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{{short description|Defunct American motor vehicle manufacturer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox company | name = Nash Motors | logo = Nash Motor Company logo (text).svg | caption = | fate = Merged | successor = [[Nash-Kelvinator]]<br /> [[American Motors Corporation]]<!--company merged into etc.--> | foundation = {{Start date and age|1916|4|11}} | defunct = {{Start date and age|1954|2|23}} | location = [[Kenosha, Wisconsin|Kenosha]], [[Wisconsin]], United States | industry = [[Automobile]]<!--types of products or services offered--> | key_people = [[Charles W. Nash]], Nils Erik Wahlberg | products = [[Vehicles]] <!--some of company's notable products--> | num_employees = <!--peak number of employees--> | parent = <!--former parent companies, if any--> | subsid = <!--former subsidiaries, if any--> }} [[File:Nash Motors Comp. 1919.jpg|thumb|Share of the Nash Motors Company, issued 2 June 1919]] '''Nash Motors Company''' was an American [[automobile]] manufacturer based in [[Kenosha, Wisconsin]] from 1916 until 1937. From 1937 through 1954, Nash Motors was the automotive division of [[Nash-Kelvinator]]. As sales of smaller firms declined after 1950 in the wake of the domestic [[Big Three (automobile manufacturers)|Big Three]] automakers’ (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) advantages in production, distribution, and revenue, Nash merged with Hudson Motors to form [[American Motors Corporation]] (AMC).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Perschbacher |first1=Gerald |title=Merger Mania: Nash and Hudson form AMC |url= https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/merger-mania-nash-and-hudson-form-amc |work=Old Cars Weekly |date=11 January 2021 |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> Nash automobile production continued from 1954 through 1957 under AMC. Innovations by Nash included the introduction of an automobile heating and ventilation system in 1938 that is still used today, [[unitary construction|unibody construction]] in 1941, [[seat belts]] in 1950, a U.S.-built [[compact car]] in 1950, and an early [[muscle car]] in 1957.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Foster |first1=Patrick R. |title=AMC cars, 1954-1987: an illustrated history |page=158 |date=2004 |publisher=Iconografix |isbn=978-1-58388-112-5}}</ref> == History == [[File:Glendale-1917 Nash Fire Truck.jpg|thumb|right|1917 Nash Fire Truck Model 3017]] [[File:1922-nash-001.jpg|thumb|right|1922 Nash Roadster Model 42]] [[File:1925 Nash automobile.JPG|thumb|right|1925 Nash]] [[File:1929 Nash 400, Owner Jørgen Simonsen IMG 9332.JPG|thumb|right|1929 Nash 400]] [[File:1936 Nash 400 de Luxe, Owner Cees Mijnders IMG 9327.JPG|thumb|1936 Nash 400 de Luxe]] Nash Motors was founded in 1916 by former [[General Motors]] president [[Charles W. Nash]], who acquired the [[Thomas B. Jeffery Company]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Charles W. Nash and the Nash Motor Company |url= https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS344 |work=Wisconsin Historical Society |date=3 August 2012 |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> Jeffery's best-known automobile was the [[Rambler (automobile)|Rambler]] whose [[mass production]] from a plant in [[Kenosha, Wisconsin|Kenosha]] began in 1902. The 1917 Nash Model 671 was the first vehicle produced to bear the name of the new company's founder.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lewis |first1=Albert L. |last2=Musciano |first2=Walter A. |title=Automobiles of the World |year=1977 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |page=280 |isbn=978-0-671-22485-1}}</ref> Sales for 1918 were 10,283 units. More models were added in 1919, and sales rose to 27,081. The decades of success enjoyed by Nash were said to be due to its focus on building cars "embodying honest worth [at] a price level which held out possibilities of a very wide market."<ref name=giants>{{cite book |last1=Forbes |first1=B.C. |last2=Foster |first2=O.D. |title=Automotive Giants of America: Men Who Are Making Our Motor Industry |orig-date=1926 |publisher=Kessinger Publishing |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-7661-6177-1 |pages=211–224 }}</ref> The [[four-wheel drive]] [[Jeffery Quad]] truck became an important product for Nash. Approximately 11,500 Quads were built between 1913 and 1919. They served to move material during [[World War I]] under severe conditions. The Quad used Mehul [[Differential (mechanical device)|differentials]]<ref>{{cite book|title=American industries, Volume 14 |year=1903 |publisher=National Association of Manufacturers (U.S.)|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=bvvlAAAAMAAJ&q=Meuhl+differential&pg=PA124 |page=124 |via=Google Books |access-date=27 January 2023}}</ref> with half-shafts mounted above the load-bearing dead axles to drive the hubs through hub-reduction gearing.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jeffrey Quad |url= http://www.4wdonline.com/ClassicTrucks/Jeffrey.html |website=4wdonline.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121022051344/http://www.4wdonline.com/ClassicTrucks/Jeffrey.html |archive-date=22 October 2012 |access-date=27 January 2023}}</ref> In addition, it featured four-wheel steering.<ref>{{cite book|last=Eckermann |first=Erik |title=World history of the automobile |year=2001 |publisher=Society of Automotive Engineers |isbn=978-0-7680-0800-5 |page=76}}</ref> The Quad achieved the reputation of being the best four-wheel drive truck produced in the country.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=New York Curb and Industrial Issues |magazine=Copper Curb and Mining Outlook |date=24 January 1917 |volume=14 |issue=18 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=x-koAAAAYAAJ&q=Nash+Quad+truck+history&pg=RA13-PA15 |page=15 |via=Google Books |access-date=27 January 2023}}</ref> The newly formed Nash Motors became the largest producer of four-wheel drives.<ref>{{cite book|last=Botti |first=Timothy J. |title=Envy of the world: a history of the U.S. economy & big business |year=2006 |publisher=Algora Publishing |isbn=978-0-87586-432-7 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=4UPo0V1qovwC&q=Nash+Quad+truck+history&pg=PA188 |page=188 |via=Google Books |access-date=27 January 2023}}</ref> By 1918, capacity constraints at Nash meant the [[Paige automobile|Paige-Detroit Motor Car Company]] began to assemble the Nash Quad under license and Nash patents.<ref>{{cite book|last=Keller |first=Michael E. |title=The Graham Legacy: Graham-Paige to 1932 |year=1998 |publisher=Turner Publishing |isbn=978-1-56311-470-0 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=AzEyTU_S8EUC&q=Nash+Quad+truck&pg=PT87 |via=Google Books |access-date=27 January 2023}}</ref> Nash became the leading producer of military trucks by the end of World War I.<ref>{{cite book|last=Flink |first=James J. |title=The Automobile Age |year=1990 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=978-0-262-56055-9 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=7WtKH-9ha4MC&q=Nash+Quad+truck&pg=PA102 |page=102 |via=Google Books |access-date=27 January 2023}}</ref> After the War ended, surplus Quads were used as heavy work trucks in fields such as construction and logging.<ref>{{cite book|last=Fregulia |first=Carolyn |title=Logging in the Central Sierra |year=2008 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing SC |isbn=978-0-7385-5816-5 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=k7YeFUikTpMC&q=Nash+Quad+truck&pg=PA86 |page=86 |via=Google Books |access-date=27 January 2023}}</ref> Charles Nash convinced the chief [[engineer]] of GM's [[Oakland (automobile)|Oakland]] Division, Finnish-born Nils Eric Wahlberg, to move to Nash's new company.<ref name="100greatest">{{cite book | last=Norbye |first=Jan P. |title=The 100 greatest American cars |year=1981 |publisher=TAB Books |isbn=978-0-8306-9623-9 |url= https://archive.org/details/100greatestameri0000norb |via=Internet Archive |access-date=27 January 2023}}</ref> The first Nash engine introduced in 1917 by Wahlberg had [[overhead valve]]s,<ref name="100greatest"/> which Nash had learned about while working for Buick. Wahlberg is also credited with helping design the flow-through ventilation used since then in nearly every motor vehicle. Introduced in 1938, Nash's [[Weather Eye]] directed fresh, outside air into the car's fan-boosted, filtered ventilation system, where it was warmed (or cooled), and then removed through rearward placed vents.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.rsestc.org/hvactimeline.htm |last=Wolfe |first=Steven J. |title=HVAC Time Line |work=Refrigeration Service Engineers Society Twin Cities Chapter |year=2000 |access-date=18 June 2010 | url-status= usurped | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091121041129/http://www.rsestc.org/hvactimeline.htm |archive-date=21 November 2009 }}</ref> The process also helped to reduce humidity and equalize the slight pressure differential between the outside and inside of a moving vehicle. Another unique feature of Nash cars was the unequal wheel tracks. The front wheels were set slightly narrower than the rear, thus adding stability and improving cornering. Wahlberg was also an early proponent of [[wind tunnel]] testing for vehicles and, during [[World War II]], worked with Theodore (Ted) Ulrich in the development of Nash's radically styled Airflyte models.<ref>{{cite book |title=Automobiles of the '50s |year=1993 |publisher=Publications International |page= [https://archive.org/details/automobilesof50s0000unse_o0u4/page/63 63] |isbn=978-0-7853-2008-1 |url = https://archive.org/details/automobilesof50s0000unse_o0u4/page/63 }}</ref> Nash's slogan from the late 1920s and 1930s was "Give the customer more than he has paid for," and the cars lived up to it. Innovations included a [[straight-eight engine]] with overhead valves, twin spark plugs, and nine [[Main bearing|crankshaft bearings]] in 1930. The 1932 Ambassador Eight had [[manual transmission|synchromesh transmission]]s and free wheeling, automatic centralized chassis lubrication, a worm-drive rear end, and its suspension was adjustable inside the car. A longtime proponent of automotive safety, Nash was among the early mid- and low-priced cars that offered four-wheel brakes. The Nash was a success among consumers, which meant for the company, "selling for a long time has been 100% a production problem... month after month, all the cars that could be produced were sold before they left the factory floor."<ref name=giants/> ==Development of the Ajax== For the 1925 model year, Nash introduced the entry-level marque [[Ajax (Nash Motors)|Ajax]]. The Ajax was produced in the newly acquired [[Mitchell (automobile)|Mitchell Motor Car Company]] plant in [[Racine, Wisconsin]]. Mitchell was the manufacturer of Mitchell-brand automobiles between 1903 and 1923. Sales of Ajax automobiles, while quite respectable, were disappointing. It was believed that the same car would sell better if it were called a Nash. Thus, the Ajax became the "Nash Light Six" in June 1926, and sales improved as expected. In an unusual move, Nash Motors offered all Ajax owners a kit to "convert" their Ajax into a Nash Light Six. This kit, supplied at no charge, included a set of new hubcaps, a radiator badge, and all other parts necessary to change the identity of an Ajax into that of a Nash Light Six. This was done to protect Ajax owners from the inevitable drop in resale value when the Ajax marque was discontinued. In this way, Nash Motors showed high value for its customers' satisfaction and well-being. Most Ajax owners took advantage of this move, and "unconverted" Ajax cars are rare today. ==Acquisition of LaFayette== Nash was the principal stockholder in [[LaFayette Motors]], a company started in [[Indianapolis, Indiana]] in 1920. It later moved to [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]], and became the producer of a large, powerful, and expensive luxury car. Other significant stockholders were Charles W. Nash and his friends and business associates. However, the LaFayette cars did not sell well. In 1924, Nash absorbed LaFayette and converted its plant to produce Ajax automobiles. The LaFayette marque was reintroduced in 1934 as a lower-priced companion to Nash. LaFayette ceased to be an independent marque with the introduction of the 1937 models. From 1937 through 1940, the Nash LaFayette was the lowest-priced model, replaced by the new unibody [[Nash 600]] for the 1941 model year. ==Era of George Mason and Nash Kelvinator== [[Image:Nash Special Six Coupe 1929.jpg|thumb|right|Nash Special Six Series 430 Coupé 1929]] [[Image:Nash Convertible Coupe 1929.jpg|thumb|right|Nash Standard Six Series 422 Convertible Coupé 1929]] Before retiring, Charles Nash chose [[Kelvinator]] Corporation head [[George W. Mason]] to succeed him. Mason accepted, but placed one condition on the job: Nash would acquire controlling interest in Kelvinator, which at the time was the leading manufacturer of high-end refrigerators and kitchen appliances in the United States. As of 4 January 1937, the resulting company was known as [[Nash-Kelvinator]]. As a brand name, Nash continued representing automobiles for the merged firm. This was the largest merger of companies in two different industries until then. In 1938, Nash introduced an optional conditioned air heating/ventilating system, an outcome of the expertise shared between Kelvinator and Nash. This was the first hot-water car heater to draw fresh air from outside the car and is the basis of all modern internal combustion engine car heaters in use today. Also in 1938, Nash, along with other car manufacturers [[Studebaker]] and [[Graham-Paige|Graham]], offered vacuum-controlled shifting, an early approach to removing the gearshift from the front floorboards. Automobiles equipped with the Automatic Vacuum Shift (supplied by the Evans Products Company) had a small gear selector lever mounted on the dashboard, immediately below the radio controls. In 1936, Nash introduced the "Bed-In-A-Car" feature, which converted the car's interior into a sleeping compartment. The rear seatbacks were hinged to go up, allowing the back seat cushion to be propped up into a level position. This also created an opening between the passenger compartment and the trunk. Two adults could sleep in the car with their legs and feet in the trunk and their heads and shoulders on the rear seat cushions. In 1949, this arrangement was modified so that fully reclining front seatbacks created a sleeping area within the passenger compartment. In 1950, these reclining seatbacks were made to lock into several intermediate positions. Nash soon called these "Airliner Reclining Seats". In 1939, Nash added a thermostat to its "Conditioned Air System", and thus the famous Nash [[Weather Eye]] heater was introduced. The 1939 and 1940 Nash streamlined cars were designed by [[George W. Walker|George Walker]] and Associates and freelance body stylist Don Mortrude. They were available in three series - LaFayette, Ambassador Six, and Ambassador Eight. For the 1940 model cars, Nash introduced independent coil spring front suspension and [[sealed beam|sealed beam headlights]]. Introduced for the 1941 model year, the Nash 600 was the first mass-produced unibody construction automobile made in the United States. Its lighter weight compared to body-on-frame automobiles and lower air drag helped it to achieve excellent fuel economy for its day. The "600" model designation is said to have been derived from overdrive-equipped examples of this car's ability to travel {{convert|600|mi|0}} on a {{convert|20|USgal|1|adj=on}} tank of gasoline. It would achieve {{convert|30|mpgus}}. The 600 models used an unusual steering/front suspension system with extremely long [[Kingpin (automotive part)|kingpins]]. Inadequate lubrication became a problem for these systems, commonly resulting in premature failures. The design of the cars was improved by new front ends, upholstery, and chrome trim from 1942 through 1948. The larger Ambassador models shared the same bodies with the 600 but placed this unibody structure on top of a conventional frame, resulting in a robust design. Post-[[World War II]] passenger car production resumed on 27 October 1945, with an Ambassador sedan first off the assembly line. There were a few changes from the 1942 models. The extended, slimmer upper grille bars and a projecting center section on the lower grille were most noticeable. The 600 models featured a conventional front suspension and steering system. Postwar Nashes were six-cylinder only; eight-cylinder engines did not return. The large Ambassador engine thus was the seven main bearing, overhead-valve, {{convert|234|cuin|L|adj=on}}, six-cylinder developing {{convert|112|bhp|kW PS|0|abbr=on}}. Nash was considering the potential of offering a [[pickup truck]] and developed a [[prototype]] built on the existing chassis with a modified 600 front end and cab along with an outsourced cargo bed.<ref>{{cite web |title=1946 Nash P1 Pickup For Sale |url= https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1279308 |website=carandclassic.co.uk |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> For the 1946 model year, Nash introduced the Suburban model that used wood framing and panels on the body. It was similar to the [[Chrysler Town and Country (pre-1990)|Chrysler Town and Country]] and Ford Sportsman models. Suburbans were continued in 1947 and 1948, with 1,000 built over the three years. In 1948, the Ambassador convertible returned with 1,000 made. ==Introduction of the Nash Airflyte== {{More citations needed section|date=January 2009}} [[File:Nash Stateman 2-Door Sedan 1951.jpg|thumb|right|Nash Statesman 2-Door Sedan 1951]] [[Image:NashMotorsLogo.jpg|150px|thumb|left|The Nash shield, as it appeared on cars of the 1940s and 1950s]] The aerodynamic 1949 Nash "Airflyte" was the first car of an advanced design introduced by the company after the War. Its aerodynamic body shape was developed in a wind tunnel. A "radically aerodynamic" format was first proposed around 1943 by two independent designers, Ted Pietsch and Bob Koto, to Nash's vice president of engineering, Nils E. Wahlberg.<ref name="TheDesigners">{{cite book |last1=Foster |first1=Patrick R. |title=The Nash Styling Sketchbook |date=1998 |publisher=The Olde Milford Press |isbn=978-0-9662019-0-1 |page=1 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=BPqI4GNSPNQC&dq=Nils+Wahlberg+Nash&pg=PA1 |chapter=The Designers |access-date=April 14, 2022}}</ref> The resulting all-new 1949 production cars were similar to the proposed sketches.<ref name="TheDesigners"/> The objective was to reduce the automobile's body's drag coefficient by using a smooth shape and enclosed front fenders.<ref name="Crittenden">{{cite web |last1=Crittenden |first1=Bill |title=Airflyte |url= https://www.carsandracingstuff.com/library/a/airflyte_n.php |work=The Crittenden Automotive Library |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> Closed fenders were conceived by Nash engineers also in the exploration for added strength of unibody construction. In contrast, Hudson, a close competitor, incorporated an actual unibody frame section into its closed rear wheel openings at about the same time.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} The "cutting-edge aerodynamics" of the all-new postwar design were the most "alarming" in the industry since the [[Chrysler Airflow]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Mueller | first=Mike |title=Fifties American Cars |publisher=MBI Publishing |year=1997 |page=67 |isbn=978-0-87938-924-6 }}</ref> It was built at one of two new factories in [[El Segundo, California]], where the factory is still being used, having been re-purposed as the [[Boeing Satellite Development Center]], immediately south of [[Los Angeles International Airport]], on Nash Street. A one-piece curved safety glass windshield was used on both models. Wide and low, the automobile featured more interior room than its 1948 predecessor, although its height was {{convert|6|in}} lower. Due to its enclosed front fenders, Nash automobiles had a larger turning radius than most other cars. The 600 models used a {{convert|112|in|adj=on}} wheelbase while the Ambassador models stretched to {{convert|121|in|0}}. Both shared the same bodies. Coil springs were used on all four wheels. Both models offered Three trim lines: Super, Super Special, and the top-line Custom. Power was provided by an {{convert|82|hp|lk=in|adj=on}}, {{convert|176|cuin|L|adj=on}} flathead I6 cylinder in the 600 and a {{convert|112|hp|lk=in|adj=on}} [[Overhead valve engine|OHV]], {{convert|234|cuin|L|adj=on}} I6 in the Ambassador. In 1949, Nash became the first American car with seat belts as a factory option.<ref name="Janik">{{cite web |last1=Janik |first1=Erika |title=The Surprisingly Controversial History Of Seat Belts |url= https://www.wpr.org/surprisingly-controversial-history-seat-belts |work=Wisconsin Public Radio |date=25 September 2017 |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> They were installed in 40,000 cars, yet buyers did not want them and had dealers remove them.<ref name="Nash-1949">{{cite book |last1=Ronan |first1=Larry |title=Seatbelts: 1949-1956 |date=April 1979 |publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (DOT-TSC-NHTSA-79-1) |page=17}}</ref> There was "heated debate despite increasing scientific research" about their value and the option was "met with insurmountable sales resistance" with Nash reporting that after one year "only 1,000 had been used" by customers.<ref name="Janik"/><ref name="Nash-1949"/> The few changes for the 1950 Airflytes were a wider rear window, concealed fuel filler cap, some dashboard features, and the addition on Ambassadors of a [[General Motors|GM]] [[Hydramatic]] automatic transmission option. The 600 models were renamed the "Statesman". A five-position "Airliner" reclining front passenger seatback was optional for both models. The stroke on the Statesman engine was increased {{cvt|1/4|in}}, giving {{convert|186|cuin|L}} and {{cvt |85|hp}}, and the Ambassador received a new cylinder head that increased power to {{cvt|115|hp}}. Changes for the 1951 model Airflytes were to the rear fenders, elongated to incorporate vertical taillights, a new conventional dashboard replacing the Uniscope mounted on the steering column, and a new upright bar grille with horizontal parking lights as well as the addition of GM Hydramatic as a Statesman option. The three best sales years for Nash up to that time were 1949, 1950, and 1951. [[File:1950-nash-001.jpg|thumb|right|Nash Rambler Convertible "Landau" Coupe, c.1950, fixed profile convertible with retracting roof and rigid doors, the featured car of [[Lois Lane]] of the series ''Adventures of Superman''<ref name="how">{{cite web|title=1951 Rambler Custom Landau |website=auto.howstuffworks.com |url= http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1951-rambler-custom-landau.htm |date=27 May 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200815143528/http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1951-rambler-custom-landau.htm |archive-date=15 August 2020 |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref><ref name="artic">{{cite web|title=Lois Lane's 1950 Nash Rambler Custom |website=articboy.com |url= http://www.arcticboy.com/Pages/superman.html |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref><ref name="hemming">{{cite magazine|title=TV Cars |magazine=Hemmings Classic Car |date=June 2005 |first=Jim |last=Donnelly |url= https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/tv-cars |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref>]] [[File:AlgiersMetropolitan1 cropped.jpg|thumb|right|Nash Metropolitan]] Nash-Kelvinator's president, George Mason, felt Nash had the best chance of reaching a larger market by building small cars. He directed Nash towards developing the first compact of the post-war era, the 1950 [[Nash Rambler]], which was marketed as an up-market, feature-laden convertible. Mason orchestrated a contract manufacturing arrangement with Austin of the UK to build Nash's new subcompact car, the [[Nash Metropolitan|Metropolitan]]. It was introduced in March of 1954.<ref>{{cite web |title=1954 Nash Metropolitan |url= https://drives.today/articles/999/history/1954-nash-metropolitan.html |work=Drives.Today |date=25 August 2022 |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> The full-size Nash Airflytes were wholly re-designed for the 1952 model year. They were promoted as the Golden Airflytes in honor of Nash Motors' 50th anniversary as an automobile builder because the company was counting the years of the Thomas B. Jeffery Company as part of their heritage. Therefore, "Great Cars Since 1902" became one of the company's advertising slogans. Nash was the only American car manufacturer besides Ford Motor Company to introduce an all-new 1952 model. The new Golden Airflytes presented a more modern, squared-off look than did the 1949 through 1951 models, which were often compared to inverted bathtubs. Nash contracted [[Battista "Pinin" Farina]] of Italy to design a body for the new Golden Airflyte. Management wanted a better design, and the result was a combination of an in-house design and Pinin Farina's model. Also in 1952, Nash began offering automatic transmissions, either a GM [[Hydramatic]] or a Borg-Warner overdrive transmission. Power was provided by a six-cylinder engine that was now bored out to {{convert|252|cuin|L}}. Using its Kelvinator refrigeration experience, the automobile industry's first single-unit heating and [[air conditioning]] system was introduced by Nash in 1954.<ref name=albinder>{{cite web|url= http://wardsautoworld.com/ar/auto_rearview_mirror_9/index.html |first=Al |last=Binder |author2=Ward's staff |title=Rearview Mirror |work=Ward's AutoWorld |date=1 February 2001 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111124194941/http://wardsautoworld.com/ar/auto_rearview_mirror_9/index.html |archive-date=24 November 2011 |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> This was a compact, affordable system for the mass market with controls on the dash and an electric clutch.<ref>{{cite book |last=Daly |first= Steven |title= Automotive Air-Conditioning and Climate Control Systems |publisher=Elsevier Science & Technology Books |year=2006 |page=2 |isbn=978-0-7506-6955-9}}</ref> Entirely incorporated within the engine bay, the combined heating and cooling system had cold air for passengers enter through dash-mounted vents.<ref name=albinder/> Competing systems used a separate heating system and an engine-mounted compressor with an [[evaporator]] in the car's trunk to deliver cold air through the rear package shelf and overhead vents. The alternative layout pioneered by Nash "became established practice and continues to form the basis of the modern and more sophisticated automatic climate control systems."<ref>{{cite book |last=Nunney |first=Malcolm J. |title=Light and Heavy Vehicle Technology |publisher=Elsevier Science & Technology Books |year=2006 |page=147 |isbn=978-0-7506-8037-0}}</ref> ==Introduction of the Nash-Healey== [[Image:1952 Nash Healey.JPG|thumb|1952 Pininfarina-styled Nash-Healey roadster]] The Anglo-American [[Nash-Healey]] sports car was introduced in 1951. This was a collaborative effort between George Mason and British sports car manufacturer [[Donald Healey]]. Healey designed and built the chassis and suspension and, until 1952, the aluminum body, which another British manufacturer, Panelcraft Sheet Metal Co. Ltd., fabricated in [[Birmingham]] West Midlands. Nash shipped the powertrain components to England, and Healey assembled the cars, then shipped finished vehicles to the U.S. In 1952, the Italian designer [[Battista Farina]] restyled the body, and its construction changed to steel and aluminum. High costs, low sales, and Nash's focus on the Rambler line led to the termination of Nash-Healey's production in 1954 after 506 automobiles had been produced. While a welcome attempt to improve Nash's stodgy image, the Nash-Healey did little to enhance showroom traffic as Nash sales fell steadily from 1951 onward. The Airflyte had initially sold well in the postwar "seller's" market. Still, its bulbous styling, rooted in 1940s design trends, quickly became passé, and its underpowered six-cylinder engine proved to be a significant liability against GM's new OHV short-stroke V8s. Like fellow independents Hudson, Studebaker, and Packard, Nash charged higher prices for their cars than Ford and GM, which benefited from the economies of scale. The independents also lacked the Big Three's extensive dealer network or advertising budget. Low-profit Rambler sales gradually made up more and more of Nash's total production. In 1953 and 1954, Ford and GM also waged an all-out price war on each other, further damaging the independents' sales. Mainline Nashes also lacked body styles; despite introducing a hardtop coupe in 1952, there was no convertible or station wagon, although the Rambler lineup featured all of these versions. In addition, while Nash had profited from military contracts during the [[Korean War]], that conflict ended in mid-1953. At the same time, the new Secretary of Defense [[Charles Edward Wilson (businessman)|Charles E. Wilson]], ex-GM president, began steering defense contracts to his former employer at the expense of the rest of the [[automotive industry]]. Mason commissioned Farina to design a Rambler-based two-seater coupe called the Palm Beach, which may have been intended as a successor to the Nash-Healey. However, the project only progressed to a [[concept car]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://auto.howstuffworks.com/amx-palm-beach.htm |title=AMX Palm Beach |website=auto.howstuffworks.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200808123753/https://auto.howstuffworks.com/amx-palm-beach.htm |date=15 October 2007 |archive-date=8 August 2020 |access-date=2 February 2013}}</ref> For European [[Endurance racing (motorsport)|endurance racing]], Healey and his staff designed and built three special Nash-Healeys with lightweight aluminum racing bodies. These competition versions entered four consecutive [[24 Hours of Le Mans|Le Mans]] races and one [[Mille Miglia]]. At Le Mans, they achieved fourth overall in 1950, sixth overall and fourth in class in 1951, third overall and first in class in 1952, and eleventh overall in 1953. In the Mille Miglia, they finished ninth overall in 1950 and seventh overall, as well as placing fourth in class in 1952. ==Formation of American Motors Corporation== {{main|American Motors Corporation}} [[File:Nash Rambler Cross Country 1955.jpg|thumb|right|1955 Nash Rambler Cross Country station wagon]] In January 1954, Nash announced the acquisition of the [[Hudson Motor Car Company]] as a friendly merger, creating [[American Motors Corporation]] (AMC). To improve the financial performance of the combined companies, all production, beginning with the 1955 Nash and Hudson models, would happen at Nash's Kenosha plant. Nash would focus most of its marketing resources on its smaller Rambler models, and Hudson would focus its marketing efforts on its full-sized cars. One of the first things Mason did as CEO of the new company was to initiate talks with [[James J. Nance]], president of Packard, for parts-sharing arrangements between AMC and Packard. At this time, AMC did not have its own V8 engine, and an agreement was made for the new {{convert|320|CID|L|abbr=on}} Packard V8 engine and Packard's Ultramatic automatic transmission to be used in the 1955 [[Nash Ambassador]] and Hudson Hornet models. In July 1954, Packard acquired Studebaker to form [[Studebaker-Packard Corporation]],<ref>{{cite magazine|url= https://time.com/archive/6798397/autos-merger-no-3/ |title=Autos: Merger No. 3 |magazine=Time |date=28 June 1954 |access-date=3 June 2024}}</ref> however, further talks of a merger between AMC and Packard-Studebaker were cut short when Mason died on 8 October 1954. A week after his death, Mason's successor, [[George W. Romney]], announced "there are no mergers under way either directly or indirectly".<ref>{{cite magazine|url= https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,823618,00.html |title=Personnel: Changes of the Week |magazine=Time |date=25 October 1954 |access-date=3 June 2024}}</ref> Nevertheless, Romney continued with Mason's commitment to buy components from Studebaker-Packard Corporation. Although Mason and Nance had previously agreed that Studebaker-Packard would purchase parts from AMC, it did not do so. Moreover, Packard's engines and transmissions were comparatively expensive, so AMC began development of its own [[AMC V8 engine|V8 engine]], and replaced the outsourced unit by mid-1956.<ref name=newentry>{{cite magazine|url= https://time.com/archive/6621956/autos-new-entry/ |title=Autos: New Entry |magazine=Time |date=24 March 1954 |access-date=3 June 2024}}</ref> For the 1955 model year, all the large Nash and Hudson automobiles were based on a Nash-derived shared unitized body shell using styling themes by [[Battista Farina|Pinin Farina]], [[Edmund E. Anderson]], and Frank Spring. Each had individual powertrains and separate, non-interchangeable body parts.<ref>{{cite magazine|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=aN4DAAAAMBAJ&q=George+Romney,+president+of+American+Motors,+reports+that+the+two+cars+share+only+one+exterior+body+panel&pg=PA110 |page=110 |title=Detroit Listening Post |first=Leo |last=Donovan |magazine=Popular Mechanics |date=January 1955 |volume=103 |issue=1 |via=Google Books |access-date=3 June 2024}}</ref> This mimicked the longtime practice [[Big Three (automobile manufacturers)|Big Three]] (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) that allowed for maximum manufacturing economy. Anderson set up separate design studios for Nash, Hudson, and Rambler. George Romney ordered the removal of the front fender skirts on Nashes and Ramblers for the 1955 models. Customers disliked this feature, yet it was reportedly demanded by George Mason, who liked their appearance. Even with the merger forming AMC, they were held to a total of about four percent of the market and thus were under pressure to lower expenses and tooling costs for new models, perhaps by innovation.<ref>{{cite magazine|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Zt4DAAAAMBAJ&q=Unitized+Bodies+Hudson+and+Nash+both+use+a+unitized-+body+design+That+economic+fact+is+resulting+in+the+mergers+of+independents+(currently+scrambling+for+a+total+of+about+four+percent+of+the+market)+as+a+way+to+share+tooling+costs&pg=PA82 |page=82 |title=Detroit Listening Post |first=Leo |last=Donovan |magazine=Popular Mechanics |date=August 1954 |volume=102 |issue=2 |via=Google Books |access-date=3 June 2024}}</ref> The [[Nash Metropolitan]], marketed under either the Nash or Hudson brands, became a make unto its own in 1957, as did the Rambler. By this point, Rambler sales comprised most of AMC's volume, so George Romney decided to phase out the Nash and Hudson nameplates and focus solely on Rambler. This move would pay off the following year when an economic recession struck the United States and created a strong demand for economical compact cars.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=VO8mAQAAMAAJ&q=George+Romney+decided+to+leave+full-sized+cars+to+other+manufacturers+and+base+the+future+of+AMC+on+Rambler |pages= 201–202 |title=A century of automotive style: 100 years of American car design |first1=Michael |last1=Lamm |first2=Dave |last2=Holls |year=1996 |publisher=Lamm-Morada |isbn=978-0-932128-07-2 |access-date=3 August 2015}}</ref> Nash and Hudson production ended with the last Hornet made on 25 June, 1957.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=m-k3ONS880cC&q=the+last+Hudson+Hornet+being+built+on+June+25,+1957&pg=PA815 |page=815 |last=Flory, Jr. |first=J. "Kelly" |title=American Cars, 1946-1959 Every Model Every Year |year=2008 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-3229-5 |access-date=3 August 2015}}</ref> From 1958 until 1962, Rambler and the Metropolitan were the only brands of cars sold by AMC. By 1965, the Rambler name would begin to be phased out, and AMC would take over as the brand name until the 1988 model year. In 1970, American Motors acquired [[Kaiser Jeep]] (the descendant of [[Willys-Overland Motors]]) and its [[Toledo, Ohio]], based manufacturing facilities. In 1979, AMC established a technology partnership with [[Renault]]. In 1987, [[Chrysler Corporation]] made a public offering to acquire all shares of AMC on the NYSE. The shareholders approved the offer, and AMC became a division of Chrysler Corporation. ==International markets== Since the early days, Nash vehicles were exported as complete cars or in knock-down kit form for local assembly to many countries around the world including right-hand-drive markets such as the United Kingdom,<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-1957/22/cars-earls-court |title=The Cars at Earls Court |website=motorsportmagazine.com |date=7 July 2014 |access-date=13 November 2021}}</ref> Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. International production for both the Nash and [[Hudson Marquez|Hudson Marques]] was consolidated after the merger of Nash and Hudson to form [[American Motors Corporation]] (AMC) in 1954, after which international-bound operations were conducted at the former Nash factory in Kenosha and the Brampton plant in Canada until 1957, when both the Nash and Hudson Marques were retired. ===Australia=== Several distributors for each Australian state built and sold Nash vehicles in the 1920s. As was the practice for all car brands during the early 20th Century, the chassis and engines were imported, and Australian coach builders locally built the bodies. Early distributors were '''Wilsford Limited''' for New South Wales,<ref>{{cite news|url= https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/223565940 |newspaper=The Sun |location=Sydney, NSW |date=22 November 1924 |page=8 |title=The New Nash |via=Trove |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> '''Richards Brothers''' for Victoria and the Riverina,<ref>{{cite news |url= https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/223633967 |newspaper=Farmers' Advocate |location=Melbourne, Victoria |date=14 September 1923 |page=6 |title=Motors Here |via=Trove |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> '''Peels Limited''' for Queensland,<ref>{{cite news |url= https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/20564989 |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |location=Qld. |date=12 August 1922 |page=12 |title=Nash Motor Cars |via=Trove |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> '''Eric Madren Motors''' (later Nash Cars (W.A) Limited) for Western Australia,<ref>{{cite news|url= https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/210493487 |newspaper=Truth |location=Perth, WA |date=22 December 1929 |page=11 |title=Nash Motors |via=Trove |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> and '''Northern Motors''' for Tasmania.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/153261178 |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |location=Launceston, Tas. |date=3 October 1923 |page=11 |title=Nash Cars |via=Trove |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> The recovery period following the end of World War II saw a lull in car manufacturing, petrol rationing, and currency shortages. Some cars were imported in the late 1940s and 1950s despite these factors. In 1950, a few Nash trucks were assembled by '''Davies Pty Ltd''' in Launceston, Tasmania. After the Nash-Hudson merger in 1954, AMC's new Rambler vehicles were imported into Australia and distributed by '''Ira L. & A.C Berk Pty Ltd'''<ref>{{cite news|url= https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/121697641 |newspaper=Evening News |location=Sydney, NSW |date=13 January 1928 |page=14 |title=Ira L. and A.C. Berk |via=Trove |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> which had previously held the Hudson franchise since 1939. Hudson was the more recognized brand in Australia, so they were initially sold as Hudson. The Nash Metropolitan was not sold in Australia. The first Rambler-badged vehicles were imported in 1957. This first shipment consisted of 24 cars, 10 of which were Rambler station wagons. Small numbers of Rambler Sixes were imported into Australia up until 1960. AMC made a new deal with Port Melbourne vehicle assembler '''Australian Motor Industries''' (AMI) in 1960 to build AMC vehicles from knock-down kits, production of which ran from 1961 until 1976. AMI eventually became Toyota Australia. ===New Zealand=== From 1935, Nash motor vehicles were assembled in New Zealand by Christchurch company '''Motor Assemblies Limited'''. The plant also made Studebaker and [[Standard Motor Company|Standard]] vehicles and was acquired by Standard Motors in 1954.<ref name=Rose>{{cite book|first=William Dennis |last=Rose |title=Development options in the New Zealand motor car assembly industry |publisher=New Zealand Institute of Economic Research. Research paper; no. 16 |date=1971 |url= https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/21925697 |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> Production was then moved to Auckland company '''VW Motors''' at their Volkswagen plant in Otahuhu, Auckland until 1962.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/107503496/the-empty-halls-of-new-zealands-car-assembly-industry |title=The empty halls of New Zealand's car assembly industry |first=Todd |last=Niall |work=Stuff |location=New Zealand |date=6 October 2018 |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref> New Zealand saw the Nash Ramblers and the British-built, right-hand-drive Nash Metropolitan. In 1963, AMC struck a deal with Thames company [[Campbell Motor Industries|Campbell Motors]] to build a new vehicle assembly plant for AMC vehicles, which began production in 1964. Renamed [[Campbell Motor Industries]] (CMI), the plant built Rambler vehicles from knock-down kits until 1971. CMI eventually became "Toyota New Zealand". ===South Africa=== Following World War II, Nash motor vehicles were assembled in South Africa by a newly built assembly operation in East London '''Car Distributors and Assemblers''' (CDA). The plant also built Packard, Renault, and Standard motor vehicles. CDA was eventually taken over, first by Chrysler, and finally by Peugeot.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://motor-assemblies.blogspot.com/2012/01/motor-assemblies-limited.html |title=Motor Assemblies Limited |website=Motor-assemblies.blogspot.com |date=24 January 2012 |access-date=13 November 2021}}</ref> ===United Kingdom=== Nash vehicles were imported into the United Kingdom by London company '''Nash Concessionaires'''.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://classicsworld.co.uk/nostalgia/retro-ads-rambler-classic-american/ |title=Retro Ads - Rambler Classic & American |date=6 October 2017 |website=Classicsworld.co.uk |access-date=13 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-1956/14/cars-earls-court |title=The cars at Earls Court |website=Motorsportmagazine.com |date=7 July 2014 |access-date=13 November 2021}}</ref> After 1961, Rambler imports switched to the former U.K Hudson operation in Chiswick which was accordingly renamed '''Rambler Motors (A.M.C.) Limited'''.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Rambler_Motors |title=Rambler Motors - Graces Guide |website=gracesguide.co.uk |access-date=13 November 2021}}</ref> AMC's deal with Austin for the production of the Nash Metropolitan was independent of the Chiswick Rambler operation. ==Gallery== <gallery class="center"> File:Nash Six Touring 1927.jpg|Nash Six Touring 1927 Image:Nash Standard Six Series 420 4-Door Sedan 1929.jpg|Nash Standard Six Series 420 4-Door Sedan 1929 Image:Nash Single Six Series 450 4-Door Sedan 1930.jpg|Nash Single Six Series 450 4-Door Sedan 1930 Image:Nash Eight Series 481 Convertible Coupe 1930.jpg|Nash Twin-Ignition Six Series 481 Convertible Coupé 1930 Image:Nash 871 Convertible Sedan 1931.jpg|Nash Series 871 Convertible Sedan 1931 Image:Nash 4-Door Sedan 1934.jpg|Nash Ambassador Eight 4-Door Sedan 1934 Image:Nash Advanced Six Series 3520 4-Door Sedan 1935 2.jpg|Nash Advanced Six Series 3520 4-Door Sedan 1935 Image:Nash 3540 400 4-Door Sedan 1935.jpg|Nash 3540 400 4-Door Sedan 1935 Image:Nash 4-Door Sedan 3.jpg|Nash 3540 400 4-Door Sedan 1935 Image:Nash La Fayette 3610 Sedan 1936.jpg|Nash Lafayette Series 3610 4-Door Sedan 1936 Image:Nash 3620 Ambassador Six 4-Door Sedan 1936.jpg|Nash Ambassador Six 3620 4-Door Sedan 1936 Image:Nash 4-Door Sedan.jpg|Nash 4-Door Sedan Image:Nash Ambassador Six 4-Door Sedan 1937.jpg|Nash Ambassador Six Series 3728 4-Door Sedan 1937 Image:1937 Nash Lafayette (11810441316).jpg|1937 Nash Lafayette in New Zealand Image:Nash La Fayette Series 3818 4-Door Sedan 1938.jpg|Nash Lafayette Series 3818 4-Door Sedan 1938 Image:Nash 3828 Ambassador 4-Door Sedan 1938.jpg|Nash Ambassador Six Series 3828 4-Door Sedan 1938 Image:Nash 2-Door Sedan.jpg|Nash 2-Door Sedan 1940 MHV Nash Ambassador Six 1941 01.jpg|Nash Ambassador Six four-door sedan 1941 Image:Nash 4-Door Sedan 2.jpg|Nash 4-Door Sedan 1946 Image:1957 Nash Rambler Custom Wagon (28080053790).jpg|Australian right-hand drive 1957 Nash Rambler wagon Image:1959 Nash Metropolitan (19281717111).jpg|New Zealand right-hand drive 1959 Nash Metropolitan Image:Nash Hood Ornament.jpg|Detail from a Nash Metropolitan Image:Jim Burke Nash, Inc.jpg|Nash dealership in Alabama, ca. 1930-1945 </gallery> == Nash automobile brands == * [[LaFayette Motors|LaFayette]] * [[Ajax (Nash Motors)|Ajax]] * [[Rambler (car)|Rambler]] * [[Nash Healy|Nash-Healey]] * [[Thomas B. Jeffery Company|Jeffery]] == Nash automobiles == * [[Nash 600]] * [[Nash Statesman]] * [[Nash Ambassador|Ambassador]] * [[Nash Metropolitan|Metropolitan]] * [[Nash-Healey]], in cooperation with Donald Healey, was assembled in the UK and Italy. * [[Nash Rambler]] * [[Rambler (car)|Rambler]] ==Motorsport== Like most American manufacturers of the fifties, Nash participated in the Grand National Stock Car series. ==See also== {{Portal|Companies}} * [[Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp]], Nash built during WWII ==References== ;Inline {{Reflist}} ;General * {{cite book|editor-last=Gunnell |editor-first=John |title=The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946–1975 |publisher=Krause Publications |year=1987 |isbn=978-0-87341-096-0}} ==External links== {{Commons category|Nash Motors}} * [http://www.nashcarclub.org/ Nash Car Club of America] (NCCA) * {{cite web|url= http://www.americansportscars.com/healey.html |title=Nash Healy History |website=americansportscars.com/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230602083311/http://www.americansportscars.com/healey.html |archive-date=2 June 2023 |access-date=6 November 2023}} * {{cite web|url= http://www.nash-gb.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130423222046/http://nash-gb.com/index.html |archive-date=23 April 2013 |title=The Nash GB Site |url-status= usurped |access-date=19 January 2022}} * [http://www.nordicnash.org The Nordic Nash Register] * {{cite web|url= https://www.allpar.com/threads/nash-engines.229884/#post-1085223982 |website=allpar.com |title=Nash Engines |first1=Jim |last1=Dworschack |first2=Jerry |last2=Knutsen |date=16 November 2020 |access-date=6 November 2023}} {{Nash Motors}} {{Automotive industry in the United States}} {{coord|42.5842|N|87.8424|W|type:landmark|display=title}} [[Category:Nash Motors| ]] [[Category:Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States]] [[Category:American Motors]] [[Category:Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Wisconsin]] [[Category:Kenosha, Wisconsin]] [[Category:1910s cars]] [[Category:1920s cars]] [[Category:1930s cars]] [[Category:1940s cars]] [[Category:1950s cars]] [[Category:Defunct manufacturing companies based in Wisconsin]] [[Category:Former components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average]] [[Category:1916 establishments in Wisconsin]] [[Category:1954 disestablishments in Wisconsin]] [[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1916]] [[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1954]] [[Category:Defunct brands]] [[Category:Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers]] [[Category:Vintage vehicles]] [[Category:Pre-war vehicles]] [[Category:Cars introduced in 1917]]
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