Classically Trained:
The Nashes of 1930-34
by Patrick R. Foster
N
ash Motors Company rode high
throughout the Twenties. Car
sales more than tripled during
the decade, rising from a reported 34,634
units in 1920 to 105,113 in calendar-year
1929. Nash reported a profit of more
than $18 million in ’29, too. It was truly a
splendid era. It was indeed the “Roaring
Twenties.”
Not surprisingly, tastes in automobiles grew richer during this time. At the
beginning of the decade, simple open
touring cars and roadsters were the most
popular vehicles but, by 1929, closed
Charlie Nash planned
wisely and built
boldly as the Great
Depression weighed
down on American
society. Never would
the cars his company
made be grander.
cars were the rage. Six-cylinder engines
became the motors of choice for mediumpriced cars like Nash, Chrysler, Buick,
and Hudson, and the straight eight was
coming into prominence as well.
Staid, cautious Charlie Nash had managed to avoid most of the rash exuberance
of the decade, gradually building up his
production so as to not get caught with
too much capacity if a downturn came.
But even Charlie had to be a little dazzled
by the unbridled optimism of the times.
It showed in his cars. Nash responded to demands for ever more luxury
and quality by moving his model range
upward to new heights of excellence
in styling and features while maintaining—or even reducing—prices to enlarge
his share of the market. It was a strategy
that worked during the Twenties and he
saw no reason why it shouldn’t work in
the Thirties. But he worried nonetheless.
Nash had reasons for concern. Despite
the current prosperity he knew that more
than 560 nationally known automobile
companies had gone bust since 1913—all
from the ranks of the independents. In
order to remain healthy, Nash believed he
had to continue to watch costs, maintain
low inventories, and not overproduce. He
also needed to make sure his cars were
built to an exceptionally high standard;
owner loyalty was outstanding and it
was because of the honest service given
by his automobiles.
A good part of the company’s success
was because the cars really were superior.
In mid 1928, Nash Motors introduced its
completely new and elegant 400-series
cars for 1929. They were superb automobiles, the company’s best by far. Response
was so great the factory was unable to
keep up with demand. Shooting for the
moon, Nash introduced a revamped 400
for 1930 with an engine the company had
never before offered: a straight eight.
The new 400s were introduced in
October 1929 with the announcement
that “A fine car has been made finer—a
great success yields the spotlight to a
worthy successor—a new Nash ‘400’ is
ready for the road.” The lineup consisted
of a robust 32 models in three series:
Single Six; Twin Ignition Six; and the
flagship of the line, the splendid Twin
Ignition Eight.
Opposite: Impressive styling and standout features like a two-spark-plugs-per
cylinder straight-eight engine made
Depression-era Nashes like the 1932
Special Eight among the finest cars that
the company would ever make. (Owner: Bob
Clarke) Right: Even the promotion of the
cars was memorable, like the tower of rotating Nashes at the Chicago World’s Fair.
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February 2014
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There were body styles to fit just about
any desire. The Single Six offered nine
models including coupes with or without rumble seat, a roadster, cabriolet,
phaeton, two- and four-door sedans, a
Deluxe sedan, and a spiffy landaulet
four-door sedan. The range of offerings
was intended to please just about any
budget. Introductory prices started at just
$915 for the business coupe and two-door
sedan, and topped out at $1125 for the
landaulet, though prices were raised by
$20 to $30 by the first of the year.
The new Single Six rode a 114.25-inch
wheelbase, two inches longer than 1929’s
Standard Six, with a double-drop frame
that boasted five cross members. Styling
was superb with flowing lines, Frenchstyle rooflines, and limousine-type
doors. The look was massive yet refined;
strongly American but with continental
flavor as well.
The chassis was an engineer’s delight.
Full automatic lubrication to 16 vital bearing points was a distinctive feature in
this price class. Cam-and-lever steering
provided what Nash claimed was “the
world’s easiest steering,” while cableactuated four-wheel internal-expanding
drum brakes could haul the car down in
no time flat while providing full equalization. Sturdy leaf springs and Lovejoy
single-action shock absorbers combined
for a smooth ride.
Powering the Single Six was a sturdy
L-head engine, stroked to 201 cid and
delivering 60 bhp, a 20-percent boost
from 1929. The engine was beautifully
engineered, boasting four-ring aluminum
pistons with Invar struts, rifle-bored connecting rods, and a seven-main-bearing
crankshaft on which every surface was
machined to provide greater smoothness
by decreasing weight and, thus, centrifugal force. Hollow crankpins reduced
mass; according to Nash, this alone eliminated three tons of centrifugal force at
top speed. Full-pressure lubrication and
automatic radiator shutters (the latter
making its first appearance on Nashes)
were other notable features.
Hooked up to this smooth powerplant
was a “perfected, silent” three-speed
manual gearbox with floor lever. The rear
axle was a semifloating Hotchkiss type.
Next up the model range was the
Twin Ignition Six. It essentially replaced
the Advanced and Special sixes, falling
between those two 1929 series in terms
of engine size and wheelbase.
Underhood was an ohv inline engine
of 242 cid that delivered 74.5 bhp at 2800
rpm. As its name implied, it utilized
Nash’s year-old system of dual ignition
coils and two spark plugs per cylinder. With a total of 12 spark plugs and
their attendant wires, the distributor cap
looked a little like Medusa’s head, but
the system worked rather well. Based
on aircraft principles of the day, benefits
included more complete combustion that
resulted in better fuel economy and the
elimination of ping and knock.
Twin Ignition Six models rode two
wheelbases: 118 inches for most models
or an impressive 128.25 inches for four
special body styles. A total of 11 models
were offered, starting with two- and fourdoor sedans, a cabriolet, a pair of coupes,
a roadster, and a two-door Victoria. Longwheelbase offerings included conventional and dual-cowl phaetons (the latter
of which Nash called a “Tonneau Cowl
Touring”), a seven-passenger four-door
sedan, and a limousine. Initial prices
ranged from $1295 for the two-passenger
coupe and two-door sedan to $1695 for
the seven-seat sedan, but the limo was
tagged at $1920 when it bowed in March.
At the very top of the line for 1930 were
the Twin Ignition Eights. These were
the most magnificent Nashes yet built,
gorgeous automobiles boasting beautiful
styling and a drivetrain worthy of cars
costing much more.
Twin Ignition Eights were powered by
a nine-main-bearing ohv engine designed
by Nash’s longtime chief engineer, Nils
Erik Wahlberg. Displacing 298.6 cubic
inches and providing 100 bhp, the eight
could move the big Nash “To Eighty
Miles Per Hour in 3 Blocks,” according to
company advertisements.
Luxury and handsome styling were the
1, 2. Nash carried two six-cylinder lines
in 1930. The larger, costlier Twin Ignition
Six series had an ohv 242-cid engine.
Model choices included a $1365 roadster. (Owner: Dr. James Dunkel) 3. At the
top stood the Twin Ignition EIghts. Most,
including the $1845 seven-passenger touring, rode a 133-inch wheelbase. 4. Cowboy
film star Tom Mix and his trusty mounts: his
horse, Tony, and a 1930 Nash sedan.
1. A reduced lineup for 1931 left room
for one six-cylinder series without dual
ignition. In profile, the rare delivery car
looked like a 660-series two-door sedan.
2. A new 880 series had a striking twodoor convertible sedan. 3. An 890-series
Ambassador sedan at the New York Auto
Show. 4. The ’32 model year began with
modified and renumbered ’31s like the 980
convertible sedan. (Owner: Douglas Ogilvie)
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February 2014
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main draws of the Twin Ignition Eights—
that and Nash’s renowned dependability.
Like the other 400-series cars, they featured bodies by Nash affiliate Seaman
Body Corporation. Construction was of
the then-common composite type: wood
framing with a welded steel cowl, windshield header, and corner posts that were
safer and more advanced than many
competitors. The steel body panels, said
Nash, were “seamless, uniform and
everlasting.” Salon-styled interior trim,
pressed-in body moldings, a fluted gastank cover, and chrome plating on all
hardware were just some of the luxury
touches that has earned these big Nashes
the nickname “Little Duesenbergs.” Sure
enough, the Twin Eights (and even Twin
Sixes) began appearing in garages of the
rich and famous, including kings, maharajas—even cowboy movie star Tom Mix.
They were lured by the outstanding
beauty of the impressive Nash Eight.
These were the largest and heaviest
Nashes to date. There were two- and fourdoor sedans on a 124-inch wheelbase;
bowing at $1625 and $1695, respectively,
they represented incredible value. The
brightest stars were the cabriolet, a pair
of coupes, a seven-passenger sedan, limousine, regular and dual-cowl phaetons,
Victoria, and the elegant Ambassador
four-door sedan (with a choice of metal
upper rear quarter or tan fabric over the
rear quarter and roof), all riding a regal
133-inch wheelbase.
As top-of-the-line cars, the Twin
Ignition Eights naturally included
a smarter interior and more standard
equipment than the others. “Duplate”
shatterproof plate glass for all windows
was included in the base price, along
with a “Steering Shock Eliminator” and
twin windshield wipers.
Automobile Topics magazine said the
new Nashes were “a startling advancement in perfection of design and performance.” That was proven in April when
two stock models, a Twin Ignition Eight
and a Twin Ignition Six, won the prestigious Tour de France, both completing
the event without a single penalty. Nash
also won the Geo Ham Cup at Le Mans
(where they were clocked at more than 85
mph down the Mulsanne Straight) and
took first and second at the Athens Hill
Climb.
The future never looked brighter. In
early October 1929, Automobile Topics
wrote, “Nash dealers ought to do business next year and plenty.” But the stock
market crashed two weeks later, tens of
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“Second-series” ’32 Nashes bowed that
March. Wheelbases and some engine
specifications were changed. 1-4. The
entry-level eight-cylinder line was the
Standard Eight with an L-head powerplant
that had been enlarged to 247.4 cid. The
convertible (1-3) cost $1055; a four-door
sedan (4) started at $40 less. 5-7. A seveninch-longer chassis and a 260.8-cube TwinIgnition engine distinguished the Special
Eight, which commanded $1395 for a
convertible. (Owners: convertibles, Geoffrey
Lentz; sedan, Curt and Carin Larson)
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February 2014
thousands of people lost all their money,
and the country soon entered the Great
Depression. That killed sales for 1930.
It was a shame; in a year when Nash
fielded its finest cars ever, the market sank
dramatically and appeared headed for
worse. For the year, Nash dealers retailed
51,086 cars, less than half as many as
1929. (Estimated model-year production
topped 63,000.) Although such a drastic
drop-off would have crippled another
firm, Nash Motors was able to report a
net profit of $7.6 million for the year and,
surprisingly, paid its stockholders $13.6
million in cash dividends. Charlie Nash
felt certain the economic troubles would
be short-lived. He stated his belief that a
revival would take place during 1931. In
that regard, Nash was dead wrong.
The Depression worsened in 1931.
That October, Nash closed its Milwaukee
assembly plant, consolidating production in Racine and Kenosha. But the firm
was in good shape financially, with $36
million in cash and government securities, and virtually no debt. Charlie had
long believed in socking away money for
a rainy day; now that it was starting to
pour, his thrift would keep Nash safe.
For 1931, the product range was
trimmed to 24 models, offered now in
four series. The new base series was
the Six-60 (or 660), which featured the
L-head six boosted to 65 bhp. Model
choices were pared down to two- and
four-door sedans, business and rumbleseat coupes, and a phaeton, all riding a
114.25-inch wheelbase. Prices were lower;
the two-door sedan was a rare bargain at
just $795.
A new series, the Eight-70, made its
debut with five body styles on a 116.25inch wheelbase: a pair of coupes, six-window four-door sedan, four-window fourdoor Special sedan, and a very handsome
two-door “Landau Convertible Sedan.”
The Eight-70 series was meant to be a volume seller, bringing buyers the smoothness and power of the Nash straight eight
but at prices that started at an amazing
$945 for the business coupe and $955
for the Special sedan. One way Nash
cut costs was by equipping the Eight-70
with an L-head engine with conventional
ignition rather than with much costlier
overhead valves and Twin Ignition. Rated
output of the 227.2-cid powerplant was
78 bhp.
Also new was the Eight-80 series,
which featured a 240-cid 88.5-bhp version of the Twin Ignition Eight engine.
Its five models—six-window sedan, fourcontinued on page 34
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window Town Sedan, business coupe,
rumble-seat coupe, and a two-door convertible sedan—all rested on a 121-inch
wheelbase. Prices started at $1245.
Settling in at the top of the lineup
was the Eight-90, essentially 1930’s Twin
Ignition Eight series renamed. Most
body styles were carried over, though the
two-door sedan was dropped from the
124-inch-wheelbase roster while the dualcowl phaeton and Deluxe Ambassador
sedan were trimmed from the 133-inch
group. Horsepower was hiked by 15 percent, to 115. Prices ranged from $1565 for
the short-wheelbase sedan to $2025 for
the fabulous limousine.
This was the second full year of the
Depression and industry sales continued to fall as the economy grew weaker.
Despite the excellence of the products
at reduced prices, only 39,366 Nash cars
were retailed for 1931.
For 1932, Nash initially carried over the
1931 lineup with new series designations
and vee’d grilles on the eight-cylinder
cars (though it appears that “first-series”
sixes eventually got the “V” grille). The
Six-60, Eight-70, Eight-80, and Eight-90
respectively became the 960, 970, 980, and
990. The 990 series did add a 133-inchwheelbase five-passenger Special sedan.
In March 1932, Nash announced its
“second-series” cars, considered the
“true” ’32 models. All-new series names
were accompanied by new numeric designations.
The base 1060 series, or Big Six, featured six models on a 116-inch wheelbase: four-door sedan, cabriolet, the usual
pair of coupes, a two-door convertible
sedan, and a Town Sedan. With a slight
compression hike, the 201.3-cid L-head
six now made 70 bhp. Prices began at
$777 for the business coupe.
The same six body styles were reprised
in the 1070 Standard Eight line, a budgetpriced eight on a 121-inch wheelbase.
With bore increased to an even three
inches and compression nudged to 5.1:1,
the L-head mill now displaced 247.4
cubic inches and provided 85 bhp. Prices
started at $965, terrific value for an eight.
When buyers moved up another step
to the 1080 Special Eights, they got a longer 128-inch wheelbase and an ohv Twin
Ignition eight bored out to 260.8-cid and
boasting an even 100 horsepower. The
Special Eight some of the same models
as the Standard series. Exceptions were
a five-passenger victoria in place of the
Town Sedan and a true four-door convertible sedan, Nash’s first ever and one of its
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1-5. Second-series ’32s adopted hood-vent doors, tapered parking-light housings on the
front fenders, and a slanted windshield. Nash called its styling “Slipstream.” The Special
Eight’s 100-bhp engine used nine main bearings and updraft carburetion. The four-door
sedan seated five. 6-8. The same $1320 that secured a Special Eight sedan could also
buy a rumble-seat coupe. Ride heights were lowered. (Owner, both cars: Geoffrey Lentz)
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handsomest cars of all time, in lieu of the
two-door convertible sedan. Special Eight
prices ran $1270 to $1475, the latter for
the sporty four-door convertible.
Next up the price ladder was the
133-inch-wheelbase 1090 Advanced Eight
series with the same six body styles as
the Special Eight but motivated by a
silky-smooth Twin Ignition 322-cid powerplant that pumped out a robust 125
bhp. With prices that ranged from $1595
for a sedan to $1875 for the gorgeous
convertible sedan, these were powerful,
well-appointed automobiles.
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At the pinnacle, above the Advanced
Eight series but sharing the 1090 designation and mechanical features, were
Nash’s finest cars to date, the Ambassador
Eights. These supremely comfortable and
luxurious automobiles, equal to many of
the highest-priced cars in the land, rode
a kingly 142-inch wheelbase, the longest
ever used by the company, and came in
a choice of four four-door models: fiveand seven-passenger sedans, a Brougham
sedan, and a limousine. The limo was the
most expensive Nash with a base price
of $2055.
Free Wheeling was a new option.
Special, Advanced, and Ambassador
eights also had lower ride heights, thanks
to a new worm-drive rear axle, which
Nash claimed would go half a million
miles reliably. Styling of all Nashes was
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February 2014
exceptional. Dubbed “Slipstream,” it featured lower lines, a semibeavertail rear,
slanted windshield with no visor, and a
vee’d radiator.
But 1932 was near the nadir of the
Depression and the wretched economy
continued to ruin any hope of a business recovery. Nash sales declined again
for 1932, with retail sales reported to
be 20,233—about half the poor numbers of 1931. However, Charlie Nash had
always run his shops on the principle of
what today is called lean manufacturing: very small stocks of parts that were
turned over up to 26 times per year—an
incredible figure even today—versus the
industry norm of three to five turns per
year. That helped him to earn a profit
of a little over $1 million. The only other
car company to show a profit that year
was mighty General Motors, and some
historians believe it used some creative
accounting to get there. Nash earned its
profit—which was about six times GM’s
reported surplus—by making and selling
cars and from interest on a large stash
of U.S. government bonds. Despite the
small profit, Nash paid out more than $4
million in dividends to his stockholders.
Still, Charlie Nash did feel that a little
fiscal caution was in order, so he continued the second-series ’32s clear into
1933 to use up stocks of parts, finally
introducing new cars on January 7. Series
names and most of the body styles carried over, but there was some wheelbase
and engine maneuvering.
The Standard Eight now shared the Big
Six’s 116-inch stretch; the Special Eight
and Advanced Eight were scaled back
to 121 and 128 inches, respectively; and
the Ambassador Eight reverted to a mix
of 133- and 142-inch-wheelbase models.
Meanwhile, underhood, the six grew to
217.8 cid and 75 bhp. In the eight-cylinder ranks, the Standard’s L-head engine
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was newly extended to the Special.
Displacement stayed put at 247.4 cubic
inches but the Standard’s former rating of
85 bhp now served the Special while the
Standard Eight got an 80-horse variant for
’33. The 260.8-cube Twin Ignition job that
had previously been in the Special Eight
now moved up to the Advanced Eight,
leaving the Ambassador as the sole series
with the 322-cid mill.
The Special Eight swapped its fourdoor convertible sedan for a two-door
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model and dropped the Victoria in favor
of a Town Sedan. The Advanced Eight
added a two-passenger coupe. While the
Ambassador Eight kept the same four
long-wheelbase types it had as a second-series ’32, it now added a four-door
sedan, cabriolet, business coupe, rumbleseat coupe, Victoria, and four-door convertible that rode a 133-inch wheelbase.
American automakers were drawn to
Chicago’s “Century of Progress” World’s
Fair that opened in 1933 and Nash had
a display unlike anything anyone had
ever seen. A soaring nine-story plateglass tower contained an “auto-parking”
elevator that held 18 continually rotating Nash automobiles. Brilliantly lighted,
the colorful display of moving cars ran
day and night throughout the run of
the fair, which had a second season in
1934. Charlie Nash was proud of his car’s
beauty and reputation for quality. “I have
never chosen to build a cheap product,”
he told a reporter, “and I never will.”
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Prices were down sharply for 1933. For
example, the Big Six Town Sedan started
at just $695, or $130 less than it did in
’32, and the cabriolet could be had for as
little as $810, an $85 break from the year
before. However, there was little change
appearancewise and this may be part of
the reason why Nash sales declined to
a rock-bottom 11,353 cars. (Estimated
model-year production wasn’t quite 8400
units.)
At the very depth of the Depression
even Charlie Nash couldn’t pull off another financial miracle; in 1933 his company
reported a loss of $1,188,000—its first
loss ever. However, nearly $1 million of
that was a “paper loss,” i.e. depreciation
of physical property. Even then, Nash
paid out nearly $2 million in dividends to
stockholders.
Realizing he needed to grow volume,
Nash decided to enter the low-price field
in 1934 with a sharp new car he dubbed
the LaFayette and initially marketed as
Collectible Automobile®
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1-6. Advanced Eights for 1932 shared their 322-cid 125-bhp Twin Ignition engine with the
line-topping Ambassador models but had a nine-inch-shorter 133-inch wheelbase. Like
the Ambassadors, ’32 Advanced Eights are certified classics today. (Owner, both cars:
Geoffrey Lentz) 7. In 1933, the Ambassador reverted to a mix of 133- and 142-inch-wheelbase models. The former included a glamourous convertible sedan. (Owner: John Beebe)
February 2014
a separate brand so as to not dilute the
image of the big Nashes. Those senior
lines, introduced on October 1, 1933, saw
several refinements, including a patented
“Air-Vent” in the upper front part of the
front-door glass for better ventilation.
Nashes received their most aggressive
restyling in years. While based on the ’33
cars, the 1934 models received elegant
deeply skirted fenders, rounder body
lines, and horizontal hood-vent doors
with neat chrome handles. There were
stylish ribs running the length of the
hood, chrome bullet-shape headlamp
shells, and a full beavertail rear. Parking
lamps and taillamps were built into the
fenders. The restyling reportedly was
the work of Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky,
the Russian-born industrial designer who
formerly had worked for Hayes Body
Corporation. The overall impression was
one of size and refinement.
With the LaFayette anchoring the bottom of its lineup, the company was able
to trim offerings in the senior lines to
three series. The Big Six returned on
the 116-inch wheelbase, available in a
choice of two coupes, six-window fourdoor sedan, four-window Town Sedan,
and a pair of Brougham sedans with
integral trunks. The middle series was
the Advanced Eight in the same six body
styles but on a new shorter 121-inch
wheelbase. Top-line Ambassador Eights
consisted of two four-door sedans on the
133-inch chassis—one with a trunk, one
without—plus the same four 142-inchwheelbase styles offered previoulsy.
This year all senior Nashes featured
Twin Ignition engines, even the Big Six,
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which gained a new ohv 234.8-cid powerplant rated at 88 bhp. The Advanced
Eight and Ambassador Eight engines
were continued virtually unchanged.
In a year when independent front suspensions were springing up on a number
of American cars, Nash offered the Baker
Axleflex system as an option. Also found
on Hudsons, the Axleflex setup used an
eight-jointed parallelogram ar­range­ment
in place of the conventional beam axle,
but retained semielliptic leaf springs. Dif­
ficult to maintain, Nash dropped Axle­f lex
after 1934.
April 28, 1934, brought a very special
event in the company’s history when the
1-millionth Nash, a Big Six sedan, rolled
off the assembly line in Kenosha. A vis-
1930-34 Nash:
Models, Prices, Production1
1930
Weight PriceProd
Single Six (wb 114.3)
roadster, 2/4P
2,550
975
—
phaeton
2,650 995—
business coupe, 2P
2,650
940
—
coupe, 2/4P
2,700
980
—
cabriolet, 2/4P
2,600 1,005
—
2d sedan
2,750
935
—
4d sedan
2,850 1,005 —
Deluxe Ambassador
4d sedan
2,900 1,095
—
4d landaulet
2,900 1,155
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Total Single Six
33,118
Twin Ignition Six (wb 118.0; *128.3)
roadster, 2/4P
3,250 1,365
—
dual-cowl phaeton*
3,540 1,595
—
phaeton, 7P*
3,450 1,475
—
business coupe, 2P
2,650
940
—
coupe, 2/4P
3,450 1,395
—
cabriolet, 2/4P
3,350 1,385
—
victoria, 4P
3,400 1,410
—
2d sedan
3,500 1,325
—
4d sedan
3,535 1,415
—
4d sedan, 7P*
3,750 1,745
—
limousine, 7P*
3,760 1,920
—
Total Twin Ignition Six
17,346
Twin Ignition Eight (wb 133.0; *124.0)
phaeton, 7P
3,770 1,845
—
dual-cowl phaeton
3,840 1,975
—
business coupe, 2P
3,900 1,915
—
coupe, 2/4P
3,945 1,975
—
cabriolet, 2/4P
3,840 1,875
—
2d sedan*
3,950 1,675
—
4d sedan*
4,000 1,795
—
Ambassador 4d sedan 4,050 2,095
—
Deluxe Ambassador
4d sedan
4,050 2,095
—
4d sedan, 7P
4,170 2,195
—
limousine, 7P
4,210 2,385
—
victoria, 5P
3,950 2,045
—
Total Twin Ignition Eight12,801
Total 1930 Nash
63,265
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ibly proud Charlie Nash declared it “a
memorable day for all Nash men.”
The company set aside the landmark
car as a prize in a nationwide contest
to find the oldest Nash still in service.
There were plenty of contenders, includ-
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1931
660 (wb 114.3)
business coupe, 2P
2,600
795
—
coupe, 2/4P
2,650
825
—
2d sedan
2,740
795 —
4d sedan
2,800
845
—
phaeton
2,640 895—
Total 660
12,241
870 (wb 116.3)
business coupe, 2P
2,870
945
—
coupe, 2/4P
2,920
975
—
4d sedan
3,000
995
—
Special 4d sedan
3,000
955
—
2d convertible sedan
2,950 1,075 —
Total 870
12,116
880 (wb 121.0)
business coupe, 2P
3,200 1,245
—
coupe, 2/4P
3,250 1,285
—
4d sedan
3,360 1,295 —
Special 4d sedan
3,400 1,375
—
2d convertible sedan
3,275 1,325 —
Total 880
6,830
890 (wb 133.0; *124.0)
business coupe, 2P
3,900 1,695
—
coupe, 2/4P
3,950 1,745
—
cabriolet, 2/4P
3,840 1,695
—
4d sedan*
4,000 1,565
—
Ambassador 4d sedan 4,050 1,825 —
4d sedan, 7P
4,170 1,925
—
limousine, 7P
4,210 2,025
—
victoria, 5P
3,950 1,765
—
phaeton, 7P
3,880 1,595
—
Total 890 6,199
Total 1931 Nash
37,386
1932
960 (wb 114.3)
business coupe, 2P
2,600
795
—
coupe, 2/4P
2,650
825
—
2d sedan
2,740
795 —
4d sedan
2,800
845
—
phaeton
2,640 895—
Total 960
5,787
970 (wb 116.3)
business coupe, 2P
2,870
945
—
coupe, 2/4P
2,920
4d sedan
3,000
Special 4d sedan
3,000
2d convertible sedan
2,950
Total 970
980 (wb 121.0)
business coupe, 2P
3,200
coupe, 2/4P
3,250
4d sedan
3,360
Special 4d sedan
3,400
2d convertible sedan
3,275
Total 980
990 (wb 133.0; *124.0)
business coupe, 2P
3,900
coupe, 2/4P
3,950
cabriolet, 2/4P
3,840
4d sedan*
4,000
Special 4d sedan
4,100
Ambassador 4d sedan 4,050
4d sedan, 7P
4,170
limousine, 7P
4,210
victoria, 5P
3,950
phaeton, 7P
3,880
Total 990
Big Six (wb 116.0)
convertible coupe, 2/4P 3,120
business coupe, 2P
3,050
coupe, 2/4P
3,100
4d sedan
3,200
2d convertible sedan
3,125
4d Town sedan
3,150
Total Big Six
Standard Eight (wb 121.0)
convertible coupe, 2/4P 3,270
business coupe, 2P
3,250
coupe, 2/4P
3,300
4d sedan
3,400
2d convertible sedan
3,275
4d Town sedan
3,400
Total Standard Eight
Special Eight (wb 128.0)
convertible coupe, 2/4P 3,750
business coupe, 2P
3,710
coupe, 2/4P
3,800
victoria, 5P
3,840
975
995
955
1,075
—
—
—
—
8,201
1,245
1,285
1,295
1,375
1,325
—
—
—
—
—
5,042
1,695
1,745
1,695
1,565
1,825
1,825
1,925
2,025
1,765
1,595
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
3,900
895
777
825
840
935
825
—
—
—
—
—
—
6,564
1,055
965
1,015
1,015
1,095
975
—
—
—
—
—
—
4,069
1,395
1,270
1,320
1,395
—
—
—
—
Collectible Automobile®
4d sedan
3,870 1,320
—
4d convertible sedan
4,000 1,475
—
Total Special Eight
3,221
Advanced Eight (wb 133.0)
convertible coupe, 2/4P 4,270 1,795
—
coupe, 2/4P
4,300 1,695
—
victoria, 5P
4,300 1,785
—
4d sedan
4,350 1,595
—
4d convertible sedan
4,470 1,­875
—
Total Advanced Eight
—
Ambassador Eight (wb 142.0)
4d sedan
4,510 1,855
—
4d Brougham sedan
4,470 1,855
—
4d sedan, 7P
4,600 1,955
—
limousine, 7P
4,650 2,055
—
Total Ambassador Eight1,8912
Total 1932 Nash
38,675
1933
Big Six (wb 116.0)
convertible coupe, 2/4P 3,000
810
—
business coupe, 2P
3,000
725
—
coupe, 2/4P
3,050
745
—
4d sedan
3,125
745
—
2d convertible sedan
3,100
845
—
4d Town sedan
3,125
695
—
Total Big Six
4,502
Standard Eight (wb 116.0)
convertible coupe, 2/4P 3,050
900
—
business coupe, 2P
3,050
830 —
coupe, 2/4P
3,100
845
—
4d sedan
3,200
845
—
2d convertible sedan
3,150
945
—
4d Town sedan
3,175
830 —
Total Standard Eight
2,001
Special Eight (wb 121.0)
convertible coupe, 2/4P 3,270 1,055
—
business coupe, 2P
3,250
965
—
coupe, 2/4P
3,300 1,015
—
4d sedan
3,400 1,015
—
2d convertible sedan
3,275 1,095 —
4d Town sedan
3,400
975
—
Total Special Eight
638
Advanced Eight (wb 128.0)
convertible coupe, 2/4P 3,750 1,395
—
February 2014
3
ing four 1917 models, eight 1918s, a 1920
with 195,000 miles on it, a former taxicab
with 365,000 miles (and still in use as a
personal car), and a 1921 touring car that
had undergone only one clutch replacement in 150,000 miles. The winner was
business coupe, 2P
3,710 1,255
—
coupe, 2/4P
3,800 1,275
—
4d sedan
3,870 1,320
—
4d convertible sedan
4,000 1,575
—
victoria, 5P
3,840 1,395
—
Total Advanced Eight
750
Ambassador Eight (wb 133.0; *142.0)
convertible coupe, 2/4P 4,270 1,645
—
business coupe, 2P
4,210
—
—
coupe, 2/4P
4,300 1,545
—
4d sedan
4,350 1,575
—
4d convertible sedan
4,470 1,875
—
4d sedan, 7P*
4,600 1,955
—
limousine, 7P*
4,650 2,055
—
4d sedan*
4,510 1,855
—
4d Brougham sedan*
4,470 1,820
—
victoria, 5P
4,300 1,785
—
Total Ambassador Eight 502
Total 1933 Nash
8,393
1934
Big Six (wb 116.0)
4d sedan
3,370
755
—
business coupe, 2P
3,290
735
—
coupe, 2/4P
3,340
755
—
4d Brougham sdn, 4W33,400 745 —
4d Town sedan
3,370
715
—
4d Brougham sdn, 6W33,400 785 —
Total Big Six
15,817
1. More modern grille styling and skirted
fenders came in for 1934. Advanced
Eights shed seven inches of wheelbase
in Nash’s usual shuffling. 2, 3. Nash
appeal was widespread. Now in England,
this right-hand-drive coupe was originally
exported to Australia. (Owner: Ken Bonner)
Advanced Eight (wb 121.0)
4d sedan
3,540
995
—
business coupe, 2P
3,460
965
—
coupe, 2/4P
3,510
985
—
4d Brougham sdn, 4W33,570 995 —
4d Town sedan
3,540
965
—
4d Brougham sdn, 6W33,370 1,025 —
Total Advanced Eight
4,201
Ambassador Eight (wb 133.0; *142.0)
4d sedan
4,330 1,475
—
4d sedan3
4,3601,505 —
4d sedan, 7P*
4,590 1,805 —
limousine, 7P*
4,640 1,905 —
4d sedan*
4,500 1,955
—
4d Brougham sedan3* 4,4601,670 —
Total Ambassador Eight 1,453
Total 1934 Nash
21,471
All figures estimated. 2Includes Advanced Eight.
With integral trunk. Sources: Ency­clo­pedia of American
Cars, by the Auto Editors of Con­sumer Guide®, Publications Interna­t ional, Ltd., 2006; Official Specifications
1902-1963 Rambler and its Predecessors, American Motors Corporation (revised edition, date unknown).
1
3
Nash Motors Chairman Charles
Nash proudly poses with the 1-millionth car to bear his name,
a Big Six that came off
the assembly line on
April 28, 1934.
Nash carefully marshalled the company’s resources
during the crippling Depression.
39
a Dr. Edgar Nash (no relation) of Pueblo,
Colorado, with his 1917 Nash, which
was the 571st automobile built by the
company. Amazingly, the car had been in
continuous service for 17 years and had
traveled 215,580 miles with only $25.75
in repairs!
The economy improved in 1934 and
things got a little better at Nash, too.
Sales climbed to 14,315 Nashes and 9301
LaFayettes for a total of 23,616—more
than double the prior year’s business.
Due to the costs incurred by restyling the
senior cars and introducing the LaFayette,
the company reported a second consecutive loss, this time $1.625 million. Charlie
Nash allowed that he wasn’t concerned;
he had expected the red ink, counting
it as the cost of an ambitious expansion
program aimed at expanding his lineup,
increasing production, and adding more
than 500 new dealers during the year.
Charlie had big plans for 1935.
Sadly, part of that plan was to move his
cars down in price and size. No longer
would a Nash be offered on the regal
142-inch wheelbase. Beginning in 1935,
the longest standard Nash would ride
a wheelbase 17 inches shorter than that
of the 1934 Ambassador, and the highest introductory price would be $1290,
not $2055. The limousine and convertible
sedans would be dropped, and the age of
the Classic Nash, the most elegant cars
the company ever built, would come to a
close. Starting in 1935 Nash would claw
its way back to profitability by catering to
a broader audience, where price was more
important and volume was everything. It
had been a great ride, though.
4
1
2
3
1934 Nash:
Selected Specifications
Valve lifters
Carburetor
116.0
121.0
133.0/142.0
194.5
198.2
214.3/223.3
Engines
Carburetor
Stromberg 1-bbl downdraft
Type, Advanced Eight
inline ohv 8-cylinder,
two spark plugs per cylinder
Bore3stroke (in.)
3.1334.25
Displacement (cid)
260.8
Horsepower @ rpm
100 @ 3400
Compression ratio
5.25:1
Main bearings
9
Valve lifters
mechanical
Carburetor
Stromberg 2-bbl downdraft
Type, Big Six
inline ohv 6-cylinder,
two spark plugs per cylinder
Bore3stroke (in.)
3.3834.38
Displacement (cid)
234.8
Horsepower @ rpm
88 @ 3200
Compression ratio
5.25:1
Main bearings
7
Valve lifters
mechanical
Type, Ambassador Eight
Bore3stroke (in.)
Displacement (cid)
Horsepower @ rpm
Compression ratio
Main bearings
57.9/60.0
57.3/60.3
Construction
Layout
front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Typebody-on-frame
Body material
composite, wood and steel
40
mechanical
Stromberg 2-bbl updraft
Driveline
General
Wheelbase (in.)
Big Six
Advanced Eight
Ambassador Eight
Overall length (in.)
Big Six
Advanced Eight
Ambassador Eight
Tread, front/rear (in.)
Big Six, Advanced Eight
Ambassador Eight
5
inline ohv 8-cylinder, two spark plugs
per cylinder
3.3834.50
322.0
125 @ 3600
5.25:1
9
Transmission type
3-speed selective sliding gear, floor-mounted shifter
Clutch type
single dry-plate
Differential type
Big Six, Advanced Eight
spiral-bevel gear
Ambassador Eight
worm drive
Axle ratio
Big Six
4.44:1
Advanced Eight
4.10:1
Ambassador Eight
4.72:1
Find Out More
To read more about the topics mentioned
in this story, please see these issues of Col­
lectible Automobile®: April 2002 (Nils Erik
Wahlberg), December 2003 (1935 Nash),
October 2010 (cars of 1930), February 2013
(1934 Hudson).
Chassis
Suspension, front
Suspension, rear
Brake type
beam axle, parallel leaf
springs*
semifloating solid axle,
parallel leaf springs
four-wheel mechanical
internal-expanding drum
Clubs for 1930-34 Nash Enthusiasts
Nash Car Club of America
1N274 Prairie
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Website: www.nashcarclub.org
Tires and Wheels
Tire size
Big Six
Advanced Eight
Ambassador Eight
Wheel type
5.50317
6.50316
7.00317
steel artillery
*Standard. Baker Axleflex swivel-joint independent
suspension was available as an option.
Collectible Automobile®
6
In 1934, sedans with integral trunks were dubbed Broughams. They came in two configurations and were available in every series. 1-3. In the Advanced Eight range, the $995 fourwindow Brougham was the cheaper way to get built-in-trunk convenience. 4-6. The laterarriving six-window version started at $30 more. (Owner, both cars: Geoffrey Lentz)
February 2014
Classic Car Club of America
350 S. Northwest Highway, Suite 300
Park Ridge, IL 60068
Telephone: (847) 390-0443
Website: www.classiccarclub.org
Recognizes all 90-series cars
41