boat") until she began to really fall apart. After she got to the point where some of the old girl really needed to be rebuilt, he stuck her in his garage and promised grandma year after year after year; "I'll get it done next year dag nab it!", (Gramps had a foul mouth lol) He never did get her rebuilt; as far as I know, it's still sitting in his garage somewhere in Cherry Valley, Illinois. Maybe God gave him a new Nash in Heaven?
Nice story. Thanks for sharing it.
Jay, I bought a 53 Nash Ambassador when I was in college around 1955. I loved it! Still do. I would love to have another. I got my first girlfriend in the summer of 1958 and we married the last of December. We have just completed 57 years of wonderful married life and it sure would be great to go to a Drive-in Movie in my old Nash. I finally traded it for a new Studebaker Lark, I went from a wonderful car to a piece of junk. It is wonderful to reminisce of days gone by. I enjoy seeing your garage and your collection. I am now 80 and will probably never make it to California again. Keep putting your collection on youtube. THANKS!
Never say never, i hope you do make it back someday...
Wow you sound like you have great stories
Yours have a flat head?
Such a beautiful car. I got to tell my Nash story. In 1985, on my 30th birthday I went with my future ex wife to the Marin Jazz Festival on Mt. Tamalpias. I was hanging around the side of the stage when this beautiful sparkle green Nash pulls up. I was transfixed on this thing of beauty! The car parks and out steps Stan Getz and a couple of his musicians. I am just admiring the car and standing at a distance. Stan says hey kid, you like the car, come on over and check it out. He lets me sit in the front and check it out. I was petting it and asking questions. I think Stan knew I had no idea who he was. I had no idea it was Stan until he started his set. My most memorable birthday ever.
I have always wanted one of these, but no matter how hard I've looked, I've never seen one for sale near me. They are by far one of my favorite automobiles of the 1950s, mostly because of their very unique and what I think is beautiful styling.
My mother told me these had a reputation and were nicknamed the seducing sedan.
LOL, that's too funny!
This Nash and a flask of gin were the cats meow and a surefire combo panty remover.
Lot's of cars from the fifties and sixties were what we called "PW's". Second word was "wagon", first word was,... you guessed it ,.... another word for kitty cat!
I had a 65 Rambler American and it too had fully reclining seats and needless to say I have a lot of memories from that car and those days back in the 70s!!
@@mikebrabant4170 They called it a "laydown" Rambler!
Back in 1969 when I was 21 years old I bought a 1951 Nash Statesman Airflyte from a SAAB dealer’s used car lot for $150. That was a very small amount of money even back then. I was a Nash fan and I knew a lot about these cars so when I saw this car on their lot I was ecstatic! They sold it to me as “junk” due to the fact that wanted to make it clear there was no warranty. The car had relatively few miles on it….about 60,000 if memory serves. Regardless of the junk label it drove well and easily passed inspection. The interior was all original (cloth) and in great condition and, as with all Nashes the seats converted to a bed. It has an optional hood ornament that looked like the one on the 1950 car Jay Leno has.
For 1951 the uniscope dashboard was abandoned and my dashboard design did not look anywhere nearly as nice as the one in Leno’s 1950 model. I swear it had a knob labeled RW for an option my car did not have. Nash couldn’t have offered a rear-wiper option (could they?) as the pulley system used for the regular wipers looked like a Rube Goldberg contraption. Nash kept the blinking red light at the end of the turn signal lever and it worked fine and was quite a novelty. Exterior design changes included a slight alteration of the grille which now had vertical bars instead of a crosshatch design and the turn signal parking light combo was changed also. The rear was the most extensive change and what could be described as a tasteful fins/taillight combination was added. That look continued to evolve through 1955. I believe that the Pininfarina Italian design firm had nothing to do with any of the Nash’s design from 1949 to 1951 but the name was used for 1952 redesign and beyond in their advertising even though the Nash Motor Company had most of the influence over the final design. They wanted the prestige of Pininfarina’s name.
My Nash was in very good original condition with miner rust on the rockers and slightly above. I decided to sand and prime the lower portion of the sides and I applied a darker blue paint to the area below the low chrome trim that ran along the entire lower sides of car thus making the car a two-tone. I knew that I would never match the original color and the complimentary color looked really great. No joke. The rest of the car’s original finish was beautiful enamel and had quite a shine to it after I waxed it. I drove the car for a couple of years to work and to college in all weather conditions and it was really a great vehicle. Mine was a three-on-the-tree and it shifted just fine. To start the car you had to turn the ignition key to the on position and then depress the clutch thus depressing the button on the floorboard that activated the starter motor. The car moved out alright but the Statesman’s engine was, I believe, a slightly less powerful seven main bearing straight six than Leno’s Ambassador had. The car, by all accounts, was very aerodynamic and the design was wind tunnel tested and had a very low drag coefficient. Part of the aerodynamic design was the enclosed wheel wells which forced the car to have a relatively narrow track so that the front wheels had room to turn. This made the turning radius slightly smaller then that of the Queen Mary and the car list like the Titanic if you took a corner fast. The only work I ever had to do on the car was to put in a rebuilt starter motor and replace a broken part to the window roll-up mechanism. I took that part from an older Nash I saw abandoned with other cars in a farmer’s field. I applied rust proofing to the its underside (no separate frame with unibody construction) in a valiant attempt to slow down the advance of rust occurring due to Western New York’s winters and the extensive use of salt on our roads.
My Nash, unlike Leno’s, did run hot and I had to keep an eye on the temperature gauge on really hot days. The car was built like a tank and one time, when I pulled over to the side of the road to pick-up a hitchhiker, a Renault hit my Nash in the back end. The front of the Renault was wedged under the rear of my Nash and it had a seriously damaged front end including a crumpled hood and broken windshield. The only damage to my Nash (I swear this is true) was a dent the size of the tip of your thumb beneath the trunk on the lower chrome trim band that encircled the car. I had to ask the Renault driver to try to back up as I pulled forward to separate the two cars as they were stuck together.
Unfortunately one day there was a tapping as of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. It was an internal engine issue and, as an act of desperation, I tried STP engine oil treatment that solved a similar problem a couple years earlier with my 1950 Dodge. No luck this time. Not having the mechanical skill of Jay Leno or the finances to hire a real mechanic I contacted someone who had remarked that he would like to buy my car if I ever wanted to sell it. He was the manager of a local fast food restaurant that I frequented. I told him about the problem and sold him the car for about what I paid for it. He said he planned to restore it and I figured it had a better chance of survival with him than with me.
I always loved the cars of the forties and the 1951 Nash’s basic design was first introduced in 1949 … 1951 was the last year of that body style. I loved the look and the feel of those old cars and will always remember my old Nash. Perhaps it is still out there somewhere.
.
The short version please
Great story!
@@briandelion49 yes
@@brettcannon74 trouble reading?
Jay is the coolest guy ever I love how he keeps it real like the missing horn ring if he didn’t say that I would have never known. But he did and that’s what I like about him he’s honest
Jay's got that fine sentiment for the automobile that really does touch you )) Love his videos, plenty of nostalgic nice feeling about the cars, people, their stories and all the rest
My Dad bought a new 1953 V8 Ford for a trip from Texas to northern California. Ate gas like a thirsty camel after a trip through the desert. Before we got to California he nicknamed the Ford "Rough Rider" because it was such a hard ride. On the trip back to Texas we stopped at a diner in LA. Across the street there was a used car lot and they had a 1952 Nash Ambassador sitting up front. Dad went over to look at it and traded the Ford straight across for the Nash. Nick named it the "Smooth Rider", great gas mileage and he fell in love with the way it looked. He always bought a Nash when he had to buy a new car .He never bought another Ford.
great story.
I love those interiors. So spacious, like a living room with recliners and sofas. That’s what I want from contemporary cars of today.
That is a BEAUTIFUL car! I love the styling and all the room inside.
Isn't the interior gorgeous?
If it came with a potty it would be a great little RV!!
I was born in '49, and to me in the early '50s all cars looked like this ... in cartoons, in movies, and on the roads everywhere. They were comforting ... yeah, comforting.
Your so right about the cars all looking like "roundybacks" in the comics and cartoons back in the day. The comic strip Nancy and Sluggo come to mind especially! As a kid I always wondered why those cars always looked so old fashion when all around me were space age looking cars with tailfins!!😅
I worked in a shop, downtown SF, CA when it was fun. I got to work on one. Rich deep burgundy, with awesome new seats. I did the work. I got to test drive it and open her up on the road. A fine tuned rolling masterpiece. I drove to "Original Joe's" in the original location back in the day. Yup, got to share the rides with a few cats from that spot "owner". Trip down memory lane.
Thanks for the vid Jay.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. My grandparents had this exact same Nash. Same color, same trim, same automatic transmission. My brother and I rode in that back seat cavern many times. They drove it for years and then traded it in on a ‘57 Nash Rambler.
Years ago, I was polishing my newly acquired (in 1978!) 1959 Rambler American...I freaked, when I noticed that the turn signal indicator in the front had NASH stamped on it!
I really love how normal he is! "I'm missing the horn ring, I'm gonna have to get that..."
jay even wears normal guy clothes around the garage.
Showing the commercial is a major + for the viewer, as well as any Life or Saturday Evening Post adverts(for color). I enjoy the history side of the ad campaigns. GREAT!!!
I am an old 89 yrs and still able to appreciate the beautiful American automobile's of my youth. I remember well the Nash, the Pacakards, Hudson'sand irrmember many that were brought back to life when WW 2 caused shortage of road worthy vehicles. Tell Mr. Leno I will work on the Garage with no pay just to be around the wonderful collection. God Bless us all And many happy drives.
Thank you Jay, for highlighting the Nash. My father had a Nash 600 ( I believe),and my grandfather had a Nash Ambassador. My Grandfather died in 1953, and my father inherited my Grandfather's Nash Ambassador. I was only 5 years old in September of 1953, so I don't remember a lot about the car.
My parents had this Nasg Ambassador in 1953 only in robin's egg blue. I always called it the Easter Egg. We used it camping sometimes and slept on the folded-down seats many times, once in the Everglades when it was too late to drive to a motel. On long night trips, I would make a bed using a blanket in the rear seat, right side floor - just large enought for my 4 year old body. I would listen to the hum of the road a few inches below me as the Nash sped along the just-built New Jersey Turnpike on the way to my grandmother's house in Washington, D.C. . It was a tank of a car and exactly as Jay describes it, but it had a fine elegance on the road.
I bought one of these cars for $100 in 1960. I drove in a car pool and one of the guys would make the car into a bed and take a long nap at noon. The big tube radio didn't work and I hung a transitor radio on the clock area and fed the outlet to the speaker system. It was a tube radio and I took it out and got it repaired and it worked wonders, Great speaker system.. It had pre-tuning bars in the radio and a foot feed so you could index through the preset channels with your left foot. I thought that was a huge feature. It had a super large trunk and the guy that owned it before me had used it to haul chunks of coal home from the Southern Railroad yards as he was an engineer. Used the lumps in an old cast iron pot belly stove in a hunting cabin. It made a big mess in the trunk and that was part of the "buy as is" deal. I had a new Chevvie station wagon that would not start when my wife was ready to come home from hospital, so I drove the Nash. The old days they took her to the car in a wheel chair and the nurse carried my daughter, til my wife got seated and then placed Robyn in her arms. All the time she was embarrassedly telling everyone that we had a new car at home..
Great story Bob!
My 67 Continental had that floor radio scan button. That was a great feature.
Interesting to see someone who is apparently relatively literate and able to spell correctly write "Chevvie" instead of "Chevy". It never occurred to me that there might be people unable to spell "Chevy" correctly (if there is such a thing as "correctly", of course), but certainly not that that might be the ONE word a person misspelled!
Found on road dead, GM......well who cares where they die as long as it's not in the way.
Mid fifties Buicks could have the floor button for the radio to jump to the next station. There would also be a bar on the radio to do the same thing. Probably a premium radio option. And Studebakers maybe up to 1952 also had the starter button under the clutch pedal.
Passed my driving test in a 1950 Nash Ambassdor when when I was 15. My high school friend still had the old gal until 2001! Great to see it again
Nice
This is one of the nicest looking and customer thoughtful cars from that era. I would definitely buy one if I could find one on great condition.
I'm looking.
@@charlesperry6093 how far can you turn lock to lock? the front wheels are covered with body work..
@@vincentl.9469 11:38 - The front track was quite a bit narrower to enable a reasonable turning radius. The body was wind tunnel refined & these cars got outstanding mpg for the day, and considering the low compression ratios of the time.
My parents had the exact same car and I remember road trips. Once from Toledo, Oh to Washington, DC. Wish I had it now.
My Dad loved his Nashes. We had a '53 , a '55 that had 'Body by Pinninfarina' plate on the door thresholds (like GM had Body by Fisher), and their last model year, a '57 with quad headlights, & V8. Unfortunately I was too young to take advantage of the flat folding seats. Thanks for the time trip!
Jay always brings a smile to my face with his reverential, loving presentations of these grand old rides. He considers himself a caretaker of them and I shudder to think what will happen to all his cars when he's gone. I don't see the Honda fart-can muffler crowd of today respecting history like our generation does, sadly.
Young car enthusiast exist, don't you worry, we are here
I'm 31, and I have been around cars all my life, make a living servicing them, and I appreciate all the classics. My favorite era of automobile is the Art Deco era, and my favorite section of Jay's garage is the steam garage.
I live in England so I am not knowledgeable about California, however I wonder if there is a risk of an earthquake which would maybe damage all the vehicles in that garage?
I personally don't care what people do to their cars regarding modifications. As long as they don't alter the shape of the frame and chop it up.
To echo a previous comment, we're here! there are younger people who love old cars. The biggest thing working against us is how closed off some classic car owners are. The best thing you can do to help the hobby is to get out there. Drive your cars, talk to us, find some of us and get us involved in actually working on the cars. They may look great at a show but they look best on the road, or in a driveway on jacks with people working on them, especially if those people are being taught how to.
And I hope Mr. Leno sets up some sort of trust to keep his collection together and create a museum.
I think I'll run down to my local Nash dealer and check out all the new models today! Thanks Jay for your appreciation of the "family" car - the cars America drove.
Probably my favorite "Garage" episode....humorous ending, car you could find, and like a visit with a friend. A funny friend with lots of cool toys.
another car Jay has collected from a family whose patriarch passed away, and the family wished to sell it to Jay for preservation. Jay has done this several times. A noble gesture and in keeping with his philosophy that no worthy car shall go homeless.
Reminds me off the old Mercs , bathtub cars . Didn't think they were cool when I was a kid , but now I love them. Nice job Jay !
The reason why Nash disappeared in the 1950's is because Hudson and Nash merged to form American Motors.
Ø
The names of Nash and Hudson disappeared from the book, however the merger of both was that of American Moters Corporation which much later was known as a Rambler. And those old Ramblers were pretty darn good, reliable cars to.
@@danbasta3677 how could you turn in a tight spot with faired front wheels?
Jay I’m about half way through the video, you have not mentioned, Nash helped sponsor, NASCAR, for Big Bill France, and he had Curtis Turner, drive one. I’m not sure if was 1949 or 1950, but I have seen photos of the car w Turner Turner & France by the driver’s door, cool photo. I don’t know, if it won any race’s it ran in. But it’s interesting to know this much… I watch the one you have on your Hudson Hornet, and your Marshall Teagues car. Great video.🎉 thanks for all your work.
Thanks for sharing that info! 👍🏿
Jay your channel was founded on these older cars.. don't feel ashamed that you're not doing a super car. I love these cars more. More interesting, more history. just all around cool.
David G I agree. New cars are okay, but I particularly like these old-school cars and trucks.
This IS a super car.
That was the best car review ever! Mr. Leno is a great storyteller.
no the best car ever, is citroen 2cv :)
@Truthisstrangerthan Fiction Yeah, love that! So nice to remember a simpler honest-er time! Now gone for ever and ever I guess!
... "shade tree mechanic!". ..LOL!!
I love the design of cars of that era. The early 1950s, before the big fins became all the rage, are easily my favorite period with respect to looks.
Same i like the 49-54 models of cars much more that the big fin monstrosities that came later.
Who thumbs down these videos? If you don't like Jay then don't watch. How could you dislike someone showing you some old cars that you probably never even knew about?
Jay still has that great sense of humor. Thanks sir for this stroll down memory lane. Love the car. Unique and stylish. Beautiful paint job, the multiple tones and interior. Marvelous.
Made me crack up when Jay said dads wouldn't let their daughters go out with guys who owned this car lol
your dp also made me crack up :D :D
Kitho James :D
Great show
I heard that some drive in's wouldn't admit teens driving their daddy's Nash because of the inappropriate ability to fully recline the seats. I had a '61 Rambler American that the front seats, when slid forward, would allow the seat backs to lay flat and match the level of the rear seat. I miss that car. ;)
Papaya Man It's the ultimate "backseat" kinda car LOL.
*"Hey Cindy, you know if you wanna get more comfortable this seat folds into a bed. ;)"*
Love those old cars...and that paint job! Thanks for sharing these old beauties with us, Jay!
Jay you never retired ! Thank for giving up so much of your life to camera.
We had a 1950 Nash when I was born (1954) that I don't remember but from photos... nice to learn about the actual car! My dad passed away in 1995 but refused to buy any Big 3 car his entire life... We had Nash, Studebakers, Ramblers... Last new American car he bought new was a 1963 Rambler; after that only foreign-made!
Ya know, Jay. I find myself totally enthralled by your car vids; the real Jay Leno. So relaxing, so real person, so cool and unassuming. This is awesome
"You hit your head on that dash and they just hose it off and sell it to somebody else."
"It's not unusual to find a Kia or Hyundai crushed up under the wheel well."
Kinda cringe-worthy, actually.
I constantly watch this episode with that beautiful Nash. That car is just incredible and the feel is very warm with a going home feel. Just wish cars would be made like them once again.
I've never seen a Nash Ambassador Custom, but I've always had an interest in its little brother, the Metropolitan. There's quite a following for the Metropolitan in UK and I seek out any that appear in classic car shows I visit in UK. My earliest memory of a Metropolitan was about 1960 (I'd be 5) when our family doctor ("General Practitioner") got the Austin of England version. Now, at 5 years old, I wasn't aware of the tie-up between Nash and Austin (that knowledge came MUCH later in my lifetime), but I always remember this quirky, 2-tone car the doctor drove. To my 5 year old child-eyes, it looked like something out of Toy Town, but as I grew up (well, "got older" anyway!) I learned about its American roots.
As an aside, between 1935 and 1939, Brough (the luxury British motorcycle marque) imported about 85 in total Hudson chassis and engines, built a body on them and sold them as Brough Superiors. I was unaware of this until I went to a classic car show in Manchester, GB last year (2017) and saw one displayed. You live and learn! Great videos Jay- I love 'em.
For being so wealthy, Jay is a down to earth, regular guy. Love seeing his videos.
Wealthy because he was smart and worked hard
I've loved these since I was about 10. Just different enough to be cool without being quirky. Thanks Jay for this information and now I definitely want one again!
I love the old classic car videos way more than the new car videos. The classic cars have so much more character and we all know we will never see such artistic freedom in a car nowadays, due to all the safety rules and regulations.
And iId rather survive a crash so I'd trade some character for safer design any day, even though I also like the character of the old cars.
Everyone thinks their f'ing worthless and meaningless lives mean so much! Go like hell, you'll get there, most of the time. So why not in style rather than with the POS crap "safe" cars they sell today! "Snowflake nation" I guess!
@@grahambarnes7325 I feel the same! I remember seeing a fatal accident many years ago, just a couple of minutes after it had happened. Some unfortunate older guy was driving an early 50s Plymouth that had been hit head-on...His eyes were bugged out, his chest was impaled by the steering column. Unforgettable tragic moment.
when we were kids we used to make fun of the nash cars because they looked so funny to us but now i think they look way cool. kind of one of the pinnacles of late 40's styling with many innovations that were ahead of it's time.
Dad had a '47 Rambler, we drove it up route 17 from Long Island to Batavia every year for several years in the 50's. Three adults and three kids, never had a mechanical problem and Grandma hung onto the strap the whole way...
I always appreciate your videos Jay . If I were fortunate enough to make the kind of money you do, I'm pretty sure I'd spend it the same way. On cool cars, trucks and motorbikes. The fact that you share your passion, our passion, with us and give us history lessons to boot is a testament to what a true car guy you are. Thanks for all the videos and thanks too for sharing your knowledge with us. Being able to see your collection is absolutely on my bucket list.
Best episode in a while. Just straight car talk about an original classic. Great stuff!
Freakin love that 50's "state of the art" styling
I think this car has a British feel to it, if the Brits ever made such a huge car like this. It's an island, and there's only so much room. With fiberglass, modern car makers
could settle on a design like this and stick with it, instead of having a new looking car each year.
When I was a kid and they were still (occasionally) on the road, I used to call them "bathtub" cars because they reminded me of bathtubs for some reason. I love 'em too!
With this car, they accidentally invented the 4 door coupe before the likes of the Rover p5 and Audi a7
Step dad had one. He had a fit every time he had a flat. We learned to make our selves scarce. Thanks good show
My dad loved these. We had several when I was young... 😎
I had to smile. "$2.00 a night!" "Why, that's ridiculous!" 😄
😆🤣
that's almost a full tank of gas!
I checked my inflation calculator and $2.00 in January 1950 is equal to $22.91 today!
Absolutely wonderful automobile Jay! My Grandfather had an Ambassador when I was a little boy. What a great road car it was. I really enjoyed this video. Thank you Jay!
I love old cars like this. It was from a time where people actually took pride in their work and designed things to last. I'm quite surprised that cars like this are rather affordable. I'd would like to buy one.
thelongslowgoodbye You might want to check out vacuum cleaners from the same time period, I got a working Hoover 62 (1950-1953) for $2 at a rummage sale and it's remarkable.
Sort of. Except that 1950s cars were thought to be doing very well indeed if you reached 100,000 miles before they died, and if they made 10 years before rusting to a hulk, often a lot less. A modern car is just breaking in a 100,000 miles, and 200,000 is nothing unusual...and this with only minimal maintenance. While many things are cheap and plasticky these days, it's not realistic to include cars in this category. The amount of plastic crap ON them is deplorable, and the complexity has risen dramatically so it is hard to fix them at home, but they do last longer from the factory without careful maintenance.
I bought one for $400 in Canada.I had one look underneath and sold it. The unibody looked rotted. Keep in mind Jay is in Cali. Those cars can be very unsafe underneath.
@@kelharper7971 I agree with all you said but Ralph Nader should re-release his book about the Corvair, Unsafe at any Speed! To include 90% of today's Japanese and other import cars!
@Tom Cass Right, certainly than a corvair, but others, ask all the dead folks killed in Japanese tin cars each year!
My father had 51 Nash Statesman here in Finland, only 7 Statesman shipped to Finland in 1951 and most of them were taxis because of 1952 Olympic in Helsinki Finland. My dad’s one weren’t one of those taxis, but I don’t remember who bought it in 1951 , I just remember that he was some kind of business guy. My father purchased it from local Metroauto in 1958 when this Statesman was changed to new Chevrolet. Father tells me many great stories about his Nash and how great it was, he met my mother first time when he offered her a ride from local dances and drive her home. My father was hard working lumberjack at that time and saved the money for that Nash from his job. In early 60’s Nash was so badly rusted that he took the car apart and sold the engine to some boat and rear axle went to some trailer. I remember seeing that wreck when I was very young. My dad passed on in early 2000, but in early 90’s I was trying to find 1951 Nash Statesman from USA, but before World Wide Web it was a little too hard.
My husband and I had a swell 1953 Nash Pinen Farina 2 door station wagon with totally enclosed front wheel wells ,,It had a flathead 6 of I think 186 inches, water punp was powered by aan extended generator shaft which power a water pump on the side of the lower engine block . It had the Pinen Farina crests badged on both lower front fenders was Sky blue over Navy blue. Bought in 1983 with 53,000 miles and drove it home from Florida to Mississippi with out a hitch. Wish i had it now.
Weather Eye was actually quite an innovation for its time. If I am not mistaken it was the first thermostatically controlled, hot water forced air heater used in an automobile. AMC carried the Weather Eye name well into the 70's.
yes!...and it was a simple, very effective heater!
As was the "All-Weather Eye", the first modern a/c with all the works in the cowl & under the hood, and all controls on the dash. Optional on the big cars as well as the Rambler, 1954. The innovation of 1937s "Weather Eye" was not just thermostatic control, but that it allowed taking fresh outside air through the heater, instead of just recirculating cabin air.
I love watching these videos of Jay Leno's cars. So entertaining, so much learning from him. Amazing story...
My dad had a 60 Rambler Custom. Same thing with the fold down seat. I miss bench seats.
This car is beautiful. My uncle had one and would let me sit in his lap while he drove around in a small town. WOW. Thank you so much for this video.
We had one of these when I was a very little kid. I remember it had a huge fold down arm rest in rhe middle of the back seat I used to sit on so I could see out the windows. Dad installed 'curb feelers' so Mom wouldn't scuff the tires lol. Ah yes .... the good old days. Cheers.
Nash didn't go out of business until 1987 when they were purchased by Chrysler. What most people don't realized is that AMC was incorporated in 1916 as Nash Motors, the successor to the Thomas B. Jefferies Co. Yes, AMC's papers of incorporation lists 1916 as the incorporation date. In 1937 Nash bought Kelvinator and changed its name to Nash-Kelvinator Corp. Nash was the surviving company. In 1954 Nash changed its name to American Motors and then did a stock exchange for Hudson. Yes, the AMC name existed before Hudson became a part of AMC. Once again Nash was the surviving company. The Nash name was discontinued in the summer of 1957 but the company lasted until 1987.
Actually, that is a brief yet very good description of the history of the company....well put! Thanks for that!
yeah guy, i can look up nash and the companys on wikipedia too, you just printed almost word for word on a search, guess what , some of old guys lived through this era, jay is kind of neat but not the genus he wants you to believe, he missed lots of thing in describing this car, and this is from someone that drove these cars.
Mr leno The Nash is highly underrated! Thank you for having it! And it's sweet as heck!
"You hit your head on that dash, they just hose it off, and sell it to someone else."
😂😂😂😂😂
Your head or the dash?
@@Godziller66 Both!
I just noticed I'm smiling the whole time I'm watching Jay doing his thing on his show, what a great guy!
Jay is the GOAT of classic cars and truly love them, even the big ugly ones.
As far as the 6-12V conversion goes, its more of a matter of convenience. I agree the 6v system is sufficient and fine for the "Sunday cruiser" but for cars that are everyday drivers it's no comparison. The upgrade takes the load off the original wiring and switches. Its convenient for electric accessories, like the CD player, radio and USB chargers. And 6v components are getting difficult to find on short notice.
Fantastic episode Jay! Please more of this stuff! Love it!
Father had a 1955 NASH Ambassador Custom that he bought new .. and I was 4yrs old when he brought that monster home. It was a trade-in from a 1952 NASH Statesman that he also bought new a year after I was born.
Vehicle was Canary Yellow with a white top. It had the fold down seats to be made into a bed (we went camping and slept in the car), designed by Pina Farina with the "Flying Lady" hood ornament along with the Continental Kit attached.
Vehicle had the 255CI straight 6 with the dual Carter side draft carbs with oil bath air filter with the GM 3speed Automatic tranny. Unit had great power using the 6v positive ground system.
Yes, had the same starting format as the one above: turn the key on, put the shifter in N pull towards you and starter engages (towards the end of the car's life, Dad had to install a conventional push button on the dash since the switch in the column wore out).. Dash also contained the drawer .. and it was deep.
Oh, and it also had the little light on the end of the signal lever (it was a green lens cover) that would blink along with the lights in the gauge set.
As the 1950, it rode just as smooth and true, doing shock replacement within the coil springs was a hated thing.
Being a unibody design, it eventually rusted real bad to where the suspension actually broke through the body causing the vehicle undriveable when father had it crushed in the early 1980's.
I have many picts of that NASH being his all-time favorite car and he was a NASH/RAMBLER/Chrysler fan.
Jay, you are the best! Battista "Pinin" Farina was not involved in styling this one. Much of it was done by Nash engineer Nils Walborg and tested in a wind tunnel, hence the enclosed front wheels. The Weather Eye was, indeed, more than just a heater. It refers, of course the eye of a storm when the weather is calm. Nash introduced it with outside air for the heater and specially designed weather stripping to allow air to evacuate the body without drafts. It was a much improved system when introduced and the basis of what is widely used today.
Nash - Kelvinator merged with Hudson on May 1, 1954. The name of the Nash Kelvinator corporation was changed to American Motors which endured, without bailouts or bankruptcies, until acquired by Chrysler in 1987. The Nash and Hudson marques were dropped for the 1958 model year never to return.
Thanks Jay! Jay Leno's Garage is so enjoyable.
Old car videos like this are still the best, Jay.
My Grandmother had a '49 Statesman and LOVED IT! she always said it was the only car they ever owned that she could drive. My Dad told me, he thought they were going to get a divorce when my Granddad went to town one day and came home with a Brand New '57 Ford Fairline. Dad said she raised so much cane Grandad had to go buy it back. He kept the Ford, but she drove the Nash until 1966. There wasn't much left of it by then. Rust and wear had taken it's toll. It sat in the cow field under an oak tree until about '72. She died in '70 and Grandad died in '74.
Thanks for sharing this.
I love this car, she's one of my favorites for this period, as well the 1949 and 1950, all round, soft and cute,, like a gold fish, than 1951, more elegant, more stylish and refined maybe, but still gorgeous and appealling.
You HAD ME with 'soft...like a goldfish'! What an apt description!
Could have put it better myself
Had a Nash when I was a kid. Loved the prone seats and the famed
Weather eye. Brings back fond memories. Thanks
What a lineup Nash had. From the Ambassador to the Metropolitan!
Great car, great color combo too. Enjoyed this video, very much!
I always hear other buddies of mine talk about Packard's and all the rare and upscale classics, I'm glad you give attention to the common cars of the era, they're very special and very unique. I mean, I drive a '40 Dodge Luxury Liner, doesn't get much more common than that. :-) Thanks for the conformation on the 6V system. They do work just fine, only problem is, some people don't replace the wiring or, if they do, they don't use the right gauge of wires, as you pointed out.
Fantastic survivor, they are truly fun cars those Nash Ambassadors.
I bought a Nash Statesman in 1977 when I was a teen living in San Pedro, Ca. It was all original with low miles. You would start it by pressing down on the clutch. People would refer to it as an upside down bathtub. Cost me $1,350 back than.
Yes, that comment was said about them back them. You either liked the look of it or hated it, kind of like an Edsel.
@@tommytruth7595 who ever like the look of an Edsel?
MICOLE WHYTE#Oneplus6T, A20, LG G6, the later models were ok.
I saw one of these when I was in my early 20's and I thought the instrument cluster was the coolest thing I ever saw. If I ever build a car I will try to duplicate it.
My dad had a 1951 Ambassador.
The sound out of the tube radio was GREAT, even for AM
Great video. We all appreciate your passion and enthusiasm.
Gorgeous car!! Our '62 Rambler American Wagon also had the front seats that folded into a bed and the Weather Eye heater/vent control.
We had a '60 Rambler Classic wagon with that feature. It came in handy for my parents on those two-day-sometimes-plus pre-Interstate drives to my grandmother's house in Florida.
Love the car! My aunt had one in the 50s.
The driver's door could use a repaint with a better match.
Whenever he shows the underside, or engine compartment, it's always too dark. Some lighting would be nice.
Beautiful vehicle. I love all the round curves and skirts. My Grandpa had an old Kaiser that reminds me of this a bit.
My dad owned a 1950 Nash Ambassador Custom. He was a Nash guy and owned them from just after WWII until 1954. I remember the WeatherEye controls. He always bought 3-speed manuals. I remember the fold-down seat-beds--but you couldn't have much luggage in the trunk if you wanted to use the bed!
Definitely prefer these videos showcasing older, lesser known & interesting cars than to the super hyped cars of today with their extensive marketing & publicity and everyone and their mom is talking about it.
"Won't see me blowing two bucks!" This isn't too far from the truth... Jay is quite good with money!
In the early 50's, my aunt and uncle had one of these. They were in a severe accident and the whole family ended up in the hospital. I remember my uncle saying that the police told him that if they had been in any other car, they would have been killed. My uncle replaced the Nash with a '49 Ford but after about a year, he gave that to his son and bought a '53 Olds 98.
Thanks for showing us this interesting car. I knew it was a Nash without needing to read the title as, when I was a boy, these cars were used in one form or another in The Adventures of Superman TV Series. Lois Lane dove a Nash - sort of a convertible, window frames but no sheet metal roof and Clark Kent drove a Nash roadster ... I think it was called a Nash Healey. Anyway good memories. Thanks.
My grampa had one of these and I remember sitting on his lap hanging on to the wheel while he drove. Thanks for the awesome presentation Jay! Love your insights!
I can’t believe you have a “My Pillow,” Jay.
HE CAN AFFORD SOMETHING BETTER THAN A LUMPY SHREDDED FOAM PILLOW.
Thanks Jay, my first car was a '55 Nash with the Continental pack in Australia. I paid $3.00 deposit for it and was going to pay the other $22.00 over a period of time. Alas, two days later the engine blew up and blew the oil bath filter off the carby and being 16 yo I thought it was f:~_>d so my mate towed
it to a wreckers and I got $5.00 for it. Gee I wish I had the old girl now. I've satisfied my need for old things with my '42 Harley WLA and my wife, hahahahahaha
Nash didn't go out of business in the mid 50s, the company morphed into American Motors, which was finally bought out by Chrysler in 1987.
More specifically, they merged with Hudson in 1954 to become American Motors Corporation, which continued until the Chrysler buyout in 1987. But only the Nash parts of the business in Wisconsin (their three plants in Kenosha, Rancine, and Milwaukee) ended up surviving under AMC ownership, and of those, only one is still standing (it's now a Chrysler parts depot in Milwaukee, it was originally built by Nash to build the LaFayette brand luxury cars, which flopped, then built various Nash models until it eventually became AMC's parts depot). Oh yeah, the old AMC HQ building in Detroit which had originally been built as a Kelvinator refrigerator plant in the 1920's then pressed into service as AMC's engineering department became Chrysler Truck Engineering until it was abandoned in 2009 when Chrysler Truck Engineering moved into new quarters in the main Chrysler Engineering complex in Auburn Hills.
I'm not quite sure what Nash got out of that merger with Hudson, other than dealers.
If only Packard had merged with the then new AMC Corporation instead of Studebaker there might still be four.
Thank goodness that Tesla is what it is and there is Rivian in the not so distant future. Though different than our past they represent burgeoning domestic automotive manufacturing and new industry. Moreover it can save our remaining legacy makers and might create the signal the reinvention of the great American full size and luxury size cars in the 9 and 8 segments as oil consumption would be of minimal concern.
I remember hearing the term Nash Rambler .
@@rancedodd Yep, that's what it was originally called, until then-CEO Romney (former GOP candidate Mitt Romney's daddy) realized that "Rambler" had better name recognition and reputation than either "Nash" or "Hudson", and discontinued the Nash and Hudson name badges and all the cars afterwards were just Ramblers. Then when Abernathy took over after Romney left to become governor of Michigan, Abernathy decided he wanted to build big luxury cars and Rambler was synonymous with compact economy cars, so he rebadged everything as AMC, with the Rambler compacts becoming "Rambler by AMC" until finally phased out in 1970 when replaced by the AMC Hornet compact. (The Hornet name being of course a famous Hudson name that became owned by AMC when Hudson merged with Nash, but the Hudson Hornet had been a large car while the AMC Hornet was a compact).
The 1968 AMC Ambassador was pure luxury.
Nice 1950 Nash! As a member of the Hershey Region AACA for 46 years it was great having you at our Fall Meet in Hershey Pa this year sorry I missed seeing you I guess we were just not at the same places at the same time, hope you will come back again real soon .... Love those OLD CARS))
From where I am sitting in Australia, that gorgeous Nash doesn't look old fashioned to me....what a beautiful colour. Thank you Mr Leno. Les Griffiths.
I'd take that over a 57 Chevy any day of the week.
Controversial