1953-54 Nash Rambler Facelift -- With Big Nash Bits

Some posts are easy to research and find photos appropriate to the subject.  Others are not: This is one of those.

It deals with the Nash Rambler compact car's 1953 facelift and 1954 addition of four-door sedans and sation wagons whose wheelbases were 108 inches (2743 mm), up from the 100 inches (2540 mm) on previous Ramblers.

While examining photos of 1953 and '54 Ramblers I noticed similarities to full-size Nashes that I hadn't been aware of.  It looked like those Ramblers were given some sheet metal from the larger Nashes.

Could that have been true?

Perhaps some retired American Motors employees would know.  Or maybe there are archived records dealing with the creation of the new styling.  Then again, somebody who does car restorations might know.  Or a Nash enthusiast.

Since I don't know for sure, the best I can do is present some photos for your consideration.  Unless noted, images below are either factory sourced or are of for-sale cars.

Gallery

1951 Nash Rambler Country Club hardtop - Barrett-Jackson Auctions photo
This is the Nash Rambler hardtop coupe's original design.

1953 Nash Rambler Country Club hardtop
The 1953 facelift left the passenger compartment greenhouse untouched aside from the lower part of the windshield.  Major changes included higher, longer fenders, a lower hood, and new front end styling.  It's hard to see here, but the door handle and key lock positions have changed.

1955 Nash Rambler 4-door sedan
1954 four-door Ramblers had the typical covered front wheels.  But after George Mason's death (he was a fan of covered wheels), George Romney approved conventional wheel openings.  Compare this photo to the image below.  Note the sculpting below the side windows on both cars.  That sculpting appeared on the redesigned 1952 Nashes, but not on Ramblers until '54 four-door sedans and station wagons appeared with that detail.

1952 Nash Ambassador 4-door sedan

1953 Nash Rambler Country Club hardtop
Now for some door comparisons.  The door on this hardtop is all-but-identical in outline below the beltline to that of the two-door Nash below.  Especially note the lower cutlines and cutlines of the rocker panel below.  Also the form and positioning of the door handle and key slot.

1952 Nash Ambassador Custom 2-door sedan

1955 Rambler 4-door sedan - unknown source
The doors on this Rambler are similar to those on the four-door 1954 Nash Ambassador in the next photo.  The main difference is that they are less wide.  Also compare the C-pillars and aft segment of the adjoining windows.  Once difference is that the Ambassador's windshield is raked back more than the Rambler's.

1954 Nash Statesman 4-door sedan

1954 Nash Ambassador 4-door sedan - publicity photo
I looked for, but didn't find a picture of a Nash and Rambler together, so as to see if the distance from the bottom of the body to the beltline was the same.  However, this photo and the following one indicated that indeed the lower body sides are the same height, and might well use the same basic metal stampings.

1955 Hudson Rambler station wagon - publicity photo
Get a ruler and measure the distances from the lower body edges to the beltlines.  Then measure the height on the models standing by the doors (they're probably within an inch or so of the same height.  Computing the ratio of the door heights to the model's heights, you should get something on the order of 3/7, or 43 percent.
Conclusion?  The evidence presented above strongly suggests that Nash saved some tooling expenses by making use of some full-size Nash bodywork when 1953 Ramblers were facelifted and then augmented for 1954.

French Shovel Nose Grilles

I recently wrote about the early-1930s American "shovel nose" grille styling fad.   The present post presents some French versions.  The term shovel nose refers to grilles where lower segments of vertical bars curved forward creating a shovel-like effect.

These first appeared in America for the 1932 model year, were somewhat common for 1933, and the final new appearance was on a 1934 brand.  By 1936 grille fashions had changed to convex "fencer's mask" designs.

Only a few French marques had shovel nose grilles.  They first appeared for 1934-35, but stayed in production at Peugeot a while longer.

Gallery

1932 Packard Light Eight Coupe Roadster - RM Sotheby's photo
Early, classical American shovel nose styling.

1934 Peugeot 301 Cabriolet
Peugeot's 1934 version was much more restrained.

1934 Chenard et Walcker Aiglon Berline - for sale photo
A more aggressive interpretation.

1934 Delahaye 134 Berline by Sical - for sale photo
Another restrained design.

1935 Unic Cabriolet at the 1934 Paris auto show
Another strong shovel nose.  These were seen at the Salon de l'Automobile and in advertising, but 1936 Unics and perhaps some '35s had conventional grilles.

The "Beautifully Proportioned" 1959 Fords

Ford's 1959 models were the final versions of a body line introduced for the 1957 model year.   They were heavily facelifted from the already facelifted 1958 cars.

Ford advertising claimed that the '59s were "Beatifully Prportioned", as the above advertisement headline states (click on the image to enlarge).  Although it's hard to read, the text by the gold medals at the lower left states: "AWARDED THE GOLD MEDAL by the Comité française de L'Elégance, for beautiful proportions -- at the Brussels World's Fair"

Another marketing ploy was the cars' resemblance to the Ford Thunderbird, redesigned as a four-passenger car for 1958.  The red car in the ad's distance is a '59 T-Bird.

At the time these Fords appeared, I was perplexed with regard to the "Beautifully Proportioned" claim.  Even though I was majoring in Commercial Art in college at the time, I failed to see how Fords had such a feature.  In fact, I thought they weren't beautiful.  But one of my fraternity brothers who was an architecture student told me that one of his instructors backed up the claim, though he didn't provide the reasoning.

Perhaps there are details on '59 Fords that conform to the Golden Ratio (1.61803398875) and other mathematical relationships.  Readers are more than welcome to explain the wonder of 1959 Ford portions to the likes of me in Comments.

Photos of 1959 Fords are below.  Unless noted, they are of cars for sale or are factory-sourced.

Gallery

1959 Ford Galaxie Town Victoria
Publicity photo of the top-of-the-line four-door hardtop.  Behind it is a Thunderbird.  The Thunderbird styling link is the broad C-pillar found only on Galaxie models.  The horizontal trim on the pillar evokes the T-Bird's wings badge.

1959 Ford Galaxie Club Victoria
Long trunks and rear overhang were fashionable in those days.  But at the price here of a stubby hood and front end ... questionable proportioning.

1959 Ford Galaxie Town Victoria
I think the chromed V on the trunk lid detracts from the generally horizontal styling theme.  I suppose it was justified as being a counterpoint.  Or maybe it had to do with the V-for-V8 theme common in those days.

1959 Ford Galaxie Club Victoria
The tubular elements atop the rear fenderline are residues of tailfins found on 1957 and '58 Ford Fairlane 500s (the previous line-toppers).

1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Town Sedan - Barrett-Jackson Auctions photo
Below Galaxie-level, C-pillars were narrow and backlight windows were panoramic.

1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Town Sedan - Barrett-Jackson
I've always thought that the '59 version of traditional 1950s round Ford tail lights were too large.

1959 Ford Custom 300 Tudor
An entry-level '59 Ford.  Windows on the passenger compartment are awkward.

1959 Ford Custom 300 Fordor
Here we see the two-tone paint scheme for Custom 300s.  The decorations on the rear fender area add some visual balance, but seem too "spotty."

1959 Ford Custom 300 Tudor
The V on the rear of the trunk lid was part of the metal forming.  That is, the chromed V's on Fairlane and Galaxies were not simply decorations.

Pegasos with Factory-Built Bodies

I wrote about an astonishing Pegaso design here and here.  For me, that  Berlina Cúpolo is what I think about when Pegaso comes to mind.

But there was only two of those built.  What of the other 80 or so Pegasos?  The present post presents two early cars with factory-built, rather than custom-built bodies.

Gallery

1952 Pegaso Z-102 2.5 Berlineta Cúpula - ENASA Body - unknown image source
ENASA (Empresa Nacional de Autocamiones S.A.) was a Barcelona based builder of trucks (and a few Pegaso automobiles).  This, perhaps the most famous Pegaso, is clad with a body made at the factory.  It seems that two were made, and one survives.  Most later Pegasos had bodies built in Italy and France.

1951 Pegaso Z-102 Berlineta prototype - ENASA body - for sale photo
Styled in the spirit of contemporary Italian custom designs, this car established Pegaso's frontal theme.  Wheel openings are extended towards the rear and topped by character lines intended to reduce the visual bulk of slab sides.  The vent on the front fender doesn't relate well to the items just mentioned.  There is no front bumper.

However, there is a minimal rear bumper.  The curved trunk lid and nearby rear fenderline are simple.  An interesting touch is the three-segment wraparound back window.  It's clearly influenced by American designs, but is rather short, cramped, perhaps due to glass forming limitations of the time.

1952 Pegaso Z-102 cabriolet - ENASA body - Bonhams auction photo
This is the open-top version.  Both cars have an odd, tacked-on air intake behind the door cutline.  The front has tiny bumper-guards, but no bumper.

Another type of minimal rear bumper.  Again, a simple, rounded shape.  Fender openings conform more to wheel shape than on the previous car.

1954 Pegaso Z-120 berlinetta by Touring - unknown source
An example of a later, Italian-built body found on many Pegasos.  Touring was doing excellent work in those days.  Yet there is still no front bumper.

1961 Pontiac Ventura Hardtop Coupe Walkaround

The Ventura was a mid-range Pontiac line for the 1961 model year.  Only two body types were offered, both hardtops (no full-height B-pillar) -- the Sport Coupe and Vista Sedan.  Today's post is a visual walkaround of a Sport Coupe Ventura.

General Motors brands all received essentially redesigned bodies for 1961.  A major difference from 1960 was the return to aft-slanting A-pillars from the panoramic (wraparound) windshields the corporation offered from 1954 or thereabouts through 1960.  Tail fins were in the process of being phased out in 1961 as well.

All GM divisions used the two-door hardtop body featured here.  The Pontiac Ventura version was not necessarily the most attractive (that might have been the Chevrolet Bel Air), but it's a nice-looking if slightly over-decorated machine.

All images bellow are via Mecum Auctions.

Gallery

1961 saw the return of Pontiac's two-segment grille introduced in 1959 but dropped for 1960.

The lower body isn't tall compared to what was common a decade earlier.  Its contrast with the tall, curved, airy passenger compartment greenhouse enhances that effect.

The beltline is horizontal, but the nearby flowing fenderline reduces a potentially static appearance.

Rear fenderline tops retain hints of tail fins.

The little V-shaped logo on the trunk lid is Pontiac's, the letters between the tail lights spell "VENTURA."

The sculpted side decoration hints of jet planes or space ships and probably should have been eliminated or perhaps replaced by something simpler.

End of walkaround.

American Shovel Nose Grilles

A brief early-1930s styling fad in the United States was the so-called "shovel nose" grille.   I wrote about it here regarding the 1932 Packard Light Eight and elsewhere touched on it when discussing other marques. 

What shovel nose means will become obvious when viewing the images in the Gallery below.  It can be described as grille bars curving forward somewhere near the grille's lower edge.

Before shovel noses, most American grilles were either vertical and flat, vertical and V'd. or slightly raked back and V'd.  By 1936 shovel nose was passé and the new fashion was convex "fencer's mask" grilles.

Unless noted, the chronological images below are factory sourced or are of for-sale cars.

Gallery

1931 Auburn Model C Roadster - Hyman Ltd photo
Not really a shovel nose, but strongly hinting at it.  The grille itself is not curved at the bottom, but it blends with a grooved plate that serves as a forward extension creating a shovel nose effect.

1932 Packard Light Eight Roadster - RM Sotheby's photo
The following model year Packard's Light Eight model carried what I consider the bold, classic shovel nose design.  Light Eights were discontinued for 1933, and shovel noses disappeared with them.

1932 Hudson Terraplane Coupe
Another shovel nose launched for 1932 was found on Terraplanes.  The curvature was much less extreme than that of the Light Eight.

1933 Dodge Rumble Seat Coupe
Chrysler's Dodge brand introduced a strong shovel nose for 1933.

1933 Studebaker President Roadster
The '33 Studebaker shovel nose was more subtle.

1933 Hupmobile
Hupp also went shovel nose for 1933.

1934 Lincoln KA 3-Window Rumble Seat Coupe
1933 Lincolns had a similar shovel nose grille, though the bolder bars are horizontal, not vertical.

1934 Plymouth
Chrysler Corporation's Plymouth didn't get around to adapting a shovel nose grille (a mild one at that) until the 1934 model year.

Nash Rambler Body Type Additions 1950-1954

This post expands on material I wrote about here.

The Rambler's Wikipedia entry notes:

"Nash-Kelvinator's President George W. Mason saw that the company needed to compete more effectively and insisted a new car had to be different from the existing models in the market offered by the "Big Three" U.S. automakers.  Mason also realized the basic problem that had eluded others trying to market smaller-sized cars to Americans: low price was not enough to sell in large volumes, but 'also had to be big enough to appeal to families as their primary car.'  Therefore, the Rambler was designed to be smaller than contemporary cars, yet still able to accommodate five passengers comfortably."

"The decision to bring the new car out first in a higher market segment with more standard features was a calculated risk by Mason. Foremost in this strategy was the need to give the new Rambler a positive public image. Mason knew the car would fail if seen by the public as a 'cheap little car'...Americans would rather buy a nice used car than a new car that is perceived as inferior or substandard."

From what I've read elsewhere, although small cars required less material than standard-size cars, their labor cost of assembly was little different.  That is why small American cars of the late 1940s and early 1950s were priced not much less than entry-level standard-size cars, and sometimes more.

For example, the 1951 Henry J prices started at $1363, compared to Chevrolet's $1540.  The 1952 Aero Willys was $1731, the Chevrolet $1614.  The 1953 Hudson Jet was $1858, Chevy $1680.  And the Nash Rambler convertible's base list price was $1808 compared the the two-door Chevrolet sedan's $1403.

The first Nash Rambler was a convertible coupe, a type regarded as top-of-the-line by most American carmakers.  No two-door coupe with a spartan interior for Rambler.  Later in the 1950 model year appeared a two-door station wagon, yet another usual line-topper.  It wasn't until the 1954 model year that two-door and four-door Rambler sedans were marketed -- the reverse of what might have been expected.  George Mason's marketing strategy was a success.

Images below are of for-sale cars unless noted.

Gallery

1950 Nash Rambler Custom Landau Convertible Coupe - Mecum Auctions photo
Like regular Nashes, Ramblers had monocoque bodies -- unusual for American cars in those days.  Which helps explain the complete B-pillar and fixed structure above the windows, something also highly unusual in the USA.

Ramblers had 6-cylinder motors, so the hood was agreeably-looking long.

The canvas roof was pulled up along tracks in the window frame structure.  Note this simple rear end -- more 1930s than 1950s in terms of ornamentation and size of tail lights.

1950 Nash Rambler Custom Station Wagon
Nashes featured covered front wheels starting in 1949 with their "inverted bathtub" aerodynamic design.   That style continued until Nash's final year, 1957, when larger wheel openings were used.  Some Ramblers got exposed front wheels in 1955, and all had them when restyled for 1956.

I think the "wood" is actually decals.  Correct me if I'm wrong.

Rambler dashboards were spartan, but not much more so than standard 1949-51 Nash dashboards.

1951 Nash Rambler Country Club hardtop coupe - Barrett-Jackson Auctions photo
The hardtop coupe appeared for 1951.  Again, another top-of-the-line body style.

The backlight window had three-segment glass, also common on other American hardtops that year.

Side view from a publicity image.  Wheelbases were 100 inches (2540 mm) for two-door models.  Later four-door models had 108 inch (2743 mm) wheelbases.  That size was retained for all redesigned 1956 Ramblers.

1954 Nash Rambler DeLuxe Two-Door Sedan
Finally, a two-door sedan that for other entry-level brands such as Chevrolet, Plymouth or Ford would be the low-price model included in a model year introduction.

1954 Nash Rambler Custom Four-Door Sedan
The four-door sedan.

1954 Nash Rambler Four-Door Sedan
Side view: compare to the image below.

1954 Nash Statesman
The Statesman was the short-wheelbase, lesser, full-size Nash model.  It appears that a width-sectioned Nash body from the cowl aft to the trunk lid might have been used on 4-door Ramblers.  Note the common sculpting below the windows, among other details.

Rear quarter view of a 1955 Rambler four-door sedan.

1955 Nash Rambler Custom Cross Country Four Door Station Wagon
The four-door station wagon was introduced for the 1954 model year.