Nash 600
| Nash 600 | |
|---|---|
 1946 Nash 600 2-door sedan | |
| Overview | |
| Production | 1940–1942 and 1945–1949 |
| Model years | 1941–1942 and 1946–1949 |
| Assembly | |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 172.6 cu in (2.8 L) I6 |
| Transmission | |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 112 in (2,845 mm)[3] |
| Length | 195 in (4,953 mm) 1941[3] 201 in (5,105 mm) 1949[4] |
| Width | 77.5 in (1,968 mm) |
| Height | 63 in (1,600 mm) |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Nash Statesman |
The Nash 600 is an automobile manufactured by the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation of Kenosha, Wisconsin, for the 1941 through 1949 model years, after which the car was renamed the Nash Statesman.
The Nash 600 was the first mass-produced unibody-constructed car in the United States and the era's most advanced domestic car design and construction.[5] The "600" name comes from the car's advertised ability to go 600 miles (970 km) on one tank of gasoline.
The Nash 600 was positioned in the low-priced market segment.[6]
Innovations[edit]
The Nash 600 is generally credited with being the first mass-produced automobile constructed in the United States using unitized body/frame construction techniques. The car body and the frame are welded as one unit, rather than the more traditional body-on-frame (the body is bolted to the frame method). Unitized construction allowed Nash to promote that the car was lighter, quieter, and more rigid than its competitors. Elimination of the frame in favor of a combined body-and-chassis construction reduced the car's weight by 500 pounds (230 kg).[6]
Nash's innovation also required new techniques for collision repairs.[7] This included the development of a new portable body and frame puller tool that was quickly accepted worldwide.[7]
The "600" designation for this Nash reinforced the automaker's claim for the car's ability to travel over 500 miles (805 km) on one tank of gasoline. This range is due to the combination of the engine's 25 mpg‑US (9.4 L/100 km; 30 mpg‑imp) to 30 mpg‑US (7.8 L/100 km; 36 mpg‑imp) fuel economy combined with the car's 20-US-gallon (76 L; 17 imp gal) fuel tank.[8] Additional efficiency was due to its lower weight than similar cars.
Models[edit]
Pre-war[edit]
The new cars were introduced for the 1941 model year and marketed as the Nash Ambassador 600 series. Four body versions were available: a four-door Slipstream (fastback) sedan with no protruding lights, running boards, or door hinges; a four-door Sedan with built-in trunk (now called notchback style), a Coupe Brougham with full-width front and rear seats, and a Business Coupe featuring a roomy rear deck cargo compartment.[3] Similar to the Mobilgas Economy Run, a 1941 event sponsored jointly by the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the Gilmore Oil, a California-based petroleum company, saw the new Nash 600 deliver 25.81 mpg‑US (9.11 L/100 km; 31.00 mpg‑imp) on regular roads and be proclaimed a "Best in Class" winner.[9]
The 600 had a 33-foot (10.1 m) turning circle.[3] It was powered by a 172.6 cu in (2.8 L) 82 hp (61 kW; 83 PS) at 3,800 rpm, L-head straight-six engine that became known for its fuel economy.[10] The 600 featured a three-speed manual gearbox with electric overdrive and coil springs on all four wheels.[11]
For the 1942 model year, the Ambassador 600 was one of three series of Nash cars.[12] Styling featured a revised front with prominent chromed NASH letters incorporated into the front trim, as well as upgraded upholstery and interior trim.[13] Although the automaker began to gear up for defense orders for the U.S. Government, it expected to produce a sizable number of economical, low-priced 600 models.[14]
Post-war[edit]
Nash began post-World War II car production in the fall of 1945. It was a sellers' market in the late 1940s because many cars on the road were getting old or were neglected because of scarcity of parts and lack of mechanics during the wartime.[15] There was an urgency to build new cars and customers were accepting prewar designs. Nash was one of the "independent automakers" that stood out from the competition.[15] The Nash advantage was the cars' body structure with over 8,000 spot welds, gussets welded within the body structure, and non-removable fenders for additional rigidity.[5] To differentiate the traditional body-on-frame construction, the showroom of Cooke Motors of Lexington, Kentucky, displayed a Nash on its side so customers could see the innovative unibody construction.[16]
There were few changes from the 1942 models except for the revised chrome trim and a projecting center section on the lower grille. Unlike using the "Ambassador" nameplate on all three Nash series in 1941 and 1942, the 600 became the Nash 600, while the Ambassador nameplate was reserved for the senior model.
The 1946 model year "600" featured a rear seat that could be converted into a bed as an option.[17] It was possible to sleep with the legs tucked into the trunk area.
The only post-war year that Nash made a 600 in the business coupe body style was in 1948.[18] This was the lowest-priced model with minimal features, lacking a back seat (to have room for samples) as well as no chrome trim, ornamentation, or comfort items such as a sun visor and door armrest.[18]
The 1948 Nash 600 (and Ambassador Custom) bore the work of Helene Rother, Nash's new interior stylist. They featured some of the most stylish interiors in the industry. Her contributions included upholstery and trim colors that harmonized with specific exterior colors.[19]
Airflyte[edit]
The 1949 model year Nash 600 featured a new design based on the aerodynamic Airflyte series that was developed by Nils Erik Wahlberg]], Nash's Vice President of Engineering.[20] The new cars stood out among the competition, six inches (152 mm) lower than the 1948s with a rounded body with unusual enclosed fenders so that detractors dubbed them the "bathtub" Nashes. "The envelope shape was the most streamlined form on the road, a large step ahead of the vaguely similar Packard" at that time.[21] The 600 became the economical series competing with Chevrolet, Ford, and Plymouth; while the Ambassador became the premium models and up against brands as Buick, Oldsmobile, Mercury, Chrysler, DeSoto, and Hudson.
The sedan was the only body style available in two- or four-door versions. Three trim series were offered: Super, Super Special, and Custom. The interiors were described as "cavernous". An unusual "Uniscope" instrument pod was mounted on the steering column. Optional was a new "Twin Bed" that transformed the car's interior into a double sleeping area making it perfect for camping trips or impromptu overnight use. A long, upholstered horizontal surface was formed by dropping the two front passenger seatbacks down to meet with the bottom of the rear bench seat. Additional comfort was available by Nash dealer accessories that included form-fitting mattresses that filled any gaps between the seats and side window screens for the doors to provide ventilation and keeping out insects.
The 1949 Nash 600 series were built on a 112-inch (2,845 mm) wheelbase and carried over the previous 172.6 cu in (2.8 L) I6 engine, selling at lower prices than the Nash Ambassador series that now rode on a larger 121-inch (3,073 mm) wheelbase and boasted a standard 234.8 cu in (3.8 L) overhead-valve I6 engine with a durable seven-main bearing design.[22]
References[edit]
- ^ Farmer, Gavin (2010). Great Ideas in Motion, A History of Chrysler in Australia. Ilinga Books. p. 405. ISBN 978-0-9805229-1-4.
- ^ Kimes, Beverly R.; Kowalke, Ron, eds. (1997). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975 (Fourth ed.). Krause Publications. p. 477. ISBN 978-0-87341-521-7.
- ^ a b c d "1941 Nash prestige brochure". oldcarbrochures.com. pp. 15, 16, 17. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ Flory, Jr., J. "Kelly" (2008). American Cars, 1946-1959 Every Model Every Year. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3229-5.
- ^ a b David, Saunders (3 January 2024). "Curbside Classic: 1947 Nash Super 600 – A Unibody Pioneer". curbsideclassic.com. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Ford and Nash show first new cars". Popular Science. August 1945. p. 125. Retrieved 9 May 2024 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b Duffy, James E. (2003). Auto Body Repair Technology (Fourth ed.). Delmar Cengage Learning. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-7668-6272-2. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "1941 Nash prestige brochure". oldcarbrochures.com. p. 14. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "1941 Nash Ambassador 600 Wins". theoldmotor.com. 31 March 2013. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ Struthers, John (1977). Dinosaur Cars. Lerner Publishing. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-8225-0416-0.
- ^ "Car of the Week: 1948 Nash Super 600". oldcarsweekly.com. 18 March 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "1942 Nash Press Kit". oldcarbrochures.com. 8 September 1941. p. 1. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "1942 Nash Press Kit". oldcarbrochures.com. p. Image #1. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "1942 Nash Press Kit". oldcarbrochures.com. p. Image #2. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ a b Perschbacher, Gerald (22 December 2008). "It was 'Independents' Days' for carmakers in 1940s". oldcarsweekly.com. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "Why You Need a New Nash – Lexington, Kentucky, 1946". theoldmotor.com. 6 July 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "1946 Nash album". oldcarbrochures.com. p. 3. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ a b Auto editors of Consumer Guide (15 October 2007). "1948 Nash 600 Business Coupe". auto.howstuffworks.com. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ Foster, Patrick (July 2005). "First Lady of Style". Hemmings Classic Car. Archived from the original on 19 January 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ {{cite web|url= https://auto.howstuffworks.com/1949-195[[1-nash-airflyte.htm |author=((Auto editors of Consumer Guide)) |title=1949-1951 Nash Airflyte |date=6 November 2007 |website=auto.howstuffworks.com |accessdate=9 May 2024}}
- ^ Auto editors of Consumer Guide (6 November 2007). "1949 Nash Airflyte Development". auto.howstuffworks.com. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (6 November 2007). "1949 Nash Airflyte". auto.howstuffworks.com. Retrieved 9 May 2024.