Standard Catalog of American Cars 1905 through 1942 shows a total of 5,428 1942 Nash cars built.
The 1941 California license plates show a 1941 . Chrome trim indicated that it was an early build car.
This is the exactly the same car that my father then Lt. Commander Wilt in the United States Navy purchase with the aid of O.P.A. ( Office of Price Administration) ration ceretificate. For those who don't know, all remaining 1942 cars were stored and rationed during the war. They increased in value each month the car was in storage. In January of 1944 when dad bought his car which later became my first car, paid $1,400 for the two tone green 1942 series 40 trunk back with 5:50 x 16 Goodyear white wall tires, De Luxe trim both Chrome outside and Plastic Steering wheel and clock cigar lighter and De Luxe instrument. panel. Dad purchased the last car in the Chicago storage warehouse with white wall tires and chrome trim.
Our family Nash was an early 1942 Nash 600 as there were no zerk grease fitting on the front king pin style suspension. It did provide an excellent ride but the front suspension would freeze due to no lubricant. This happened about every 25,000 miles. This discouraged my dad from ever buying another Nash. Nash did have a warranty replacement program which cost us $25..00 every time the front end would lock up..
I got the car with 14,000 miles from dad when I returned home from Marine Corps duty in Tientsin China in the fall of 1946. I was a commuting student at North Central Collge, Naperville, Illinois and drove Nash to 89,000 miles and sold it to a friend. We overhauled the engine at 24,000 miles and went throught two and a half front suspensions. Nash changed this on the 1946 Nash 600 cars.
I was proud to have owned a NASH AMBASSADOR with a flat head six. This is the only flat head six made with the name Ambassador. Have had a 53 Statesman (model 5346) for 29 years. The 1942 Nash (minus overdrive) car held up well, other than losing a motor mount coming home from Washington, D.C. I also had a rear stabalizer bar snapped crossing the Burlington railroad tracks on route 45 in La Grange, Illinois. For two years only the 1941 and the 1942 Nash 600 series had the Ambassador name .
Bill Wilt
NCCA no.#1031
---Robert Kirkley #6746
I recently received a box of photos from my Great Aunt Katie's
estate in California. Among them was a series of photos where
the family proudly posed in front of their new Nash. I was hoping
to determine an approximate date for these photos based on the
make and model of the auto.
Would you, could you, take a look at the photos and see if
you can identify the model and year of Katie's Nash?
I would be forever grateful.
Many, many thanks,
April Hoover
El Dorado, AR
mycabin@arkansas.net